braid or mono?

[fishnnk]

what does everyone prefer on their trolling rods .... braid or mono?? Or does it really depend on the application??? Planers, in line sinkers, umbrellas (braid?) with a mono leader?? With Spanish on the way, would Braid be better or just a thicker mono with an inline swivel so the line doesn't twist. That is what I have been running but I have heard different stories. I have Penn Levelwind Reels .... I'm sure the reel doesn't really matter.
Thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Still a "greenhorn" when it comes to trolling to be honest

[WhitestoneCharlie]

I like mono for spanish. When fishing deep for rockfish I like braid. Lost of twisting with spoons for spanish. Usually use 20 lb with inline swivel to help cut down on twists. Not as much twisting with rockfish lures.

[SlateDog]

Local guide Bobby Jenkins (Mr J's Pleasure) swears by wire (or steele as he calls it) for deeper trolling. Here is the text of a post he made back in fall:

Anyone who has fished with me will tell you I'm a firm beleiver of wirelineing and normaly after they get off the boat they are too. When I say deep steels Im refering to these lines. They are wire lined basic 3 way chesapeake bay bell sinker trolling rigs with double baits.
Bait was everywhere with the best being at bouy 10 and 6. Birds were everywhere but the fish just haven't come on like they should. All my fish came out of a 200 yrd circle and it looked no different than any other place I had fished the two days. We got lucky enough to find the fish and were smart enough to know what to do with them when we found them. That was the key to our success.
Jimmy I have few days left give me a heads up if you can and I'll pencil you in. Right now my Web site shows the 10th of December weekend open but its taken up by some guys out of SC. I play it by ear after the 10th as the last 2 years things have slowed way down after that weekend. Last year were were froze in by the 17th.
Oh yea Every fish was packed full of 6" mehaden. I pulled 8 out of a 25 icher and only 2 were partialy digested.

[BayViews]

Just my 2 cents opinion.

A couple of years ago I wrestled with the same decision. Mono is commonly used and works well. A lot of charter boats use mono to keep things simple, to keep the cost down, and for the added safety with novice clients. Some like the added shockabsorber effect of mono for certain uses. Wire line can be used for "specialized" applications although not as versatile as other alternatives. However, there are just too many advantages of braid to avoid it (other than the much higher cost). Some of the nice features of braid include:

* thinner diameter which allows for more line on a spool - still have plenty of line left for use after losses to crab pots!
* thinner diameter sinks quicker - makes it easier to get lures deeper
* different colors - I like the Hi-Visibility to help me keep the lines separated - You can also get it color coded to eliminate the need to count bars or use a line counter.
* no memory - less twists and tangles (less but not eliminated)
* no stretch - quicker hookup
* greater sensitivity - a modern alternative to wire line for bottom bouncing or trolling for flounder which I have just started to do
* more durable - double, triple or more the life compared to mono
* no problems with just about any "modern" trolling rod guides including roller tips

You can put high test strength braid (60-100 lb test) on your reels and use it for everything. Just change leaders for targeting different species. No need to re-spool reels for different applications. I use 20-30 lb. fluorocarbon leaders (with a ball bearing swivel in the middle and ball bearing snap on the planer end) for Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish. No problem using in-line sinkers, planers, umbrellas or just about anything else with braid. I always use mono or fluoro leaders with the braid to reduce visibility, for abrasion protection and to use as a "handle" to lead fish to the boat or swing them on board.

Don't fall for early criticisms. Each year manufacturers do something to improve the characteristics of braid and eliminate earlier deficiencies. Today's braid is not your father's braid.

There are some advantage to either. But the pluses of braid outweighed any minor negatives for my trolling needs.

[fishnnk]

Thanks for the insight guys! Will probably go with braid soon on a few of my rods .... will let you know the results.
Till then .... good luck to everyone!

[schitty_vhull]

I prefer braided line for most of the reasons stated above. To address the issue of line twist, a ball bearing swivel is more important than mono vs braid. Spend a few bucks on good swivels and life will be much easier.

[Allegro]

I have switched all my trolling rods to braid and more specifically, metered braid. These specifically come in either 20',25', or 30' colored increments. No line counters, no measuring offs lines in the backyard. Suffix, Tuf-Line and Power Pro all make the product. (and maybe others) You will spend a little more, but the lack of on the water headaches are eliminated. But, with your level wind reels, there may be no need.

[Remobeater]

What we use and what the charters I've seen use for summer trolling is 50lb braid with 80lb mono leaders. The usual setup for most is an in line planer with a clark spoon or artificial eel. The braid holds the planer and you will have a mono leader about 15-20' going to the lure. You'll most likely need a crimp or something for the mono. I've switched all the reels to braid since it can get deeper and provides good hook sets. The leader can be important for clearer water and for trolling species like mackerel who will spot your lure from a great distance away at fast speeds.

Nice braid is expensive but you can get decent quality braid in bulk from off brands at bass pro or other online store.

[fishnnk]

sweet! good info guys! I'm getting online now to Bass Pro