Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

Reviews of different brands of braid

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Brandon Khoo:
I'd be interested to know what different brands of braid that people use. If you could post what brand and how you find the performance of the braid, I think that would be useful for everyone.

For me, I generally use Varivas GT but over the past 36 months, have also use FINS PRT, Tuf Line XP and Varivas GT SMP.

Varivas GT is my favourite line. It is a fine diameter, round, soft and casts beautifully. That said, I find it doesn't last as long as other braids and for me, it is good for two to four trips.

FINS PRT is a really tough braid. It is a bit flat though and doesn't have the roundness of Varivas. I also find the strands come apart quite easily although that doesn't seem to affect the line much. It doesn't cast anywhere near as smoothly as Varivas, especially in the heavier braids.

Tuf Line XP. A very good braid that is quite round in feel.Notwithstanding my other post on the diameter of braids, it feels thicker than Varivas. It also doesn't cast as well as Varivas and it has a waxy feel to it. It is also a stiffer braid. All of that said, a tough, tough braid. For lighter applications up to 50lb, this is my braid of choice. The lighter loundages just don't feel as stiff or waxy.

Varivas GT SMP - a beautiful casting line that feels smooth like silk. Unfortunately, based on my experience to date, it is rather prone to shock loads.

Does anyone here use Stren or Powerpro?

Peter Morris:
Tuffline for me Brandon.

$$$ wise I reckon its great value.

I have two spools for my dogfight.
One with 30lb Tuffline for the longtails/mackeral etc from the rocks and 80lb Tuffline on another.
Its very nice in the 30lb.

Pete

Les Maunder:
Hi Brandon

Have been using Frog exclusively for the GTs. It appears to be a bit course, but keeps its round shape well and it seems to last for more than 3 -4 trips. It is not as fine and smooth Varivas, but I am not sure that is such an issue when the line spends most of its time above the water.

I must admit, I call on it to undertake trolling and jigging as well -a bit of an ask i know.

Oh yes, it tangles just as much as the others as is just as impossible to untangle.


Cheers


Les.

 

Chris Leong:
Not very experience, rather new to this type of fishing.

I use Tuf line XP 65lb for mi 10000 spool and 80lb power pro for my 16k spool. Seem to be casting well on this brand but that said, haven been popping long enough to give views on other brands.

Colin P:
Popping and Stickbaiting (120g or heavier lures) - Jerry Brown Hollow 100 test. I splice the reel line into a metre of 200 test JBH ending in a loop which I join via catspaw to a 5 foot, 100 or 200 test, single strand or twisted, mono leader. JBH is very soft and castable but it does catch the wind and can produce "wind knots" if you are casting into the wind and your casting technique is off. I replace the last 10-20 metres of reel line after each trip by splicing in new line - though I have no empirical evidence whatsoever that this is necessary - it just feels right!

Jigging (200-400g jigs) - Tufline XP 80 test. I start fishing with a 100 or 130 test fluoro leader joined via PR knot to the reel line. If I get bitten off or broken, I tie a bimini loop in the reel line and join it, via a catspaw, to one of my pre-made wind-on leaders (simply a short length of 80 test XP, with a bimini loop at one end, PR knotted at the other end to a 100 or 130 test fluoro leader). If I run out of these, I tie on a fluoro leader using an improved albright. As the name suggests, XP is tough stuff and I have seen it "saw thru" a different brand of braid when two people hooked fish that crossed. I have recently filled a 20000FA spool with 100 test XP and I intend to try it for popping/stickbaiting on my 10000FA.

Casting (25-100g lures) - Power Pro 30, 50 or 65 test. I again start fishing with a 40, 60 or 80 test leader (sufix zippy or seaguar fluoro) and go straight to an improved albright connection if I have to change leaders. PP is nicely round but feels a little coarse straight out of the box. However, I find it limp enough for casting in the breaking strains I use and it does get softer with use without appearing to lose its strength (it does lose color).

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