Just got new rig going to try Briaded line

[mi327]

I picked up a new Diawa Spinning Real and medium heavy rod for throwing larger baits for Stripers this season. I have also decided to try out braided line after using mono for 20+ years. I just want to make sure I rig it up right since this is my first experience with this type of line. I am using 30Lb test power pro braid, from I have read I want to use some mono as backing, I have some extra 8lb mono to use will this work, how much do I need to use for the backing? I have also seen mention of using electrical tape, is this better or do I use both?

From what I have I read as well, I will want to use a leader on it, mainly flourocarbon line. I am going to pick up some 12lb flourocarbon to use a leader. Will this be correct, the setup is going to mostly see use casting/trolling for stripers in the flats in the spring and possibly the Bay Bridge later in the season. How long do I need of a leader, the rod is a 7 footer, and what I have seen people recommend leaders ranging from 2-6 ft tied to the braid?

[Pinch]

You can use mono to back it, I use electrical tape. For leader id would go no less then 20lb seguar and attach it to the braid with a uni to uni knot. There are monsters on the flats and grass, sucks losing gear to snags or big fish.

[kayak456]

i use 25 pound seagar for stripers and 15 pound seagar for anything under 20 inches. i use 15 pound braid for everything, 30 is overkill. and i use mono backing on baitcasters buit i use tape in spinning

[ComeOnFish]

I used mono backing and I stopped it after having issues. The issue is that when you keep cutting off the braided line because the line worn out, the knots (knot for starting backing and knot for connecting mono backing and braided) will catch the braided when casting.

Recently I started using electrical tape. To me, spooling with all braided line save a lot of money and hassle

I spooled a reels with three short braided lines. I used double surgeon's knots to connect the braided lines. I call the knot double surgeon's knot, but actually the knot was quadruple surgeon's knot (twist four times) I did it on three spools and I have no issues in casting at all. The knot strength is about 100%. I am saving a lot of money by not buying braided line - recycling used braided lines

Double surgeon's knot works with mono to mono, and braided to mono. I use this knot for short leader under 3'. I cut the short leader from the spool first and make the knot

I use Albright knot when I use long leader (6-7') - I don't have to cut the leader from the spool. I connect the leader then I cut the leader from the spool. Albright knot is not good with mono to braided. But not good with mono to mono because there is no big difference on line diameters.

I suggest you use electrical tape and fill the spool with braided. When the braided line becomes short, connect new braided line using double surgeon's knot (actually quadruple). The quadruple surgeon's knots (between braided lines) don't catch lines when casting at all. I tested up to 50# test braided, and combo of 50# and 20# test braided.
Though, in this case, it is painful to make the Quadruple Surgeon knot because the new braid line is still attached to the whole spool. I do this at home calmly after taking a deep breath, not during the fishing.

Joe

[ronaultmtd]

On spinning gear I use 15 # braid and 20# mono leader attached with uni- to uni knots- I use a few wraps of mono backing- on the conventional/low profile casting reels I use 30# braid- I use uni-uni knots to attach leaders to all braid- easy to tie and extremely strong knot-

[DanMarino]

I use straight braid with no leader and tie the braid directly to my lures/hooks. I catch smallmouth bass in the crystal clear waters of the Upper Potomac River with high visibility yellow braid. The smallies don't seem to care. On my recent pickerel trip, I used the same setup with plenty of pickerel caught and zero break-offs.

I wrap teflon tape around the spool of my reels and then tie the line on. In the past I used P-Line CXX as a backing for my braid, but lately I've begun to connect shorter used sections of braid together like Joe"ComeOnFish" does. That has been working fine for me with the uni to uni knot.

Next month I'll be respooling one reel with new line and using the old braid as backing on some other reels.

[sparky1423]

Dumb question, what do you mean by backing? I have been a straight mono guy and saved most of my decision making on lure selection instead of line selection. I will take a stab at it....is it the line you first install on the spool, before you add the good braided line? Is it price of the line that prevents you from stringing the entire spool with braided line?

[ComeOnFish]

Dumb question, what do you mean by backing? I have been a straight mono guy and saved most of my decision making on lure selection instead of line selection. I will take a stab at it....is it the line you first install on the spool, before you add the good braided line? Is it price of the line that prevents you from stringing the entire spool with braided line?

Sparky,
Yup! You are right
Backing is what you described.

The your second question is about the cost of braided line.
Yes the braided is expensive. So if you have a big reel, you don’t want to spend $40-60 for a big spool. You can fill the first half with mono and fill the rest with the braided.

Mono backing (electrical tape and Teflon tape also) is also used to prevent the braided line slippage. If you fill the spool with braided only, the whole bundle of the braided line slips around the spool when fish is on. So you can’t crank in the fish. You are hopelessly at that point. You need to hand pull the line. This resulted in (to me) throwing away the entire brand new braided line because the braided line got very badly tangled after fighting fish.

Here is what I learned about the braided line…

For Ultra light tackle, mono line is better the most of time. For example, fishing for crappie in the shallow water up to 30’ (with slip bobber and cast-ability of very light lures)

Mono backing is good for big reels. Because the mono backing saves money. And also because the thick (long) braided line (on the big reel) covers the knots (between mono backing and the braided). Anglers won’t notice that the knot catches the braided line during the cast.

But my case and some other anglers who tend to use lighter tackles (small reels –small spools) will have issues with the mono backing. In my case I use 100 – 300 (2/0- 3/0) series reels a lot. My typical reels for striper hold 120 yards of 10# test mono. Before I go fishing I cut off 20’ of the braided line because the line got worn out during the last trip. in this rate, after 10 fishing trips, I cut 200’ of the braided line total. This means that I have barely 120’ of braided line and mono backing on the spool. When There is not enough braided line left on a spool, each time I cast, the braided line will get caught on the knots between the mono backing and braided, and the initial knot on the spool.

It depends on how an angler fish. When I cast and jig in 30’ of water using 1.5-2oz gig, the braided line got seriously damaged. But when I bottom fished a whole day and didn’t catch anything, I don’t have to cut off the end of braided line because the line is not damaged.

It also depends on the frequency of fishing of an angler. An anger fishing few time a year won't care about the cost of fishing. The angler won't replace the damaged braided line
But the anglers fish frequently will be concerned about the cost of everything.

Anyway, in my case, it seems I save more money since I started using electrical tape and the braided only. It is because I can fill a spool with 3+ short used braided lines. I used to throw away 120' long braided lines. But now, more than two of my reels were filled with 3 pieces of 100-120’ used braided lines. And I have no issues when I cast and retrieve. The knots connecting two braided lines haven’t caused any issues

Joe

[sparky1423]

Thanks joe...very informative!

[mi327]

Thanks for all the great information. Looks like i have the right track now for setting up my new reel. Looking forward to getting out on the flats in a month or so.