How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

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Prancing Pony
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How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Prancing Pony » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:11 am

I know it's a game changer with spinning gear, what about w/ baitcasters? I'm willing to go braid if it really casts noticeably better than fluoro.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by rockchalk06 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:13 am

It has zero memory. The same braid on my cranking reel casts the same 3 years ago as it does today. Never been changed.

Braid will grab wind on a really long cast where Fluoro will not as bad. Braid tends to come off the spool easier than fluoro too.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Prancing Pony » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:34 am

rockchalk06 wrote:It has zero memory. The same braid on my cranking reel casts the same 3 years ago as it does today. Never been changed.

Braid will grab wind on a really long cast where Fluoro will not as bad. Braid tends to come off the spool easier than fluoro too.
Are you saying that it casts further than fluoro but at the risk of a backlash? Just how much further?

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by rockchalk06 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:59 am

Prancing Pony wrote:
rockchalk06 wrote:It has zero memory. The same braid on my cranking reel casts the same 3 years ago as it does today. Never been changed.

Braid will grab wind on a really long cast where Fluoro will not as bad. Braid tends to come off the spool easier than fluoro too.
Are you saying that it casts further than fluoro but at the risk of a backlash? Just how much further?

No.

Braid will catch the wind on a windy day. Doesn't cause an overrun, but it will "sail" so to speak more than fluoro.

I can't tell any difference in distance increase or decrease. I'd be surprised if there was any at all

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by LowRange » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:00 am

It casts much better than flurocarbon due to the lack of memory. Spool dig in is a concern on casting reels so try to stick to 8 carriers and #30 and up.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Cracker » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:57 am

A spool with a braid line should cast further, if you look at 2017 Exsence DC settings - a fluorocarbon line would have max brakes by default.


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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Strewth » Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:05 am

Down Under, most anglers used braid only on baitcasters and I can't remember when I last saw anything else. 8 carrier braids are better, but I have also used 4 carrier with no drama. But I don't employ the eye-watering hooksets that I sometimes see in the US, even on large barramundi. I have no problems running 10lb braid. In fact I run it all the time on my Brenious and get great distance and performance with light jigs. To optimise the resistance to abrasion, a mono leader tied with an FG knot is the ticket.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by new2BC4bass » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:36 am

rockchalk06 wrote:
Prancing Pony wrote:
rockchalk06 wrote:It has zero memory. The same braid on my cranking reel casts the same 3 years ago as it does today. Never been changed.

Braid will grab wind on a really long cast where Fluoro will not as bad. Braid tends to come off the spool easier than fluoro too.
Are you saying that it casts further than fluoro but at the risk of a backlash? Just how much further?

No.

Braid will catch the wind on a windy day. Doesn't cause an overrun, but it will "sail" so to speak more than fluoro.

I can't tell any difference in distance increase or decrease. I'd be surprised if there was any at all
Yup. A used reel arrived with used 65# braid. I thought the line was closely related to a kite. :big grin: Was replaced immediately.

OP, I honestly don't know if braid casts further than Fluoro...or any other line. I've made some pretty long casts (for me) with both. I think rod and lure probably play a bigger part in casting distance than line. However, if you are looking for that last few feet, then run some tests and get back to us. We would be glad to take advantage of your hard work. :laugh1:

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Slazmo » Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:18 am

Strewth wrote:Down Under, most anglers used braid only on baitcasters and I can't remember when I last saw anything else. 8 carrier braids are better, but I have also used 4 carrier with no drama. But I don't employ the eye-watering hooksets that I sometimes see in the US, even on large barramundi. I have no problems running 10lb braid. In fact I run it all the time on my Brenious and get great distance and performance with light jigs. To optimise the resistance to abrasion, a mono leader tied with an FG knot is the ticket.
+1

Braid on baitcasters for larger work IMHO. I only have Platypus mono 6lb on my Calcutta 50's for BFS casting where I find it more manageable and casting is somewhat further on these reels compared to braid I tried prior.

Finding that while 8 carrier is smoother they carry a lot of water I find, thee 4 carrier is not as smooth but acceptable all the same.

I usually run a leader and the knot that sits at the reels face with 10cm or so drop from the tip runner, I just run a J knot.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Prancing Pony » Fri Mar 03, 2017 12:45 pm

Thanks for all your inputs my friends. And some of you addressed exactly what I was concerned about.
rockchalk06 wrote:Braid will catch the wind on a windy day. Doesn't cause an overrun, but it will "sail" so to speak more than fluoro.
I can't tell any difference in distance increase or decrease. I'd be surprised if there was any at all
new2BC4bass wrote:OP, I honestly don't know if braid casts further than Fluoro...or any other line. I've made some pretty long casts (for me) with both. I think rod and lure probably play a bigger part in casting distance than line. However, if you are looking for that last few feet, then run some tests and get back to us. We would be glad to take advantage of your hard work. :laugh1:
Slazmo wrote:+1

Braid on baitcasters for larger work IMHO. I only have Platypus mono 6lb on my Calcutta 50's for BFS casting where I find it more manageable and casting is somewhat further on these reels compared to braid I tried prior.
Finding that while 8 carrier is smoother they carry a lot of water I find, thee 4 carrier is not as smooth but acceptable all the same.
I usually run a leader and the knot that sits at the reels face with 10cm or so drop from the tip runner, I just run a J knot.
While the braid on a spinning reel dramatically increases your distance with its limpness and small diameter, baitcasters by nature are just more effective at handling heavier lines. Yeah, a line's limpness and diameter still affect your distance with a baitcaster, but nowhere near as much as they affect a spinner. So I assumed the added distance over mono or fluoro wouldn't be as significant as it is with spinning gear.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Mike and Pike » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:28 pm

It may not be as significant a casting advantage as with spinning , but it is not far off.
Limp, lighter, and thinner diameter are all benefits whether spin or casting.
Equal tests, braid casts longer than flouro.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Strewth » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:04 pm

Mike and Pike wrote:It may not be as significant a casting advantage as with spinning , but it is not far off.
Limp, lighter, and thinner diameter are all benefits whether spin or casting.
Equal tests, braid casts longer than flouro.
Agreed

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Prancing Pony » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:36 pm

Mike and Pike wrote:Equal tests, braid casts longer than flouro.
And one more thing; I find most low-lb braided lines except for those ridiculously expensive Japanese ones for saltwater game(too bad I don't have any experience on them) to be much, MUCH thicker than their claimed diameter. Most manufacturers claim their 10lb braids are as thin as a 2lb mono, but actually it's more like 4-6lb. Still thin, but not like they advertise.
Thing is that when you use the braid on a baitcaster you usually beef up the poundage to avoid the line digging into spool or to manage backlash. What I see most of the time is people running 8-10lb braid on the exact same setup they used with 4-6lb mono, because braids under 6lb is just too thin to handle with a baitcasting reel.
This is why I haven't run braids on baitcasters because you can't really make the most of a braided line's advantage. Braided line is supposed to be limper AND thinner than your mono; but when it comes to baitcasting it's only limper, but not too thinner.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Mike and Pike » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:47 pm

Braid also has less resistance through the guides.
Also, if you look at the actual breaking strength and compare diameters from the same company, there is enough of an advantage once again to help braid cast farther.
Even if so and so claims of 2 lb test size are off, 4-6 lb diamter vs 10 lb... thats substantial.

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Re: How well does braided line cast on a baitcaster?

Post by Mike and Pike » Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:02 pm

One reason guys upsize with braid is that it has zero stretch.
When that second or third lure goes flying off on a not so horrible backlash that would have been handled a bit better by flouro stretch , ya know that braid has it's downsides too.

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