Top 4 Braided Lines

[ssymmetri]

lines i've tried (ranked for my preference)

1. sufix 832 - probably a confidence thing, it's never let me down, is strong, priced ok, supple enough

2. sunline super pe - cheap and hasn't let me down

3. ygk ultra castman x8 - really supple, but random breakages

[Danmaso]

Sunline Castaway
Sunline PE Egi
Varivas Seabass
Yamatoyo Fammel
New Fins In pink 6lb
Sunline Rockfish (windknots)
Bass Hard (windknots)
Fireline (just like tooth floss = crap)

[GTgeoff]

1. Sunline super pe
2. Nanofil
3. Sufix 832
4. Fireline
5. Power pro
These are the only ones I have used.

[guy debord]

I've used many brands over the years, so I am not liking certain brands simply because they are what I have on my spools. Over the last year i seem to have settled on 3 types. But first, my least liked are Daiwa TD Sensor and Bass Hard, which i found both too thick for their rating and prone to wind knots. I found that I also got wind knots in 6lb Sunline Rockfish, but considering how absolutely thin that stuff is it is not unexpected. What I have found over the years is that I am now using heavier PE, using 12 or 15lb where once I would have used 4-8lb.

- My favourite all round PE - which includes value for money and general fishing performance - is Sunline Light Jigger PE for anything between 10 and 20lb. I find it is slightly softer than Sunline Castaway, and I have found the latter - in similar strengths - oddly more prone to wind knots.

- For heavier PE i find Varivas Avani Casting PE Max Power x8 to be awesome, and would love to try it in something around a #1 PE - I currently run it in #2 PE on a 3012 Exist Hyper Custom for shore casting up North. I have had no problems with it at all, and from memory I've only had one wind knot in many, many hours of casting big lures. It is well worth the investment. Has anyone tried Varivas Avani Seabass in 8 strand braid, as I imagine this would be a good alternative in a smaller PE? I've used the 4 strand Avani Seabass you can buy in Aus, but preferred Sunline PE jigger in similar PE #.

- I have a 2000 sized stella that was oddly not liking many lines - including fluoro. After doing some research, I decided to try some Duel Super Smooth PE Mono in 11lb, and it has solved the wind knot problem. I think in 13 or 14lb it would be very awesome, possessing all the best aspects of a popular line like fireline for a similar cost, but having the softness and suppleness of a quality PE with a great little diameter that is, unlike fireline, round rather than flat and with a smooth surface.

- As far as light braids go - which I don't use much anymore -I always liked Sunline Small Game in PE #0.4. It is very similar to rockfish, but pink, and comes in 150 meter spools. On a 1000 sized reel i never really had many wind knot problems for such a thin braid, and it seemed to wear quite wel.

[brunsbreambo]

Super PE
TD Sensor
Bass Hard
Saltline Light Fish

[redfinfisho]

I've used castaway in 10lb for over a year now and can't fault it maybe had less than 5 wind knots in that time and they only occured when casting light lures into a headwind. But for the whole of summer I don't think I've had a single wind knot.

Ive also used rovex viros braid don't mind it but did have quite a few wind knots on that resultig in lots of cut line but it's ok stuff down to about 60m left

I've used fins in 20lb and hate it every time I use it which isn't much a get wind knots

used 8lb power pro its ok but i don't like it and personally I think it knots poorly, + its not round at all more like floss really flat

my 2cents on what Ive used

[breambucket]

Sunline super pe 6lb
Fireline crystal in 2-3lb
Fireline exceed
All the other ones I have used have been crap, fireline that's anything over 4lb is way too stiff for me but the lighter stuff is super strong and wears in nicely after a couple of sessions

The only thing I can fault super pe with is trying to undo any knots it gets in the line, I have only had a couple ( most likely cause of a bodgy leader knot)

Cheers

Pete

[bigpat]

1. Sunline Castaway PE ( can't fault it)
2. Sunline Super PE ( bang for buck, unbeatable in my opinion)
3. Frog PE
4. Dunno, never used anything else!!!

[needy1]

Varivas
YGK Ultra X8 or WX8
Sunline
Fins

[BloodWorm]

What setup are you running the castaway on? I have 6lb Super PE and the windknots are doing my head in. Wondering if my setup is contributing to the problem. Tempted to go to the castaway if I can have a windknot free summer.

Originally Posted by redfinfisho

I've used castaway in 10lb for over a year now and can't fault it maybe had less than 5 wind knots in that time and they only occured when casting light lures into a headwind. But for the whole of summer I don't think I've had a single wind knot.

[Fish-Tec]

Something to consider when you guys bring wind knots into the eqaution as to how good a braid is. Yes I do agree that certain braids will be slightly more prone to wind knots than others but more importantly is the reel that you are fishing it on. Certain brands of reels on the market will result in a lot less wind knots than others. If you change the brand of reel you may find that you will decrease the amount of wind knots you get substantially. Also the size of the reel you are using- large diameter spools will not get as many wind knots as smaller diameter spools. I dont really want to get into the names of "good" and "bad" reels for braid nami as we all have our own personal preferences on reel choice but the point I am trying to make is that a good braid on one reel may not be a good braid on another reel. Also try not to spool your reels as full as you would with mono as this would also cause knots. because of braid having such a small diameter it isnt necessary to fill reels right to the top when spooling-it is more important to get the lower layers of braid tight on the spool.

Some braids will also perform better on a baitcaster than they will on a spin reel and vice versa. This is due to the weave and the suppleness of the braid so it may be an idea to buy your gear through a specialist store no matter which brand you prefer as the guys that work there have usually used the product and would be able to suggest the right type for the kind of fishing you want to do.

Just a few things to think about when comparing braids and commenting on which one is better. It may even change your mind about previous experiences or not-good fishing to you all

regards

Rod

[Bobby Bass]

I no longer play around with all the elite braids, I dont see the valure for money when you are changing 7-8 spools every coupple of months.

I think the problem with knots a lot of people get is not wind knots. When you run a decent lengths leader you will sometimes get problems around the leader knot, if you shorten the leader you will have nearly zero problems. I like to use long leaders for bream so I stay way from any line I have had this problems with. I only use Crystal Fireline, Exceed and Power Pro. I have used almost every well know braid and I havent been so impressed by one to bother moving away from the cheap and basic braids.

I use Exists and Steez reels only and I have had plenty of porblems with the fine expensive braids.

Cheers
Chris

[redfinfisho]

I got some castaway over 1.5 years ago and it's still going strong and I saw a masive difference in quality from the cheaper braids i use to use

[Bobby Bass]

I have had cast away on baitcasters before. 1.5 years is a long time if you are only using one rod. I dont change because of worn line, I change so I have clean line that is nice and white I cant stand not being able to see the line easily.

[CHUNQX]

Originally Posted by Bobby Bass

I no longer play around with all the elite braids, I dont see the valure for money when you are changing 7-8 spools every coupple of months.

I think the problem with knots a lot of people get is not wind knots. When you run a decent lengths leader you will sometimes get problems around the leader knot, if you shorten the leader you will have nearly zero problems. I like to use long leaders for bream so I stay way from any line I have had this problems with. I only use Crystal Fireline, Exceed and Power Pro. I have used almost every well know braid and I havent been so impressed by one to bother moving away from the cheap and basic braids.

I use Exists and Steez reels only and I have had plenty of porblems with the fine expensive braids.

Cheers
Chris

Funny you should mention this. I've been predominantly using fireline, fireline crystal, Stren Microfuse and powerpro and even on 1000 sized reels I rarely get wind knots. They're mainly on 1003 to 2000 sized daiwas. Recently, I got an Airity 2506 through a trade and it came with Sunline Egi braid in 6lb. When I first tied on the leader, I was surprised as to how thin it was in 6lb. Even my 3lb Stren was thicker than the 6lb Egi braid. That was where the fascination ends. It didn't take long before I started getting braid tangling with guides and wind knots. And I suspected (before reading your post) that the long leader (more than a rod's length) had somethign to do with it. But I wasn't going to shorten the leader but persisted with it for another 40 hours of fishing (just returned from a 6 days full-on fishing trip at Mallacoota and Marlo). The end result is I lost 4 good lures just on account of the braid failure. 2 out of the 4 lures were lost by just me casting and the leader-to-braid knot just undid itself and the lure flew off to its freedom. The other 2 had fish on and the tension on it was barely enough to get the drag going and again the leader-to-braid just undid itself. I reckon the knot was weakened from the many times the cast failed before that because it wrapped around the guide. And it wasn't the just stripper guide that it wrapped around. It wrapped around the 2nd guide, 3rd guide etc... After that I switched to my spare reel (2000 size) I brought which had 4lb Stren Microfuse and never got another wind knot or guide-tangle.
I can see from the replies that the Sunline Super PE is very popular but I'm wondering if I'll get these problems with the Sunline Super PE as I got with the Egi or should I just stick to power pro or Stren?