#65 Sufix 832 Camo has been excellent for Flipping for me.
#65 Sufix 832 Camo has been excellent for Flipping for me.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
Daiwa Samurai Braid is the deal...super smooth and quiet
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2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
I appreciate the kind words, Cass.
I think any 8 carrier (strand) braid is going to be way quieter for you than a 4 carrier (strand) like original Power Pro. It's not necessarily shared by most, but as the manufacturing process has been perfected over a long period of time now, I've really developed the opinion that within categories (4 carrier, 8 carrier, etc) they're all about the same for a given diameter - but watch diameters as a given lb test rating will give you drastically different diameters between brands and even for different "models" of the same brand. I like Sufix 832 a lot, Power Pro Super Slick is very similar as is Daiwa J-Braid x8, Fins XS, and others. I've even started buying cheap Chinese "knockoff" braid and had very good luck with it. My flipping setup I think I have Seaguar Smackdown 65 lb spooled up, mostly because it was in the Bargain Bin at Cabelas, is an 8 strand braid, and was in a high vis color (I line watch a lot, and use a short 25 lb fluoro leader on that setup to protect against teeth and to ease my mind with any concerns about line visibility).
As for the discussion about the noise affecting the fish or not, I'm not really sure what I think on that. The noise bugs me, so that's reason enough to choose an 8 carrier.
If you really want to splurge, there's a company called Hitena that's relatively new that's started up that makes some really innovative stuff including the strongest split rings (destroys Owner Hyperwire, believe it or not) and smallest swivels I've ever seen. Included in their lineup are some braids that have 12 or even 16 strands. You can check out their stuff at http://hitenausa.com if you are so inclined. They sent me a sample of their 16 strand stuff to give feedback for usage on the ice (braid is bad for icing up due to the voids left in the braiding process that allows ice crystals to form), the "Airbraid Silky." It's pretty incredible, and would likely be as quiet as you could find. That said, at something like $0.32 a yard I don't think I'd ever actually buy it. They have a 12 strand called "Super Cast Pureline" that's "only" $36 for 150 yards. http://hitenausa.com/categories/line/braided-line.html
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360
Told ya he’d step in...
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
70lb where I fish.. you might get away with 50lb depending on type of vegetation and size of fish..
Drew.. As for if sound makes a difference.. sometimes no.. but often YES.. in the warmer weather where the fish are really active and are catching the bait as soon as it falls through the canopy then I don't think it makes much of a difference at all.. However when the fish aren't as active and you have to work the bait any at all in the mat then yes sound definitely makes a difference.. I've fished it side by side just for comparison..
I hate mudfish.. we got'em like ticks on a hounds rear.. nothing good about those prehistoric pest..
Ooohhh I hate me a mudfish! It seems every time I tie a new spinnerbait on it gets destroyed by a mudfish first cast and it takes me a pair of needlenose and 20 min just to get it functional again
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
I tried to use several spools of 8X JBraid for inshore fishing and it was all garbage.
wind knots, tip wrap, phantom spool tangles.......just terrible. I was fishing with 1/2oz baits and not weightless.
Samurai is very expensive but I think it is the best braid out there, never had any issues with it.
Question everything!
I believe John Crews won an Elite tourney in Cali flipping and him and some others switched to flouro believing the fish had grown wise to the braid noise in the mats. I guess it can matter at times or at least some Elite pros thought so.
The Hitena Super Cast Pureline is super noisy. At least out of the box it is. Have only been out with it once so far but if it doesn’t get better it will have to come off. I don’t care about fish but the line noise drives me crazy. I have the 42# in white. 12 strand. .260 mm. I think it’s the coating that makes it so noisy.
Might have to try their Silky just for the heck of it.
1994 201 Champ re-powered with a 250 HO G2 E250LHAFA 05438419
The new vicious "No-Fade-Braid" is pretty quiet as well https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Vici...page-VNFB.html. Also, it really doesn't fade. Been using it for over a month now and it is really the exact color I started with. Prior to using the Vicious line I used the Sufix 832 performance" braid (still have it on some reels) https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Sufi...age-SPBLG.html This is also good quality line that is quiet. Never had an issue with it. Its also friendlier on your wallet.
I am interested in trying Berkleys new X9 braid.
Semper Fi
I have quite a bit of FX2 but decided to pick up a spool of Samurai to try. FX2 seems really noisy to me, especially through the guides. Not sure is Samurai will quiet-en down any there but will find out :). I have a bunch of J-Braid8 that I use on inshore setups, but haven't really used any for freshwater.
A week or two ago someone posted a link to a large spreadsheet of braid testing and breaking points, etc - FX2 appeared to consistently break below it's rated strength in their tests by a decent amount, surprising since it's so popular. I don't think the testing was super scientific though, it appeared they had several different testers so who knows if the test conditions were all controlled, etc.
I bought a spool of Samuari because it was on sale. It was only 30 lb but since that’s what most of my rods have it was a perfect test to me. Samurai is buttery smooth compared to Power Pro and quite a bit more smooth to the touch than my GoTo Sufix 832! It doesn’t feel as round to me but it holds a Palomar just as well!
It does cut easier with my scissors, and doesn’t cast quite as well as my Sufix but I can’t say a bad thing about it.
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV