grouper1963

I can't understand it - I have triedthree types ofbraided lines, and they simply do not perform. I've tried Spiderwire, Power-Pro, and Berkley Gorilla and they all fail. The Spiderwire outer liner cracks then the line weakens; Power-Pro abrades and breaks easily; Gorilla simply breaks. I tried braids for trolling (20lb dia), cast fishing (12lb dia), bottom fishing (80lb), andAJ jigging (50lb) - no joy. Considering how many people praise braided lines, I'm obviously doing something wrong. I tie the recommened knots, use mono backing, and rinse after every use.I've never had this level of issue from mono, and I consider myself successful at fishing. :banghead

The last straw was yesterday (Jul 3) jigging at the timberholes. 50lb Gorilla on Penn 550ssg with 6' floro leader - hooked a nice AJ well up in the column. After a goodrun - bam - the line breaks and an AJ has his lip decoration. I turned the air blue with disparaging comments about braid...:hoppingmad

Soam I alone? Is this a love it or hate it product? Any better reccs about brand of braids? Should the drag be set lighter than I would with mono?

BTW - Happy 4th to all and God Bless America :usaflag

First Catch

I personally have had no problems with power pro. However, my brother had a problem on two different spools where the coating had somehow been stripped off and the braid practically fell apart after a few times. He sent power pro an email about it and said they would replace it. I guess just make sure the coating is still on before you use it. Idon't know if that was a problem with you, but it couldhave been. That's really the only bad experience anybody I know has had with power pro.

lobsterman

I have had extreme problems with Power Pro and I have been told by the experts out west that if I would try Jerry Brown, Izorline or Sufix I could eliminate the problems. The man in Tech support said those are the premium braids with Jerry Brown being best and the rest are just standard and mediocre at best. So I am trying Sufix next and will go from there.

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reelfinatical

Sufix is goooooooooooooooooood.

monsterflat

Power Pro has been nothing but good to me in the fresh and the salt. The hi-vis yellow color is great for the pier. You always know where your bait's sitting and less people throw over you - the yellow is much easier to see from far away. The green's perfect for drilling big cats and striper on the Coosa river which is full of rocks and timber to hang up in. I hear suffix is good too and in the past the 80 lb spiderwire has been a pleasure to use. The thing I like the most about the braid is you rarely have to replace it. I have my Penn spooled with the same Power Pro that I put on it over a year ago. Sorry you're having bad luck - maybe just check the line for coating consistency before you spool up.

captken

Hey Grouper1963. Check guides on your rod. A cracked ring is death on braid.

I use braid in3 applications: 1) when I need casting distance and 2) when I need capacity on smaller reels 3) for jigging.

I don't like it for bottom fishing even though I feel bites better. It is too slow to re-rig if you get broken off or hung. It is dangerous to grab to break the line. When bottom fishing, the lack of stretch causes pulled hooks and causes the rod butt to dig your gutt unmercifully.

The tiniest nick causes severe problems due to the tiny diameter or the line. Mono stretches and is larger in diameter so nicks are not so terrible. Additionally, braid is far less abrasion resistant than mono.

I was a member of the Berkley Strike Team and had to learn to use it and tie it well. I do not have a problem with line breakage.

My best guess on the loss of your AJ is that your line ran into another fish. Don't give up on braid because it is great for some applications.

If you want tough monofilament, use Stren Dura Tuff or Trilene XT. I made believers out of a lot of folks with it. There is not another line as abrasion resistant or with greater knot strength. I tested these lines for abrasion resistance using 30# against anybody elses 50. 30# XT will out last 80# pink Ande every time --- without fail. I use 30# DT or XT for my Tarpon leaders now instead of 80-100# Ande.

I like braid and think flurocarbon sucks.

BTW, when I was chartering, I did not allow braid (Superbraid) on the boat.

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true-king

Other than the guides being cracked, I can't come up with any other problem. The only thing is I doubt all of the rods he's used braid on have cracked guides.

Private Pilot

Cracked guides can definately damage braid! I had that problem a couple months ago. I would cast out with my 40lb powerpro, and it would snap everytime. I looked at tip and there was a nice sharp bur sticking out. Cut the tip offand it worked fine everytime.

Other than that, I love using braid and have never had a problem with it. Just check your rod and make sure nothing sharp is touching your line. If you do find something, try steel wool to wear it down. It works pretty well.

bigruss

The only problem I got with power pro is that it catches me too much fish....

Dylan

When we offshore fish there is no braid allowed...but inshore i have had great luck with power pro, spiderwire ultracast and even fireline..I dont like the berkey gorilla..if you are going to fish that you might as well use dacron..If the power pro you have keeps breaking it might be an old spool you bought..We havnt gotten quite a few spools of bad braid..We have taken them back to Outcast and they have given us new better spools..