Good and Bad of Braid Fishing Line

What Is Braid Fishing Line?

Braided fishing lines have become very popular during the past few years. They work well in certain fishing situations and are extremely strong. They do have some drawbacks that out weigh the benefits at times, though.

Braids are made by braiding or weaving fibers of a man-made material like Spectra or Micro-Dyneema into a strand of line. This makes a very strong, tough line that is very abrasion resistant. This line is so strong that you have trouble breaking it when you get hung up. A fish is very unlikely to break it although the teeth of some species, like pike and muskie, can cut it.

One of braid's biggest problems is tying knots in it. It is very slippery and you must tie the right knot, and tie it right, or it will slip and come undone. Most folks use a Palomar knot and it works well. If you tie an improved clinch knot, make sure you wrap it seven tmes. With either knot, leave a little bit of tag end when you finish knot. Don’t cut it off close to the knot. Some people even put a drop of super glue on the knot so it won't slip.

Braids are very visible in the water. For that reason many fishermen do not like it in clear water. It may spook the fish, especially on finesse baits where you are trying to entice a fish to bite a lure they can see for a long time. You can put a leader on the braid but that involves an extra knot between you and your bait, one more place that can fail

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