100 lb braid?

fishbonz412 · Post by **fishbonz412** » Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:01 pm

What weight line are you punching with? Anyone using 100 lb braid regularly for punching, or any other technique? I heard Bobby B and Cooch talk about it. What are the trade offs of this vs. 80 or 65 lb, besides strength? Who even makes or sells 100 lb test braid?

Being tighter on a budget, 65 is the heaviest braid I have....frogs, punching.....

yjjustforme · Post by **yjjustforme** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:12 am

I've used up to 80 for both techniques but never 100. You can still cast a frog on 80 pretty well but the major drawback to 100lb is the fact that its almost impossible to put a punch stop on 100lb line. I stick to 65 and 80 myself

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:18 am

The Stealth Braid has been around for quite a while now. I've been using it for a few years. The line diameter of the 100# is virtually the same and un-noticable to either the 65 or 80# versions. I'm not sure what stoppers YJJUSTFORME is usung, but the standard rubber stops as seen in the picture below, install with great ease. Being a round braid, it's castability is superior and ya get far less of those deep dug in back lashes. I personally feel I can cast a Frog or Flippin The Bird lure, much better with the 100 versus the two smaller line sizes.

The 100# bulk 500yd spool is $79 at BPS, which is only $10 more than the 80 and $20 more than the 65# lines. Since changing over 3 years ago, I have yet to break off a single Punker, Wakebait, hollow bodied surface bait or high dollar punch rig using the 100# version. I would experience 3-6 break offs a year using the other two, so the xtra cost, is worth the end results savings. I'm one of those kinda guys who believes in "root cause" fixes. Going to the Stealth 100# braid, has indeed resolved all issues I've experienced over the years when using braided line for heavy duty applications.

: Why use 65-85# braid when 100# is available?; DSCF0115.jpg (48.4 KiB) Viewed 4444 times

: Standard Ruber stops install with ease.; DSCF0116.jpg (40.42 KiB) Viewed 4445 times

BigJeff · Post by **BigJeff** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:28 am

Love those bobber stoppers. Haven't tried the 100 lb braid yet but when my 50 & 65 lb power pro runs out I may have to give it a try.

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:33 am

Try wetting your line before you slip on the bobber stopper. It will make it easier.

Tin Can · Post by **Tin Can** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:23 am

In what situation would you need that much line strength for bass fishing? It just seems a bit ridiculous to me.

yjjustforme · Post by **yjjustforme** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:20 am

I use power pro and pay check punch stops. Hey cooch have you noticed that the drag coming off the reel is much smoother with power pro instead of spider wire? When I first started using spider wire it would dig into itself on the spool and my reels and hands would be green at the end of the day and for some reason I noticed that when pressure is applied to the drag system the spider wire would need like twice the amount of pull to take any line out. I feel like I've lost fish because of that line from hooks being pulled out and the line seems to fray a whole lot more than p pro. But to each his own.

Robb R · Post by **Robb R** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:59 am

100lb braid , wow , seems like alot for bass. We used 100lb braid on the trips I have made to Alaska. We have caught Halibut to 130lbs and Ling Cod to 60 lbs and never had a break in the line . Some of the other guests had halibut to 325 lbs on that stuff ,amazing strength.
I hate tying braid , probably more because I don't use it that much for bass. Which knots do you prefer? Line to line and line to lure?
tight lines ,
Robb

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:54 am

Tin - I think it's rediculous when ya break off 65# braid on a fish. That should NEVER happen, but it does. I also think it's rediculous when guys say, "I have never broken 65# braided line", they are not being honest. Say that before ya hop on my boat using 65# braid, Murphy can't wait ta prove ya wrong and open yer eyes. I thought going to 80# was the answer, yet I had a couple of issues there too, so I went to the 100# stuff. That just does not happen to me any more since changing to 100# Stealth braid. I also think the two hook system used today on hollow body baits, namely frogs, is rediculous and the worst concept ever in a lure for bass fisherman. But it is what it is. That 100# braid, absolutely gives me a far better hook penetrating oppurtunity versus 65# braid.

Robb R - What constitutes "a lot" or what I term "excessive"? Why would we limit ourselves with the tools we use, in an effort to put more fish in the boat? What's excessive is simply what floats in the minds of us as individuals.Excessive is only relative to our own personal fishing goals and agendas. Personally, I think it's excessive ta use 10-14" $250 swimbaits for bass. Yet I also recognize it's in the mindset of the angler and the biggest bass he is targetting. I also think it's excessive ta have two Power Poles. Heck, 95% of the time, we only see them in the upright position. Yet, for the pro who spends all his time on the front of the boat or alone, losing 25% of his unobstructive fishing platform is no big deal. And I can certainly see where in the right conditions, the use of two can indeed be benificial. Same goes for all the boats out there now with the two high end, multi tasking, HDS units, one on the console, one up front. I personally think that's excessive, yet I do understand how guys use one to find em, then jump up on the t-motor and use the one up front to stay on top of deep fish they've found on structure or suspended. Same thing now with boat motors, what really is the purpose of a 300HP motor on a 20-21 foot boat, versus a 225 or 250, that gives you any advantage in catching fish? Then there are those guys like me who can't wait for the next generation of 48v 140Lb thrust trolling motors. Our goal as fishermen, is to put more fish in the boat. In tournament fishing, that is a must versus what the other guy is capable of catching. Being "excessive" or having "a lot" more in the way of tools, is the epitome of reaching that goal, PUT MORE FISH IN THE BOAT!

Robb R - I always tie my braided line directly to my lure. I NEVER use a leader when using braid, there is no need when Punching or tossing big topwater baits ta do so. When punching, I use a Snell knot. For big topwater baits, I use the Palomar.

Yjj - I can't say I've noticed that comparison, mostly because I stopped using Power Pro after that very first day in Brazil, fishing the Amazon for Peacock bass back in 2002. I have indeed though experienced some of the anomolies you have mentioned with all braided lines. Three keys with round braid that improve what you've experienced, is first to assure you spool that round braid onto your reel as humanly tight as possible. Secondly, use a Line conditioner, I prefer to use KVD's Lure & Line and use it religeously on all my braid and flurocarbons. This alone can magically resolve the issues you mentioned. And last, when casting braid for any distances, you can not use a quick fire, snap cast. There is no braided line on this planet that won't dig and foul yer spool of line. A long, smooth, sweeping cast or pitch, is very critical in avoiding this. Also keep in mind that both PowerPro and SpiderWire, the two largest, or most popular, braided line manufacturers, both have a wide array of products under their company labels. Some are much better than others for certain applications. PowerPro's Braided Line and SpiderWire's Stealth, are by far the best two round braids to be used for baitcasting and bass fishing for most anglers. Picking one over the other, is truely a personal preference and is always subject to the Pros vs Cons debates that we see with all popular products used in fishing.

I've made the move too 100# braid, for the same reasons I pitch and flip jigs with 25# Fluoro now, (which by the way, some believe is excessive), far less break offs and more fish git put in the boat.

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:39 am

Cooch,
Is 100lb braid just as limp as 50lb braid? I am asking because I use a mono leader with my fluoro for top water walking baits, to avoid the hook fouling that I get with straight braid, and was wondering if switching to 100lb would eliminate that hook fouling problem.

Robb R · Post by **Robb R** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:07 pm

Cooch ,
Thanks for the input , I agree with all your reasons . I don't fish the delta mainly because I don't know the area and had a really bad expierience with a guy a long time ago while fishing on his boat in the delta . With that said , I don't flip and/or punch much so don't fish braid . The few times I tried braid , to many issues and stopped using it . Your advise is very helpful.Thank you.
I referenced the briad we used in Alaska mainly to point out that we NEVER broke off any Halibut and/or Lings and we were using 100 braid. The guides there love that stuff.
Good to hear that your are on the water .
Tight lines ,
Robb

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:29 am

Mark, It's about as limp as it gets, I can't really atest to it compared to 50, since it's been so long since I used a braid that small. I seem to have less problems with it collecting on the trebles when walking the big Punkers than I used to if that helps.