What to prefer: fishing line or braid?
If monofilament fishing line has long gained well-deserved popularity among domestic fishermen, then braided line appeared on the domestic fishing market relatively recently - just a few years ago. Opinions were immediately divided - someone immediately abandoned monofilament, declaring that braid was the future, switching only to its use in fishing. Others were quite skeptical about the innovation, complaining that the braided line is supposedly unreasonably expensive in terms of its cost, and, moreover, gets very tangled into all sorts of knots that you simply don’t have the patience to untie!
And yet, which fishing line is most suitable for spinning? Let's try to understand this issue by citing the properties of monofilament fishing line and braided line.
How to decide what to buy
Some anglers pay attention to the diameter. Of course this is a very important point
However, first of all you need to decide on the manufacturer. You need to understand that not everyone can afford to spend a lot of money on fishing line, and the cost directly depends on the brand.
Knot joints have stronger knots, which helps dampen fish jerks, so it is best to buy stretchable and soft elements in this case. If the angler knows or has had experience of fishing in places where there are a lot of stones and shell rocks at the bottom, and the fishing line constantly breaks, then it is recommended to abandon softness in favor of a strong thread. It has its drawbacks, but in this case this option will be the best.
Again, it must be said that the thickness doesn’t end there. All gear must be balanced. We are talking about a rod, fishing line, feeder and weights. Therefore, hard tackle should and will “work” well with soft lines, and soft tackle, on the contrary, with hard lines.
If fishing is at a short distance, then the diameter of the fishing line may not exceed 0.3 mm
When you plan to make long throws, then it is better to pay attention to the braided line
Gallery: fishing line and braid (25 photos)
Monofilament line
Today, the range of monofilament fishing lines around the world is simply huge. Their quality depends on a number of factors: the material from which they are made, production technology, calibration accuracy along the entire length of the fishing line, and much more.
Let's look at the most common characteristics of high-quality fishing lines, which are as follows:
- Quite high strength.
- Elasticity. That is, before it finally breaks, the monofilament line stretches, and at the same time, it perfectly absorbs the jerks of a particular fish.
- Resistant to abrasion. This is especially true for reservoirs with a rocky, snagy bottom, where you often have to fish. The fishing line lasts quite a long time, gradually wearing out.
- The extremely low friction threshold of monofilament fishing line, some of which are coated with a layer containing fluoroplastic molecules, allows you to cast the bait over a fairly long distance.
- Transparency. As a rule, monofilament is transparent, with the exception of special colors, which makes it almost indistinguishable in the water.
- Nylon-containing polymers are the material from which all monofilament fishing lines are made. Therefore, naturally, there are the concepts of “old” and “new” fishing line, since under the influence of water, sun, and temperature changes, it loses its original properties. For example, if a fishing line has been lying outside the refrigerator for several years, then its strength can be safely divided by three!
- During the “drying” process, the monofilament tends to deform itself on the reel and, as a result, the internal turns inevitably become ribbed, losing their original strength.
- The monofilament lines have an exclusively round cross-section, with a fairly high calibration, therefore, they fit perfectly onto the reel, literally turn to turn.
- The vast majority of monofilaments sink because they have a higher density of material from which they are made than water.
- They work great in the cold, as the water on the monofilament does not freeze.
- Price. The price for 100 m of monofilament fishing line varies from 50 cents to 7 dollars.
Main characteristics
The breaking load of the cords is greater than that of monofilament fishing line, with a smaller diameter. But when purchasing, you need to understand that in water the breaking load will decrease by 20%, and maybe more, from what is indicated on the package
When determining such an indicator as the breaking load for the cord on the feeder, you need to pay attention not only to the weight of the feeder, but also to the casting distance. For example, let’s take a feeder weighing 100 grams, if you cast it 30-40 meters, then a braided line with a breaking load of 4-5 kg will be enough
But if the casting range increases, then the breaking load will be 6-7 kg.
Such a characteristic as the diameter for a braided fishing line is a relative value; there is no need to focus on it when choosing. But usually a diameter of 0.08-0.15 mm is used. Thinner lines are needed when fishing in the current. In still water, a larger diameter line is needed. With thick braid, it is logical to use heavier feeders. Although the diameter is an insignificant criterion for a feeder, manufacturers still indicate it on the packaging of the fishing line. If you read the reviews, many fishermen focus on the diameter, probably out of habit.
Braided wire has almost no memory, so this indicator is not critical.
Color also doesn't play a big role. The choice of color is only the desire of every fisherman. Colorless braids are well camouflaged in water, bright ones are visible when reeling in. There are also braids of different colors, where one color follows another, but this is for more experienced fishermen than for beginners.
Braided cords are all wear-resistant, so this criterion is not taken into account. Sunline cords
Sunline cords
What to use - fishing line or braid? (video)
The properties of the braid are as follows:
- Amazing strength, with the same diameter! This fact can be well explained by the following example, when it is not difficult to break one twig, but it is almost impossible to break a bunch!
- Virtually complete absence of longitudinal stretching.
- In the transverse direction the braid is extremely soft.
- Incredible resistance to all kinds of abrasion and other wear, which makes the braided fabric able to withstand more severe use, and it lasts significantly longer.
- The friction threshold is quite high.
- The braid is opaque. It has a wide color spectrum - from neutral to fluorescent.
- Braid requires an appropriate spinning rod and reel, as it absorbs water during its use along with various abrasive materials, turning into a saw. Thus, even after one fishing trip, a braided line can damage a spinning rod not intended for its use by sawing, for example, the ceramics of rings and reels.
- For most braids, only certain knots are suitable, which are usually drawn on the packaging. Otherwise, the braid will tear or unravel.
- Large windage. Braid is much lighter than regular fishing line, so making long casts is quite problematic.
- Calibration Braids suffer from the fact that, due to their structure, it is difficult to accurately determine its calibration. However, Japanese manufacturers who have used optical measurement of braided line have brought its accuracy closer to that of monofilament.
Main characteristics
The breaking load of the cords is greater than that of monofilament fishing line, with a smaller diameter. But when purchasing, you need to understand that in water the breaking load will decrease by 20%, and maybe more, from what is indicated on the package
When determining such an indicator as the breaking load for the cord on the feeder, you need to pay attention not only to the weight of the feeder, but also to the casting distance. For example, let’s take a feeder weighing 100 grams, if you cast it 30-40 meters, then a braided line with a breaking load of 4-5 kg will be enough
But if the casting range increases, then the breaking load will be 6-7 kg.
Such a characteristic as the diameter for a braided fishing line is a relative value; there is no need to focus on it when choosing. But usually a diameter of 0.08-0.15 mm is used. Thinner lines are needed when fishing in the current. In still water, a larger diameter line is needed. With thick braid, it is logical to use heavier feeders. Although the diameter is an insignificant criterion for a feeder, manufacturers still indicate it on the packaging of the fishing line. If you read the reviews, many fishermen focus on the diameter, probably out of habit.
Braided wire has almost no memory, so this indicator is not critical.
Color also doesn't play a big role. The choice of color is only the desire of every fisherman. Colorless braids are well camouflaged in water, bright ones are visible when reeling in. There are also braids of different colors, where one color follows another, but this is for more experienced fishermen than for beginners.
Braided cords are all wear-resistant, so this criterion is not taken into account. Sunline cords
Sunline cords
