# trolling with braid?



## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

Spent some time wire-line trolling the CBBT a few years back.

I was wondering if anyone has tried that type of trolling using say 80 lb braid instead of wire. Only reason I ask is I was invited out on a buddies boat and currently my trolling reel is spooled up with the braid- could change out to wire but I don't really want to if the braid will work.


What do y'all think?


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

Using braid now...drops straight down..with no stretch, good sensitivity and smaller diameter- it is a good alternative to wire...and that ya also don't get them wire splinters in yer thumb.

Jus make sure ya keep an eye on yer line- braid don't like them rocks..an ain't talkin about them with the stripes.

I got it on some line level reels also...great fer trollin that Stretch---wtfb---!

Lemme me know if ya need an additional Ho fer the tube ride..available the whole weekend.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*Thanks Al*

Figured it would work, but you are right about braid and rocks. 

Bosses boat ride, think he has a full crew already bud, I must have managed an invite so they'd have someone to deal with rigging eels, I think.  

Will post up assuming I survive the ordeal.


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## Fisheadgib (Jan 7, 2006)

I have a Newell with 80#PP on it for trolling high speeds for wahoo. I've got some stuff I pull at 16 to 18 knots. I like it so far but the only drawback is that if you get the stuff in your screws, you stand a good chance of damaging seals and bearings. For that reason, most charter boats around here won't allow braids on board.


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## RACN35 (Oct 17, 2004)

sorry i didnt see this sooner- it will work fine- i went last week and got 2 more TLD 20's off Randy at the bait shack and spooled em with 65 pound fire line, power pro will work almost as well.
if you have never used fire line you wont know the diff anyway- go for it 
. last year i trolled with power pro 3 or 4 days a week all jan & feb.....was going to start again tomorro......as soon as the weather breaks i will get going and wont stay home at all,nor will i miss very many days and go at least 2 or 3 times a week.....


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

It will work but it sucks when it tangles with other lines. I like to put a good topshot of mono on top to absorb the shock of the fish hitting. Also make sure that the braid is wound on extremely tight to avoid the line burying into itself when you get a hard strike. Putting the line in a bucket of water before spooling it on is supposed to help.


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## RACN35 (Oct 17, 2004)

thats why i switched from power pro to the fireline- it seems the power pro has an oval shape and makes it easyer to cut threw itself *()*

the fire line lays flat and wont do it at all for me so far *[] *only 2 rods i have braid on tho


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## rckfsh (Jan 3, 2007)

I have trolled pp for 4 years now never a problem hundreds of fish


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Most people are changing over from wire to PP for all the reasons above. I would go to the 80 lb. If you think that you will have problems with the PP digging into itself spool it on a Penn 320 GT or any good level wind reel. This will keep the line from digging into itself. When you are putting the backing on use dacron. Dacron will last longer and will absorb shock a little better than momo.


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## echo_island (Jan 15, 2006)

i've trolled with braid using mann's deep divers. are you using drails to keep the tubes down?


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Although trolling is my least favorite method of fishing all my trolling reels are spooled with 60 & 80 lb Power Pro.


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## greybeard (Nov 9, 2004)

Back in the 60's all the large capacity trolling reels were spooled with braid at least on the charters in hawaii that I went on. I really don't understand the charter captains aversion to braid other than it will cut you quick if a fish hits while you are putting it on an outrigger, and I suppose the screws and seals could have gotten messed up back then also. How quickly things change (from my perspective anyway).


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

Works wonders on planer fishin for the mackerals. No stretching enables easy tripping of a planer. Enables you to trip the planers easier so you can reset, adjust or check em. Braid + Planers = deadly


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## rgking03 (Mar 20, 2005)

We refuse to use braid with our charters because most people that we take out do not know how to fish.. Let alone with braid, so we keep wire with mono on our gear when trolling with bunker spoons, umbrellas. Then putting a Stretch 25 down the middle on 40lb mono (80 lb mono leader).

we run 14/0 senators with two shots of 175 feet wire. Seperated by 75 feet of 80 lb mono.


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

Wire line gets you the deepest but braid seems more user friendly until you put out the 21 Tony. So, ask your Capt what he wants you to use.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

rgking03 said:


> We refuse to use braid with our charters because most people that we take out do not know how to fish.. Let alone with braid, so we keep wire with mono on our gear when trolling with bunker spoons, umbrellas. Then putting a Stretch 25 down the middle on 40lb mono (80 lb mono leader).
> 
> we run 14/0 senators with two shots of 175 feet wire. Seperated by 75 feet of 80 lb mono.


A Stretch 25 down the middle using braid is a mess just waiting to happen. Most of us in the upper bay don't even mess with Stretches any more, same with spoons. We fish almost 100% umbrellas with maybe a big jighead with a 10" shad deadsticked.


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## rgking03 (Mar 20, 2005)

catman said:


> A Stretch 25 down the middle using braid is a mess just waiting to happen. Most of us in the upper bay don't even mess with Stretches any more, same with spoons. We fish almost 100% umbrellas with maybe a big jighead with a 10" shad deadsticked.


That is why we still use Mono.. We killed the bass with a chartruese Stretch this year and along with spoons. bu t I would have to say we did take a big portion on chartruese shad umbrellas. The blues were heavy this season here so we tried to stay away from the shads and eels much as possible.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

rgking03 said:


> That is why we still use Mono.. We killed the bass with a chartruese Stretch this year and along with spoons. bu t I would have to say we did take a big portion on chartruese shad umbrellas. The blues were heavy this season here so we tried to stay away from the shads and eels much as possible.


Know what you mean about the blues and shads. Funny how they can nip the tail off JUST below the hook. That's when the big spoons go on - maybe run them tandem with a bucktail. Still don't like the Stretches though - too many hooks to deal with when a big striper is flopping around on the deck.


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## rgking03 (Mar 20, 2005)

I hear ya I have many battle wounds from them trebles.


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## Fisheadgib (Jan 7, 2006)

greybeard said:


> Back in the 60's all the large capacity trolling reels were spooled with braid at least on the charters in hawaii that I went on. I really don't understand the charter captains aversion to braid other than it will cut you quick if a fish hits while you are putting it on an outrigger, and I suppose the screws and seals could have gotten messed up back then also. How quickly things change (from my perspective anyway).


Back in the sixties, and seventies, folks were using dacron. Braid wasn't around yet. Dacron is similar in diameter as mono and doesn't share the same properties of braid except for the no stretch.


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

braid, wire, mono, dacron, flourocarbon, monel. 

all im saying is they all have their own different purposes. each one excells in a different area better than another.


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