Sinking Braid Experience

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shadybanks
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Sinking Braid Experience

Post by shadybanks » Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:59 am

There are a few techniques that I thought a sinking braid would be a good choice to try...if it performed and handled well.

Anyone have good or bad experience using a sinking braid on spinning or baitcasting reels?

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by Cal » Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:51 am

Yes, I use the YGK product and while it does sit on the surface at first, it will begin sinking below the surface after ten seconds or so depending on what you're fishing. It's not a dramatic difference.
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Finnz922
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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by Finnz922 » Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:14 am

Cal wrote:
Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:51 am
Yes, I use the YGK product and while it does sit on the surface at first, it will begin sinking below the surface after ten seconds or so depending on what you're fishing. It's not a dramatic difference.
Agreed. I bought some and like the braid, but I don't really see any noticeable difference between regular non-sink 4/8 strand braid vs sinking braid.

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by toddmc » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:12 am

Even fluoro doesn't sink right away. It takes a while to break the surface. The YGK 112 will float in the air a little less on a windy day and sink a little faster, but don't expect something like lead core line. Remember, the outer part of the line is still braid. The slackline sensitivity is also increased with the ester core. You will feel a little more when fishing something like a senko with a bow in your line. What I really like with the sinking lines is that they tend to keep their shape and be more abrasion resistant around hard cover, making them last a long time. That is an added bonus that I didn't expect for a 10 lb. line. The YGK 112 also grips very well with leader knots. The one drawback to YGK 112 is it has a little of that RC car whine going through the roller on your spinning reel.

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by eagleriver1_fish » Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:36 pm

toddmc wrote:
Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:12 am
Even fluoro doesn't sink right away. It takes a while to break the surface. The YGK 112 will float in the air a little less on a windy day and sink a little faster, but don't expect something like lead core line. Remember, the outer part of the line is still braid. The slackline sensitivity is also increased with the ester core. You will feel a little more when fishing something like a senko with a bow in your line. What I really like with the sinking lines is that they tend to keep their shape and be more abrasion resistant around hard cover, making them last a long time. That is an added bonus that I didn't expect for a 10 lb. line. The YGK 112 also grips very well with leader knots. The one drawback to YGK 112 is it has a little of that RC car whine going through the roller on your spinning reel.
From a sensitivity perspective do you think the sinking braid is a "best of both world's" or more of a "In Between" line compared to straight braid or straight fluoro. What I mean by that is: do you think it is as sensitive as braid on a tight line and as sensitive as fluoro on a semi-slack line or is it slightly less sensitive than braid on a tight line (but better with slack) and slightly less sensitive than fluoro on a slack line (but better on a tight line)?

The abrasion resistance sounds like a big plus.

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by toddmc » Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:58 am

eagleriver1_fish wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:36 pm
toddmc wrote:
Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:12 am
Even fluoro doesn't sink right away. It takes a while to break the surface. The YGK 112 will float in the air a little less on a windy day and sink a little faster, but don't expect something like lead core line. Remember, the outer part of the line is still braid. The slackline sensitivity is also increased with the ester core. You will feel a little more when fishing something like a senko with a bow in your line. What I really like with the sinking lines is that they tend to keep their shape and be more abrasion resistant around hard cover, making them last a long time. That is an added bonus that I didn't expect for a 10 lb. line. The YGK 112 also grips very well with leader knots. The one drawback to YGK 112 is it has a little of that RC car whine going through the roller on your spinning reel.
From a sensitivity perspective do you think the sinking braid is a "best of both world's" or more of a "In Between" line compared to straight braid or straight fluoro. What I mean by that is: do you think it is as sensitive as braid on a tight line and as sensitive as fluoro on a semi-slack line or is it slightly less sensitive than braid on a tight line (but better with slack) and slightly less sensitive than fluoro on a slack line (but better on a tight line)?

The abrasion resistance sounds like a big plus.
It is as sensitive as any other braid on a taught line, but the slackline sensitivity isn't as good as a harder fluoro. I think its better in slackline sensitivity than the real soft braids if you are experienced in slackline techniques.

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by eagleriver1_fish » Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:19 pm

Thanks for the information, it sounds like something I should try. Most of my spinning is for "feel" techniques so I use braid for tight line techniques and fluoro for slack/semi-slack techniques like throwing wacky rigs at targets like dock pilons where I want a straight fall. As much as I love the sensitivity braid provides on tight lines for me I lose a lot of feel as slack is introduced. This requires multiple set-ups. The sinking braid sounds like it might be better when using one set-up to cover multiple techniques.

Thanks again for the follow-up, it is greatly appreciated. Tight lines.

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by eklikewhoa » Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:22 pm

Just looked at this Varivas D something, its selling point is Sinking braid

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by RGMatt » Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:33 am

So glad this came up! Just spooled up 2 reels with 18.5lb YGK oh dragon SS140 to use on my tube rods for river smallmouth. Line spooled on nice , cast great, smooth, and had as good a feel as most other braids I’ve used. Did feel I had a little more connection to bottom in the wind we had. Wind knots when “buggy whipping “ snags from bottom were not a problem either.

Now problem I had was on almost every snag that I’d have to break off a tube, my leader knot failed. I use crazy Alberto and haven’t had a problem with leader knots breaking when using other braids. Polymer not to the lure and 8 and 10 lbs. abrazX Fluoro leader. I will say I think I should have ordered the 22.5lb. Test over the 18.5

Any thoughts are appreciated.

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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by toddmc » Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:47 am

RGMatt wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 4:33 am
So glad this came up! Just spooled up 2 reels with 18.5lb YGK oh dragon SS140 to use on my tube rods for river smallmouth. Line spooled on nice , cast great, smooth, and had as good a feel as most other braids I’ve used. Did feel I had a little more connection to bottom in the wind we had. Wind knots when “buggy whipping “ snags from bottom were not a problem either.

Now problem I had was on almost every snag that I’d have to break off a tube, my leader knot failed. I use crazy Alberto and haven’t had a problem with leader knots breaking when using other braids. Polymer not to the lure and 8 and 10 lbs. abrazX Fluoro leader. I will say I think I should have ordered the 22.5lb. Test over the 18.5

Any thoughts are appreciated.
I would try different knots until you find one that works. You may just need more wraps. I haven't tried the SS140 yet because it doesn't come in chartreuse and my SS112 is lasting so long. I will get around to it eventually.

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RGMatt
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Re: Sinking Braid Experience

Post by RGMatt » Tue Apr 13, 2021 2:45 pm

yeah I hear ya but used other knots back in the day once I started using crazy Alberto dazen or so years ago I wasnt going back. that knot gives me best performance hands down over any other leader to braid connections for my style fishing.

also tried more wraps and when that broke tried even more. still broke. switched back to other line and problem solved leader connections with same abrazX doesnt fail.

I guess it's just a no go for me

thx

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