What braid?

[Odyssey]

4 hours ago, GPSguru said:

Hmmm ....... the YGK braids are soft 8 ply and really not suitable for multiplier applications, they are aimed at the shore lure anglers. Put that stuff on most multi’s and it will ‘dig in’ ...... multi’s require a ‘hard’ braid.

 The only mono’s I stock are a quality coploymer from Sakuma (Nite Crystal) which was the main stay for many competition casters. I also stock heavy mono (up to 250lb) in large half kilo spools from Supacast as it is a favourite with the commercials. 
 

There are numerous Brands that I could stock, but TBH unless you can buy in massive quantities, then the returns are small as every tom, dick, and harry sells braid and mono !

Yes, I use jigmaster braid on my slow jigging reels as I need a high quality thin braid and it has colour depth markers..... again, it has to be used with care even on a level wind.

The bottom line is ........ if I could find any advantage of using powerpro over spectra, then I would use powerpro.

Before I went over to Spectra, all my multi’s were loaded with powerpro, but  TBH I cannot find any difference between the brands, only the price and packaging.

The GPSguru handle comes  from a lifetime in the public safety communications industry ...... I was using and designing GPS and differential GPS receiver systems way back in the early  90’s for location and time signal locking in quasi synchronous radio systems .... 

Stock  is difficult from china at the moment due to staff shortages at the factories as all the Chinese seem to want to be in hospitality right now.

Most of the stuff I stock is made in Japan and flown into the uk, so all is good  for me at the moment, but yes, huge shortages are expected in the coming months, mainly due to container port issues, and Brexit.

Sounds interesting work GPS!

 

[Saintly Fish]

So is the opinion of this spectra braid that it’s a just as good braid as the more expensive versions but for half the price?

[Odyssey]

1 hour ago, Saintly Fish said:

So is the opinion of this spectra braid that it’s a just as good braid as the more expensive versions but for half the price?

I hope so, I’ve just ordered 2km of 24lb braid 😬

[Andy135]

Just now, Odyssey said:

I hope so, I’ve just ordered 2km of 24lb braid 😬

Watching with interest. Keep us posted on how you get on with it please Luke. 👍

[GPSguru]

1 hour ago, Saintly Fish said:

So is the opinion of this spectra braid that it’s a just as good braid as the more expensive versions but for half the price?

Generally it is  a quarter of the price of a well known brand.

[GPSguru]

50 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

I hope so, I’ve just ordered 2km of 24lb braid 😬

I use the 28lb and it has been fine. I tend to buy the  300m spools apart from the 80lb which I buy in the 1000m spools.

 

[Odyssey]

I used it before no issues, but got 6 reels to reload up so will keep me busy over lockdown. 
 

Also will have spare in case I need to change mid season after all this spring/summer wrecking and reefing I’ll be doing mixed in with a bit of tope fishing 😆

[JDP]

10 hours ago, Odyssey said:

I used it before no issues, but got 6 reels to reload up so will keep me busy over lockdown. 
 

Also will have spare in case I need to change mid season after all this spring/summer wrecking and reefing I’ll be doing mixed in with a bit of tope fishing 😆

When you say change mid season, what would be the reason to change ? The thing that Ive found with the 131 is that so far its been on the outfits I use and punish the most (two years now) and I haven't even needed to reverse it, it looks like new braid still with no fluffing and virtually no fade, which is what I need casting light lures. Other braids in the past were lucky to get 6 months, with Powerpro being on of the quickest braids to discolour and fluff up for me and spider wire being the most prone to breakages. I was always checking my rod guides thinking I had damaged rings to wreck the braid so quickly, not the case with ocea and 131 though. The fact these braids are 3x the price of the likes of Powerpro puts people instantly off but the fact so far mine has out lasted Powerpro by 4x and still not reversed makes them some of the cheapest braids Ive ever used really.

Great thread, good to hear peoples experiences and it seems while you can get good Chinese line you can also get rubbish. I bought an 150lb 1800m spool of saltiga braid from Melton tackle for deep drop Ellectric reels at around $450 and my mate bought what he thought was the exact same product from China on flee bay for $150. We compared the two spools side by side and the difference was quite shocking (I thought Chine would of coppied a little better). There were spell differences, smell difference and the colour rubbed straight off the fleebay braid. Strength test was simply a joke, where his could be broken by hand and mine will pull bycatch makos straight to the boat using 145lb of reel drag on the ellectric. Lucky for him he paid via PayPal and got his money back, this is just one of the reasons its not worth it to me and I have numerous friends who've had similar experience with other copies. 

[GPSguru]

57 minutes ago, JDP said:

Powerpro being on of the quickest braids to discolour and fluff up

Spectra fades, but does not seem to fluff up too bad .............. some of mine have been on reels for 3 years, so fading is acceptable, but the line is still ok ............ a few times a year I chop off the first 10m just to be safe from any damage ...............

[Odyssey]

Once I tad a large tope/small porgie take a huge amount of line on TLD5 abs then snag me. Hopefully it’ll last a few years but if that happens I don’t want to have to come home as out of line....

At least I got spare now. Latest shipping estimate from eBay.... 19th March 🤔🤔🤔

[Ollieollie]

I have the old Chinese twine on my boat reels. Can’t fault it, spectra all the way 

[SiDfish]

Most modern braid is spectra, it's a fibre just like nylon or polyprop.  The generically named chinese 'Spectra' is a brand.  Seems to do its job well, but it's thick compared to the better 8 carrier braids.  As said elsewhere here, there was a problem with Spiderwire breaking for no reason, and we had it, but the latest stealth pro (sent in replacement) is one of my favourite lines, along with whiplash pro @ €150 for 3000m.  Quoted diameters are just rubbish, but these lines are a lot thinner than 'Spectra' and breaking strains are way, way above that quoted.  Fishing in 50-100m+, the slightest reduction in diameter is important as it equals less lead.  Both these lines are colourfast (except the clear which goes gray/pink from the crap on your fingers), take longer than two seasons to 'fluff up' and are nicely 'limp' after a few sessions.  Using a length of whiplash with a palomar knot each end, rated at 36lb, I can bottom a set of 50lb spring scales and just keep on pulling.  When snagged 60lb+ rigs (self made with premium Asso mono) break before the braid.  I don't understand scrimping on line when it lasts so well.  I have very limited money but line is the only thing between you and the fish.  Cut other costs by making leads, traces, feathers (pre-made are sh1t), servicing reels and repairing anything.  Instead of buying small packs of swivels/clips/crimps/hooks etc, buy in bulk over a long period and have years worth in stock, at the same cost, with always a good reserve.