Line replacement

[smallie53]

On my reel I have about 300 yds. of 30# Power Pro backed up with 120 yards of 30# Big Game. Been used one week in 04 and one week in 05.Should I respool? Or just strip 20 to 30 yards? Or reverse the line ? I would much rather spend the 27.95 for a new spool than chance a breakoff but don't want to waste the line if it is still good . It hase been stored out off the sunlight if that makes a diff. Maybe I should weight test it myself,but don't know exactly howto . Th anks Steve

[Railroader]

It should be fine, I've been fishing with the same braid all year, and it's as good as new.

I'd string out your longest cast and inspect the line. Look closely for any fraying, and trim back until the fraying stops. I've cut about ten feet off, once, but then I fish my rods with braid in very bad places, with lots of structure, rocks, shells etc.

I've heard of the same spool of braid lasting for YEARS of heavy use.

If you wanna find a weak link, tie off your longest cast to a solid object wrap thie line around the reel a couple of times and PULL. If there is no weak link, your knot should fail, if there is a fray at the 75 foot mark, it should fail there.

I MAY swap ends with the line NEXT YEAR, but I doubt it.

For the longest time, I was 100% ANTI-BRAID, but I have since learned better, and it has it's place.

Good luck!

[RuddeDogg]

What RR said. Me I change my mono every season and my braid every like every couple of seasons. That's just me.

[Fatback]

I have a reel that I put Braid on 3 years ago. I use it for Whiting and such. Fish with it regularly. Except for the first few feet,which I'll cut off once in a while cuz of fraying, it seems to work well otherwise. Kinda experimenting with it to see how long the stuff will last. Give it the ole pull test once in a while and seems to be ok.

[RuddeDogg]

That the color doesn't stay too long. The yellow Power Pro fades and fades fast. Also with the new suffix braid the color fades.

[bigphil]

What brand of braid does everyone recommend?

[RuddeDogg]

Power Pro and the new Suffix Braid. Some have had problems with Power Pro breaking off. I always used Power Pro but when the Suffix came out, I tried some and was really impressed. If I can't get the suffix I'll get Power Pro.

[Railroader]

You fellers need to try Tuff Line...Seems to hold it's color well, and it's about 15% cheaper than the big names...;)

[Fatback]

I been spooling up with Stren Super braid for thee years now. Yes, the color fades quick, the three year stuff I mentioned is a very very pale green now, dark green when I got it.

Because nobody here could give me any comparisons between Stren and the other big name brands, about a month ago I went out and got some Power Pro. First impressions of PP vs. Stren: 1) PP is a little bit cheaper. 2) PP to me is "silkier" or maybe "slicker" than Stren..........pull some of each between your fingers and you can feel the weave in Stren, but not so much with PP. 3) PP is stiffer than Stren........makes tieing knots much easer. 4) When using a Carolina style rig PP seems to fray faster where the slip sinker slides just above your barrel swivel. 5) PP has broken once when setting the hook one of them "snag fish", Stren never has. 6) Feel like I can cast PP a little further than the same dim. of Stren. 7) Wind knots; Seem to get more with PP, but can pick them out better, Stren, fewer wind knots, but half them time wind up cutting it out instead of picking it out.

Not sure as of now which I like best. Only have one reel with PP and five with Stren. Probably give Sufix a try next.