braided line on baitcast reels

[dave newton]

im a bonafide swamp rat and live in Bridge City, Texas and fish the brackish and saltwater of sabine lake and the bordering louisiana marsh for large alligator gar 80-150#s and bull redfish. i run curado 200 and 300 baitcast reels along with a couple of calcutta 200s on 7 and 71/2 medium action rods. light tackle fishing for these monsters is where its at. any input on braided line characteristics such as line memory, casting, and longevity in saltwater would be much appreciated.

[JRisapirate]

no memory, casts a mile and I fish two seasons on the same spool.. with the braid on a baitcaster i have transfered the line from one baitcaster to another to get an extra season out of the 300yd of braid the bottom 200yd is like new.. saves you $30 to put towards tackle..

[dave newton]

Thanks for the input it makes my decision easier now. i currently use 12 and 15# big game and i have to change it probably 3 to 4 times during the summer because it has so much line memory. the extra casting distance will help also when casting to tailing reds.

[JRisapirate]

I have a few inshore reels that are strung with the Suffix #30 hi-vis yellow. I like the hi-vis and the Suffix hold its color longer than the PP. All my trolling reels are loaded with mono..

I dont know how much wreck fishing or botton fishing u do, obviously you are going to get hung up once in a while I tie #25 mono leader on about two wraps around the spool when I'm not really casting and the mono will break before the braid saving the expensive stuff otherwise its a 12-18" floro leader..I catch 40lb Stripers with the #30 so it can handle a 25lb red..

[dahlberg]

Hi D
Power Pro is so thin, I rarely use anything less than 50# on my baitcasters! Call me old fashioned, or just old, but I can see it better and whether it's wrapped around a guide, caught in a treble and split ring, or backlashed, tangles are easier to sort out! Plus, it gives me extra insurance and It's still, even at 50# not going to make a difference to a fish when compared to thirty pound. Plus, in a line shy scenario, you just add a leader.
My 2 cents!
best
L

[JRisapirate]

Mr D
I have seen the way you like to bear down the drag and tourque them in, you have the gear for it too.. The one clip when Ceasar(i dont know how you spell his name) has a fish ripping drag on what looked like a 50 weight reel and you reach up to tighten it up..POP!..what lb was that and did it break at the tip or at the spool to make a sound like that?

[dahlberg]

Hi
It was 150#, and it broke in the spool. No way am I going to get spooled! Even if I have to wrap the line on a cleat!
best,
L

[JRisapirate]

HAhaha thats great.. So you are saying you dont want to be like Tred landing Marlin and Sails on 6-8lb test...

Don't give those fish a chance Mr D I like it....

Broke at the spool huh, what it tied to backing? 500lb Grouper? Though in that tide/rip current you guys were fishing makes a fish 3x stronger.. And BTW anchoring where you guys did takes guts! Looked like the Cape May rips and I wouldn't anchor there..