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Those of you
that have fished with me know that for many years I have been a
big fan of the “super braid” gel spun polyethylene (GSP) lines.
I use these lines on all my spinning and bait casting reels and
even as backing on my fly reels.
These lines have many
advantages over monofilament including no deterioration from UV
light, no stretch for better sensitivity and hook set, plus more
strength for horsing fish out of structure before they break you
off. The smaller diameter of super braids allow for increased
reel capacity, easier casting and better ability to cut through
wind, current and water so that you can more easily fish your
lure or bait at the desired depth.
I prefer using 10-20# super
braid which is equivalent in diameter to 2-6# monofilament.
Initially the GSP lines had a rather flat cross section which
lead to problems but just about all of today’s super braids are
round making for better handling and performance. While there
are many great brands out there today, I tend to stick with
Power Pro.
GSP does not hold dye well and all colored super
braids will rapidly fade when wet. This doesn’t effect the
performance, but it doesn’t look very well and the dye will tend
to bleed onto anything else that is nearby. For this reason I
only use white super braids which is the materials natural color. White is not as popular among most
anglers compared to moss green or hi-vis yellow so it usually
has to be special ordered by your local tackle shop or purchased
online. White also provides good contrast against the
water so it is easy to tell where your line is located.
On my spinning and bait casting reels, I run a 4ft
leader of fluorocarbon or monofilament for a clear connection to
lure or live bait hook. There are several knots to connect the
super braid to fluorocarbon. When connecting GSP to
fluorocarbon under 50# I prefer using the Uni-to-Uni Splice.
While this knot is slightly larger than the Albright
knot it is easier to tie and properly
tighten while on the water. The Uni-to-Uni also passes through
rod guides better when casting. The tag end of the fluorocarbon
on a Uni-to-Uni faces the opposite direction compared to the
Albright so there is no hang up during the cast.
When
fishing braided line on a spinning reel it is important to close
the bail by hand to prevent loose loops and bird's nets (seeing
"Give
Your Reel a Helping Hand").
Since GSP lines have virtually no stretch, it is important to
have a smooth drag and set your drag slightly looser than when
fishing monofilament. The stretch in monofilament provides
extra give when a fish surges but with GSP you are more reliant
solely on your reel drag.
It is good technique to learn to
use your body as a shock absorber when a fish makes a sudden
surge. By extending your arms and leaning your body toward
the surging fish, your body will absorb the shock which helps
prevent hook pulls and broken line.
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