Why Use 50+ Pound Braid? 2024
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I'm just curious, why do so many people use such heavy weight braid? You aren't going to catch a 50+ bass and if you get hung up on something your hook will straighten or your rod will break before you get your lure loose if it's caught up that bad. I wouldn't use any more than 20 personally unless I was fishing at a dam for giant cats. Anyone else confused as to why people use this or is it just me?
BrianinMD reply :
I use up to 65lb braid, when you are fishing heavy grass you need this strength to get fish back out. Either frogs across the top or punching thru it means whenever you get a fish it will bury in and if you don't have the right line it will not come out.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I fish weeds a lot and I just use 12 pound mono. I have 20 pound braid on my jigging rod but 65 just seems like over kill to me. I could just be dead wrong and completely ignorant about fishing but it just seems kind of crazy to me to use that much. I guess if you're doing tourneys and want to makes absolutely sure that you won't lose a fish I could kind of understand but 20 pound would be just as good for that.
doyle8218 reply :
I think it is more for the diameter than the #.
BadBassWV reply :
Its all to do with the diameter of the line. 65# braid is 12lb diameter. I fish nothing but braid, i can feel a fish just thinking about hitting my lure. LOLOLOL
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I like how strong braid is, but I hate fishing with it. I can tell whether it's a fish or a rock, stump, log, etc better with mono than anything. Still though, wouldn't you want the lighter braid so that it's less visible?
BadBassWV reply :
Lighter braid digs in on itself on a Baitcaster. I have 10# on spinning set up for drop shotting. For me its harder to fish lighter braid on a baitcaster.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I haven't had any problem with the 20 pound yet, but I haven't been fishing it long. I just bought a new baitcaster Friday and put my 12 pound mono on. I've always used mono so maybe that's why I like it so much more. That, and the fact that I can only get 150 yards of braid for $15 and I can get 1175 yards of mono for $12.
BadBassWV reply :
I like to fish With a Flouro leader most of the time. Your right braid can be expensive, For that reason and My thinking the fish can see heavy braid is why I use a Leader. It takes some time on the water to tell the difference between rocks and twigs and fish bites. Hell alot of time you cant tell. Hook sets are free.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I'm not much into having to tie a leader on because I would have to put more on quite often considering how much I change baits. I'll just stick to my mono, it's more my style. Lol then again I also don't understand why someone would want a different line for every job. I just like to fish and catch fish and sometimes eat fish. That's why I don't have $150+ dollar rods and reels.
tomustang reply :
Because you never know when you're going to catch that 50 pound bass.
ChrisD46 reply :
On 7/13/2014 at 8:10 PM, BadBassWV said:Lighter braid digs in on itself on a Baitcaster. I have 10# on spinning set up for drop shotting. For me its harder to fish lighter braid on a baitcaster.
+1 .33 inch diameter (or greater) line size to prevent braid from digging into the spool puts you at 40lb + regardless of the braid manufacturer .
jason41987 reply :
ive tried lighter braid and its actually sliced itself off in a backlash causing me to lose a significant portion of my line, i tried 20lb monofilament but the line memory was way too much and it didnt perform well, i prefer braid for the no line memory and lack of strength, i choose the 50lb test for the diameter being the same as the 12lb monofilament my reel came with so it doesnt dig in or cut itself, and hardly ever backlashes. ill use monofilament leaders of a lighter breaking strength so if anything gives itll be that leader and not my main line which realistically should never break
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/13/2014 at 10:30 PM, jason41987 said:ive tried lighter braid and its actually sliced itself off in a backlash causing me to lose a significant portion of my line, i tried 20lb monofilament but the line memory was way too much and it didnt perform well, i prefer braid for the no line memory and lack of strength, i choose the 50lb test for the diameter being the same as the 12lb monofilament my reel came with so it doesnt dig in or cut itself, and hardly ever backlashes. ill use monofilament leaders of a lighter breaking strength so if anything gives itll be that leader and not my main line which realistically should never break
Understandable, I buy Trilene 12-15 pound mono and the memory doesn't bother me. Fluoro on the other hand has so much memory after just a day of sitting the line comes out in spirals.
jason41987 reply :
On 7/13/2014 at 10:57 PM, ForrestByTheStream said:Understandable, I buy Trilene 12-15 pound mono and the memory doesn't bother me. Fluoro on the other hand has so much memory after just a day of sitting the line comes out in spirals.
thats why i only use about a 20lb fluro in 12" lengths for a leader, then i dont have to worry about line memory, its less visible underwater which allows me to use a high visibility braided line and itll always be the first to snap
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I can't get into tying a leader on repeatedly after I change baits about six times though. I only have two rod and reel setups so I wind up changing baits a lot on the same rod and reel. Mainly because I like to use my better one more often and I just use my cheaper one for certain applications.
Cgrinder reply :
Larger diameter braid has better shock strength. I'd be worried about frogging with 20 lb or less in pads with a H or XH rod and a 3/4 oz ish frog.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I've never seen anywhere around here that had pads, so I'm not to worried about them. The heavy grass I even fish with mono, I just don't throw anything that gets hung real easily in there.
jason41987 reply :
On 7/13/2014 at 11:10 PM, ForrestByTheStream said:I can't get into tying a leader on repeatedly after I change baits about six times though. I only have two rod and reel setups so I wind up changing baits a lot on the same rod and reel. Mainly because I like to use my better one more often and I just use my cheaper one for certain applications.
i dont tie leaders to the braid, i tie a split ring to my main line, tie swivels to my leaders (i go this way because i can actually push the small split ring through the eyes for removing my reel without having to cut the line) then i make up multiple leaders with different lures tied onto them, then hook them to the split ring on my main line
OroBass reply :
Just learn to tie a double uni or a blood knot! Practice until your fingers hurt and you can tie it in a dimly lit room. I assure you itshould alot faster than you think.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I never thought of that, I always wondered what those swivels were for. I guess I was just to dumb to figure it out. Lol
jason41987 reply :
On 7/14/2014 at 1:24 AM, ForrestByTheStream said:I never thought of that, I always wondered what those swivels were for. I guess I was just to dumb to figure it out. Lol
prevents line twist caused by your lure too
Alonerankin2 reply :
Well there's nothing inherently wrong with doing it that way, still tying a lot of knots though, your choice. Maybe in winter practice tying double uni's or whatever once you get it down do it everyday and bam! You will have it!
Raul reply :
Because of places like this:
I normally don´t fish with braid ( when I do it´s 30 lb ) I´m mainly a nylon user, but a big bunch of guys fish with even heavier than 50 lb ( in these places 50 is considered "light " ) and it´s not beacuse you are going to catch a 50 lb fish, it´s beacuse in places like the one in the picture you don´t want to give the fish even the slightest chance to put even the slightest fight, you have to horse it in as fast as you can or it will be bye, bye !
Alonerankin2 reply :
Yea, a few (4 ) years ago in Texas a guy that took me out was flippin 100 pound braid due to the Mesquite bushes! Mean stuff right there!! You know it has it's place, just like 2 pound mono has it's uses... It really depends on the water you are fishing, and the structure type. I mean basically, what Raul said....
WRB reply :
The heaviest flipping bass rod made can't lift 10 lbs of dead weight. The reason most anglers use braid .013 + diameter or 50 # + is the larger diameter is easier to handle without cutting into your fingers. If you are fishing high abrasion cover, use a high abrasion resistance line. Braid doesn't have high abrasion resistance to sharp hard rocks, great for cutting through softer vegetation. Hardwoods like salt cedar it's better to use 25# copolymer high abrasion resistance line or 50#+ braid and set the drag at 8 lbs, use your thumb if needed to prevent the bass from turning.
Tom
einscodek reply :
On 7/13/2014 at 11:40 PM, Cgrinder said:Larger diameter braid has better shock strength. I'd be worried about frogging with 20 lb or less in pads with a H or XH rod and a 3/4 oz ish frog.
Exactly.. I dont think this was acknowledged
For braid, you dont get 50lb+ for weeds, even in a weedball the lunker isnt going to weigh 20 lbs weeds and all..
Its all about shock strength and the bigger diameter braid will give you more leeway in shock
when setting the hook against the weight of the fish and the weeds together
when casting a large swimbait, the line experiences shock
when the fish swims against you then suddenly away and you tug at the same time against the fish and structure or weeds
You need shock strength
and even if one strand or two strands fray and break and i dont see it, I'd still likely be ok with 50lb for the trip
WRB reply :
The truth is braid has very high impact strength, what you call shock strength is well over 100% of rated line strength. Where braid is weak is knot strength, well under 50% of rated line strength.
Source TT braided line testing.
Tom
Alonerankin2 reply :
Well whatever the case, I have seen Buku number of rods broken by braid users... It seems to have slowed some though.
ColdSVT reply :
I use it on my froggin rod only...65 pp. All my other rods have 12-20lb flouro depending on application
It makes things nice when in the thick thick pads and weeds when yankin fish out..i tried it with 20lb flouro and did ok but i lost a ton of fish too
Kevin22 reply :
Your 12# mono will not last long fishing in thick slop where 65# braid is used. Anyone who argues that 50-65 is not needed is a fool. How many pro fishermen do you see frog fishing with 20# braid or 12# mono? none.
tstone reply :
Come on down to Florida with 12# mono and see how far it gets you. Lowest braid I use is 40#, most is 65#. I know a lot of guys switching to 80# for flipping in the thick stuff
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
I asked a question about braid, I don't recall asking for people to be ******** to someone who was just asking a simple question. Get some butthurt cream and get off the forum if you're going to be a dickhead.
iabass8 reply :
On 7/14/2014 at 10:40 AM, ForrestByTheStream said:I asked a question about braid, I don't recall asking for people to be ******** to someone who was just asking a simple question. Get some butthurt cream and get off the forum if you're going to be a dickhead.
On 7/13/2014 at 6:40 PM, ForrestByTheStream said:I'm just curious, why do so many people use such heavy weight braid? You aren't going to catch a 50+ bass and if you get hung up on something your hook will straighten or your rod will break before you get your lure loose if it's caught up that bad. I wouldn't use any more than 20 personally unless I was fishing at a dam for giant cats. Anyone else confused as to why people use this or is it just me?
Kevin22 reply :
On 7/14/2014 at 10:40 AM, ForrestByTheStream said:I asked a question about braid, I don't recall asking for people to be ******** to someone who was just asking a simple question. Get some butthurt cream and get off the forum if you're going to be a dickhead.
I may be wrong, but I read your first post as "why do people use 50# braid" like we are a bunch of idiots who think there are 50# bass and we need some super thick line just to land a fish. Sounded like a jerk so I replied like a jerk.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
How does that seem like I'm bashing people with higher poundage exactly? I didn't call anyone a "fool" like he basically called me. I was curious about a subject and asked a question about it. If this site is going to be constant bashing, which I have seen much of so far, then I will happily leave this site.
Kevin22 reply :
You got what you asked for. You asked a question that has been asked many times here. They all end the same way. A few refuse to use heavy braid because they have never needed it and end up looking down on those who do use it. So we tend to be defensive when people "call us out" so to speak. The way your post was worded it was taken as you were looking down at those of us who use thick braid.
A saying I heard once.. "if you have never dug a hole bigger than 5 feet, you will never see the need for a backhoe". In other words, if you have never fished in the thick slop where heavy braid is needed, you will never see the need for it. Once you expand your fishing to different situations you will realize the need for the thick line. Hopefully then you will come back and apologize to those who you have looked down on.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
Obviously you have some comprehension problems. I asked a simple question that I was curious about, I wasn't looking down upon others, I just wanted to know what heavy braid was used for. Now that I see what the members are like on this site since there have been many people who are up on their high horses, I will now leave. I came on this site for fishing help and good conversations and there are a few good members, but most of you are keyboard warriors.
tstone reply :
On 7/14/2014 at 10:40 AM, ForrestByTheStream said:I asked a question about braid, I don't recall asking for people to be ******** to someone who was just asking a simple question. Get some butthurt cream and get off the forum if you're going to be a dickhead.
How do you go from telling people they need butthurt cream to being completely butthurt yourself to the point of leaving the forum?
Dan: reply :
I have no way of validating the claim but I was once told that spatterdock lily stems can withstand an average of 18lbs of force. If you fish around something like that or heavy grass, etc.. then it makes sense to me.
rippin-lips reply :
I throw my frogs and other stuff,right up into the pads. Lilly pad stems are freaking tough. Even with #65 braid I'll still bring them in on the line sometimes. Also with frogs and having 2 large wire hooks, the strong braid really helps in driving those hooks home. Plus the long distance hook set factor.
Hattrick7 reply :
When I first heard of 50lb+ braid I thought it was crazy overkill until I started using a baitcaster. I use it because of similar line diameter to mono or fluoro.
Putting on braid with a under 10lb diamter probably was going cause more problems than good.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 7/14/2014 at 11:05 AM, ForrestByTheStream said:Obviously you have some comprehension problems. I asked a simple question that I was curious about, I wasn't looking down upon others, I just wanted to know what heavy braid was used for. Now that I see what the members are like on this site since there have been many people who are up on their high horses, I will now leave. I came on this site for fishing help and good conversations and there are a few good members, but most of you are keyboard warriors.
Personally I don't choose to use heavy braid, but you received some valid reasons why others do, which is actually the consensus opinion.
I don't think you should leave the forum just because you didn't get the answer you expected.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 7/14/2014 at 11:05 AM, ForrestByTheStream said:Obviously you have some comprehension problems. I asked a simple question that I was curious about, I wasn't looking down upon others, I just wanted to know what heavy braid was used for. Now that I see what the members are like on this site since there have been many people who are up on their high horses, I will now leave. I came on this site for fishing help and good conversations and there are a few good members, but most of you are keyboard warriors.
I've read all the post here and it seems to me a majority of the members that answered your question did so with valid reasons why they choose to use heavier line. I see very few "Keyboard Warriors" on this site, and I'm on here a lot. Best to ignore the answers that rubbed you the wrong way instead of going on the defensive, internet arguments rarely accomplish anything. There is endless amounts of knowledge to take in from all the great members on this site, I think if you stick around for very long you will learn that 
It's all about line diameter for me. The heavier sizes fish easier on casting gear. There have been occasions in heavy grass that I had to have 65lb braid just to drag even a keeper sized fish out, let alone a big fish.
Mike L reply :
OP
At a tournament yesterday on Lake Istokpoga in Central Florida, my boater and I were flipping and pitching a line of mixed vegetation that would make you think you were in the middle of the jungle in Bora Bora if you were walking around. Knowing before hand what conditions we were gonna hit, I brought all 3 of my flippin sticks, he had 3 also that are always on his boat.
His rods had 50, 65 and 80 lb power pro. Mine have 30, 50 and 65 lb.
I grabbed the rod with the 65lb at safe light and 9 hrs later didn't put it down...dont know which he was useing but I guarantee you it wasn't the 50.
My point is you have to use what you have to use for where you fishing...for what we felt we had to do to give us chance, anything less would have been a waste of time and money.
Mike
WRB reply :
There is always at least two sides to a story, with bass fishing more sides.
Take the recent Clear Open bass tournament in California. Clear lake is a nationally known big bass lake and one big natural lake we have. Clear lake is mostly a giant weed mate the covers about 1/2 the water in the summer, heavy braid is a common line used by most anglers. The Open is a big event and nearly every angler was on a frog bite, except the winner who used 12 # FC and drop shot Brush Hogs into openings in weed pockets. 80 lbs for 3 day event, with 12# FC in the grass!
Tom
OroBass reply :
I live in northern California and people forget how big bass get out here. I've caught a handful of 6 to 8 pounders this year and one over ten. All were caught on 12 lb or less and in hydrilla or coon tail. I'm getting ready to try braid out because I feel it will be easier to get these fish out but it is not a necessity!
Master Bait'r reply :
On 7/15/2014 at 12:45 AM, WRB said:There is always at least two sides to a story, with bass fishing more sides.
Take the recent Clear Open bass tournament in California. Clear lake is a nationally known big bass lake and one big natural lake we have. Clear lake is mostly a giant weed mate the covers about 1/2 the water in the summer, heavy braid is a common line used by most anglers. The Open is a big event and nearly every angler was on a frog bite, except the winner who used 12 # FC and drop shot Brush Hogs into openings in weed pockets. 80 lbs for 3 day event, with 12# FC in the grass!
Tom
Man, that is a sneak attack right there haha talk about thinking outside the box!
hatrix reply :
On 7/13/2014 at 8:15 PM, ForrestByTheStream said:I haven't had any problem with the 20 pound yet, but I haven't been fishing it long. I just bought a new baitcaster Friday and put my 12 pound mono on. I've always used mono so maybe that's why I like it so much more. That, and the fact that I can only get 150 yards of braid for $15 and I can get 1175 yards of mono for $12.
I don't know where you get your line or what you use but.... If your getting 1175 yards of mono for $12 it's junk. Time to switch it up and buy some better line. Also you can fish that same spool of braid for years.
Slipknot_Fan666 reply :
On 7/15/2014 at 2:16 AM, hatrix said:I don't know where you get your line or what you use but.... If your getting 1175 yards of mono for $12 it's junk. Time to switch it up and buy some better line. Also you can fish that same spool of braid for years.
It's Trilene, that's not exactly junk. You don't have to spend a ton of money to get good line.
Kevin22 reply :
That would be big game. A very cheap line. I personally would not use it. (retails for $7.99). Just about any line on the market would be a better choice IMO
hatrix reply :
Where do you get over half a mile of Trilene for $12?
Kevin22 reply :
Hatrix, it retails for $7.99. (8.99 some places). 1/4 pound spool of trilene big game (not a good line IMO!). Walmart, dicks, gander mountain, bass pro, cabelas, tackle warehouse, etc. It will be on the bottom of the shelf stacked or in a bin. They are shrink wrapped 1/4# spools.
paleus reply :
Big game is actually not that bad. Pretty abrasion resistant. It just stretches like a rubber band.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 7/15/2014 at 2:16 AM, hatrix said:I don't know where you get your line or what you use but.... If your getting 1175 yards of mono for $12 it's junk. Time to switch it up and buy some better line. Also you can fish that same spool of braid for years.
I use Mustad Ultra line that I get in 1lb spools from 4,000+ yards to 11,000+ yards with the 6lb test. I pay $10 a spool for it and it's some of the strongest mono I've ever fished
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