braided line help

[silververt]

After a short while the power pro braided line fades out to white. It gets expensive stripping off the old to expose fresh line. Has anyone tried using a permanent marker to darken the line to extend its life? Or is this a stupid idea?

[JRTrower]

Sharpies work good. I use red above the water to help see the line. Old man trick.

[silververt]

Thanks for the reply. I'll give it a try tonight and see if it helps...

[Bassfshr28]

I also use a permanent marker, but it still fades back to white eventually due to the string rubbing against the eyes when you cast. Also after a few trips I stretch all the line out into the yard and I respool with the same line the opposite way. This lets me use my braid twice as long.

[tailchaser]

spool it off onto another reel... the part closer to the spool still has the color...
after that fades, i change out the line...

[TBM]

'Spike it' used to make a marker specifically for braided line applications. For half the cost, I buy a permenant marker and cut out a tiny "V' notch on the broad flat surface using a sharp utility knife. It makes it much easier to keep the line in contact with the marker as you run it down a 5 -7 foot length of braid.

[FireBassr]

If you want to be rid of the problem of your braided line turning white, get yourself some Izorline braid. It's called Brutally Strong, and it will not turn white after repeated use. And here's why.......most all of the braid manufacturers weave or braid their spectra fibers, and then dye their line. Izorline dyes all of their individual spectra fibers, then weaves or braids the line. So, you have dye all through your braided line, and not just on the outside. It's just starting to get a lot of exposure, but it's the best braided line available. It also is smoother and will cast better than Power Pro will for you. Give some a try, you'll be glad that you did. If you have any more questions about Brutally Strong braid, just let me know, I'll be glad to help you out.

[19XS_Chris]

I use a permanent black marker. Cut a slit in the tip and pull the line through. I only do about 10'.

[capt_lunker]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bassfshr28 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> after a few trips I stretch all the line out into the yard and I respool with the same line the opposite way. This lets me use my braid twice as long.</TD></TR></TABLE>
+1

[SwampNinja]

I have used Power Pro and know what you are talking about. I tried Stren's Sonic Braid (used to be called SuperBraid) and I think it's much better than Power Pro. Been using it for a long time now and very happy with it. I don't feel the need to try anything else.

Hope this helps Good luck

[F2008]

I avoid that eventual braid "fade to white" issue by buying Berkley Fireline Crystal. .....it comes off the spool white as kite string. .......disappears under water, .... yea right. Anyone need 950 yards?

[MisterE]

I use the magic marker also but I dont color the entire line. I do it in a "camo" pattern by marking 1/2" then skip 1/2-1", mark 1-2" skip some, etc. doing a totally random pattern. Learned this at a fishing seminar someplace and it seems to work ok.

[FireBassr]

The fact that you have to continually "fix" the line to keep some color in it speaks for itself.

[Mike_z71]

This may be a stupid question, but I don't use braid except for jig fishing, does the color really matter? I know people who use mono that is red and some that use yellow mono. Does the color fading mean the strength is decreasing on the braid?

[F2008]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mike_z71 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does the color fading mean the strength is decreasing on the braid?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Can only speak for my experience with Fireline. No noticeable loss of strength as the "smoke" color fades.

The spool of "crystal" I have does NOT disappear in water. ...... maybe I need to try sinking the spool deeper

[ncbkc]

Here's my question to all of you. Do you really think a critter with a brain smaller than a pea has any concept of 8 lb line versus 30 lb line or line of any color, or braid versus mono vs fluoro ? Don't we sit around and out think ourselves sometimes ? I vary my line size and choice not on what the fish thinks(do they really think?); but on action of the bait or needed depth of the bait to get to the fish. My standard setup now is braid with a flouro leader, tied with a back to back uni knot. I fish this on spinning and casting. I use the flouro leader not because it is invisible, but because it has proven for me to be better abrasion resistant than anything I have used before. Rocks and braid don't do well.

I vary from this setup only when thru the test of time, my technique requires something different. An example would be the fall rate I get on a 1/0 wide gap, 1/8 weight and a zoom finesse worm...over 30 years has told me I get bit when I use 12 lb mono. Same is true for a 1/8 finesse jig that I have caught the dickens out of fish over the years, with 12 lb mono I get bit more than any other line type or size.

I flip with High vis yellow braid with a 17 to 30 lb flouro leader, and leader size varies based on the size of the fish, the cover, or the fall rate of the bait. Go test for yourself how different a senko falls on 17lb versus 30lb.

Weather conditions also dictate line variations, low sky dark days fish are more active you can get away with about any size,color or type...high cloudless skies call for something different and I have found if you can put that bait in front of them and let it fall slow enough they can't resist that. So I change my setup to get the fall or action the fish tell me they want.

I fish a c-rig year-round and the 20 lb braid has been on the same setup I think now for 4 years; yes it's turned almost white....but it as strong as the day I put it on. I have never felt the braid color made a difference to fish, whether I was fishing the c-rig in 5 foot on stump flats or on 30 foot humps or ledges. For years I fished 17 or 20 mono as main line and 12 lb leader, and I caught fish; but when I went to braid and fluoro I could feel better and realized I was missing bites on the previous setup, and the additional benefit is a much higher hook-up due to the no or little stretch of braid and flouro. When that bass has your lizard in a brushpile around a couple limbs down 20 feet and you set the hook your going to stick him; you may not get him out but he knows you mean business. With the mono I'd set the hook feel the stretch have the fish for a second and that was it.

Reaction baits like frogs, spinner baits, chatterbaits and shallow cranks I fish on straight braid and vary braid lb test on cover mainly. My feeling is the fish are reacting...it's there I'm gonna eat it...and they don't think about it.

Two other points and I'll quit this rambling. I absolutely love to crappie fish when the fish get shallow for couple weeks in the Spring. My set up is a tube jig on 1/32 tube head 12 to 18 inches below a float. ( I'm originally from East Tennessee and we ain't never used a bobber...and never will !) Long ago this was on an ultra light with 6 or 8 or even 4 pound test mono...served me well for many years. Then I got the idea I'd try braid 8lb and 10lb and for the last 10 years I have seen absolutely no difference in the fish I catch and I use straight braid. Crappie are sight feeders and they are always looking up for their meal..notice where their eyes are positioned on their body...point is; braid of any color has made no difference in my catch. Stren Microfuse (white)or Invisibraid (white) in 8 and 10 is what I use now; works flawlessly on a small spinning reel. I did have to re-learn how to set the hook on crappies, paper mouth is a good name when you power set with braid !

Lastly, I read an article by Rick Clunn some time this year and he was talking about the line he uses. Almost all mono because he has used it for so long he knows exactly how that line and lb test performs with every bait he has in the boat. What I think the Zen Man was saying without actually saying it was: it's about the bait action not the line, bait action triggers fish to strike. Use what you know to get the proper bait action and the rest falls into place. Of course it helps to be around some fish too !

Ok. I'm going to bed, with this fact as my last remark. I have saved untold dollars on line thru the last few years. A few spools of braid and flouro leader spools is pretty much all I need. And the end; yes I drop shot with 20 lb braid and a 15lb flouro leader.

[SoonerFan]

I've used Power Pro braid for a long time. I have never given the fading much thought because I only fish braid in limited visibility situations no matter if it's faded to white or dark green fresh out of the box. To me, braid is only for fishing grass, fallen timber, stumps, and muddy/murky water. If the water is so clear you need to worry about line color then you need to switch to at least a mono or better still co-polymer or fluorocarbon. The clearer the water is and the less cover there is the lighter and more transparent the line should be.

[bpettus1]

if its still got the strenght then i dont worry about it beside when i fish braid its in hydrilla so its burried abd cant been seen that good anyways