braided line

[Trout Sen-Sei]

do any of you guys use braided line on you spinning reels as opposed to mono? never have tried it on my reels and was wondering if there is a benefit.

[tater140]

I love the sensitivity for walleye fishing, but the downside for me is that it builds up ice on the line and eventually ends up in your spool.

[missoulafish]

If you are using it outside a heated shelter and its below freezing, its worthless. You will spend all your time fighting ice build up....

[Mizayikaa]

The benefit is that it's strong but as previously stated it will ice up. I used to use it a lot but not at all anymore. With the exception of tip ups and long rods.

[slipperybob]

Braid is great, but for ice fishing, it's almost not necessary.  One is you're only fishing a few feet under the ice and in most scenarios, it's not even a casting distance.

I still use the fused line like Fire line over that of standard braided lines.  Problem with most ice fishing rods is their cheap line guides.  Braids like to sing and vibrate.

Yes the hook sets with braids or more like a wrist flick for solid hook ups.  No line coil springs throughout the water column.

Then there's that ice beads issue.  Braided lines seems to like to catch ice beads very easy.  Braid lines however are much easier to rip ice beads off from too.  In fact when it's very cold and ice is forming almost instantly, braids are far better for ripping ice off.  Plus if the line ever catches onto them ice chips around the ice hole, braids will rip and cut through those ice shards where sometimes your standard nylon or fluorocarbon lines get's cut from.

I'm still keeping that 50# braid for the giant Chubby Darter.    It's a fish decoy/attractor and sometimes fish spook/chaser.

[fishermantim]

braided line for my tip-ups and for the in-line reels, mono/floro for spinning reels.

Ice up on line will happen on both, and is usually easy to clear.

[jerryfishing]

I do not like or use braided line because of ice buildup, but I do use fused lines like Berkeley Nanofil.  The only thing to consider is that there isn't any stretch in line. No stretch makes it easier for fish to pull off hooks. To compensate ; I use lighter rods with a good arc bend when loaded.

[matzilla]

Fireline fused crystal....ive used it hole hopping when its not super cold. Hell i was on some ice last year in the cold when even flouro was freezing like candles.

Best thing about braid is sensitivity...Ill keep it on a couple of rods but use flouro on most the others

[SLAYERFISH]

My main perch lake the bite is always from 30-58 ft deep. Its a light jig bite.   Its almost impossible to consistently catch them without braid.
And I never use a hut. So I guess I fish when its not so cold out.

Yeah braid sucks when its below freezing. If you run your fingers on the line every 3-4 jigs to clean off the ice its workable.

[esox_xtm]

I'm still keeping that 50# braid for the giant Chubby Darter.    It's a fish decoy/attractor and sometimes fish spook/chaser.

What rod in the world are you bobbin' that thing on slippery? I've got three of those giant chubbies and haven't got a rod that'll handle 'em... Yes, I do like big pike and have high hopes!

[Drifter_016]

I fish it a lot.
As others have said most braids suck because they freeze up.
I use Tuf Line Duracast which is a braid but it has a coating over the braid and it sheds water like mono so it does not freeze up like regular braid.

They now have a Duracast ice line as well.

[Trout Sen-Sei]

do you use it on a spinning reel? can you post more info?

[Seamonkey84]

I fish it a lot.
As others have said most braids suck because they freeze up.
I use Tuf Line Duracast which is a braid but it has a coating over the braid and it sheds water like mono so it does not freeze up like regular braid.

They now have a Duracast ice line as well.

I looked for a while last year and just now, who is selling the full sized spools in the US?!

[Pheasanttail]

I use a lot of braid also.  I'm currently using Fireline Crystal, PowerPro Super 8 and Tuf line Supercast.  All of these are much better than regular braid, but you will still have more ice issues than with mono in my opinion.  I mostly fish for perch and lakers.  To me, the increased sensitivity and no stretch characteristics of braid more than make up for having to deal with ice.  If I am fishing in depths less than 25 or so, I still prefer mono though.  Tufline supercast is similar to the duracast ice which I don't think it made anymore. 

[TickleStick]

Braid is all I run, I do deal with it freezing above the hole but honestly its not much worse then mono IMO.

Just make sure you get a slick braid that is coated nice.

[missoulafish]

Im fishing macs and whitefish in 100+ feet
Of water.  Braided line is 100% a neccesity at that depth, but even with coated line, you are pulling a lot of water through your guides and it stacks up quick...

[TickleStick]

Im fishing macs and whitefish in 100+ feet
Of water.  Braided line is 100% a neccesity at that depth, but even with coated line, you are pulling a lot of water through your guides and it stacks up quick...

Have you tried the sunline xplasma braid, it works pretty good and repelling water, but like all braids it does lose its coating eventually but it take a
while longer with the sunline.

[slipperybob]

What rod in the world are you bobbin' that thing on slippery? I've got three of those giant chubbies and haven't got a rod that'll handle 'em... Yes, I do like big pike and have high hopes!

I was using the old st Croix Premier ice Heavy power baitcasting rod.  It just slightly under power for it still.

[missoulafish]

Have you tried the sunline xplasma braid, it works pretty good and repelling water, but like all braids it does lose its coating eventually but it take a
while longer with the sunline.

I haven't but I will do some research on it. Thanks for the tip:)

[Iceassin]

I do not like or use braided line because of ice buildup, but I do use fused lines like Berkeley Nanofil.  The only thing to consider is that there isn't any stretch in line. No stretch makes it easier for fish to pull off hooks. To compensate ; I use lighter rods with a good arc bend when loaded.

So are you using the Nanofil as backing line...with a mono/fluro leader? If there is no stretch to it, should work as an alternative to braid, correct?

[BeenPerchin315]

I prefer floro over most but I always have a braid for the finicky end lite bite days. And correct about zero or low stretch to braid and just makes a guy better at drag control

[filetandrelease]

 I use braid and fireline fuse  , and gliss , with trans optic or carbotex leader , but I fish in a shack so no trouble
 

[jimhaney08]

My buddy and I have tried to fix the braid freezing issue, and we found a very simple solution.  We only have problems with ice buildup while sitting outside in below freezing temps.  The solution was so simple it's stupid.  You just turn on your buddy heater and face it toward your reel (make sure to set it a few feet back). 

YES, I KNOW that we're just burning propane because you're outside and the heat isn't being trapped.  But it's enough heat to keep your line from freezing, so it saves some aggravation.  Typically freeze up is only an issue for us for an hour or two in the morning while we are prospecting.  Once we find them we typically set up the tent.  I'm sure if it's windy that your heater can blow out, but try rotating around your hole so the wind is behind the heater (not blowing onto or across the flame). 

Again, I'm in Pennsylvania so we generally don't see super cold temps.  But this can really help, and you're already carrying your heater with you.  So it's an easy fix that requires zero preparation and zero extra gear.  Give it a try!

[Bryce]

I started with regular spiderwire braid and really had a problem with freezing.  Have switched to Suffix ice braid, I like it.  To help with water dispersion I put some chapstick or Vaseline on the two top guides, keeps the ice off the guides and rebuces the amount on the reel.  Even on the -20 days without a shelter or heater.

[SLAYERFISH]

I started with regular spiderwire braid and really had a problem with freezing.  Have switched to Suffix ice braid, I like it.  To help with water dispersion I put some chapstick or Vaseline on the two top guides, keeps the ice off the guides and rebuces the amount on the reel.  Even on the -20 days without a shelter or heater.

  Vaseline on the ice?  Whoaa-

[stinkyfingers]

For the main line I use 10# PowerPro in red (for topside visibility), spray the line and reels with Blakemore Real Magic which helps keep water from penetrating. Limp as sewing

thread but very strong. No more coils. Runs down to a size #8 Spro micro-swivel and a fluoro leader from there.

[Drifter_016]

do you use it on a spinning reel? can you post more info?

I run it on spinning and baitcasting reels on the ice.
https://tuf-line.com/product/790/

They no longer market their open water version of Duracast. I believe it is now called Supercast.

[Drifter_016]

I looked for a while last year and just now, who is selling the full sized spools in the US?!

They now use the Duracast name only on their ice fishing line.
Their Supercast line looks to be the new openwater coated line that was Duracast.
I would try it out and see.

[matzilla]

carnuba wax on the guides helps too

[Chuck Enwinde]

I like Nanofil but it does ice up and if you use your finger nails to strip it you'll eventually shred the line - same if you don't clear the guides of ice.  Once it starts to fray, it deteriorates quickly.  One way to help with the issue is to stick your index finger on your rod hand out so that it catches the line while you're reeling. It helps "flick" a lot of the water away before it gets to your guides.  The trick can also work to give your lure an erratic action to help trigger a chasing mac, togue, greaser, or laker - but don't tell anyone about that, it's a bit of a secret.