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I recently picked up a new baitcasting rod and ended up tossing a braided line on it for the first time. I heard it was much better and that got me thinking about whether or not braided line can be used on a spinning reel as well.
I found out that braided line can be used on a spinning reel and I decided to use it on both my rods. Braided line has many benefits over mono or fluoro line and I found it to perform much better overall. The braided line was definitely stronger, lasts longer, is more sensitive, and actually casts smoother.
On all my lines, I’ll put a small amount of backing on the spool using fluoro or mono line because it grips much better (I had some slippage with the braid). I’ll then put the braided line on until there’s a 1/8 inch gap between the line and the top of the spool. Then I’ll attach a fluoro or mono leader (somewhere around 6-7 feet long). That’s what I’ve had the best results with.
Is Braided Line Best For Spinning Reels?
The good thing about braided fishing line is that it can be used in most situations. It can be used as your main fishing line and it can also be used with a leader on the end. That being said, I do think braided line is the best option for your spinning reel.
The only thing to keep in mind is that braided line floats. If you do need it to sink you can always throw weight on or attach a fluorocarbon leader (which will sink). That’s exactly what I do on my spinning reel.
What is the advantage of braided fishing line?
- It’s great for fishing in spots where snags happen (it’s hard to break).
- It doesn’t stretch so you can feel the fish better.
- You’ll be able to cast it farther.
- It’ll tangle less than normal fishing line.
- It’s stronger and will last longer (a few years).
I fish a lot from shore and if you’ve ever done that then you know snags are a pretty common thing. If you snag on a tree or even some weeds and yank on it while using normal fishing line then it’ll probably break. Braided line is much tougher and you’ll be able to tug on it pretty good without losing your tackle.
It’s also much more sensitive than normal line which is a big reason to use it. If you have a cheaper rod then it can sometimes be tough to feel how the fish are interacting with your lures. That’s what the more expensive rods bring to the table. Braided line doesn’t stretch so if you put it on a cheaper rod then you’ll get the same sort of sensitivity you would with a higher-end model.
Braided line is a bit more expensive but it’s really not that bad. It’ll last much longer which makes up for it. There are certain situations where a braided line might not be ideal but for the majority of the time I’m fishing, it works great.
What Color Braided Line Is Best?
You can get a braided line in a few different colors, but in my opinion, the best option would be Ghost or Low-Vis Green. You can get neon yellow and I’ve seen orange but these are probably seen better by the fish. I normally use Ghost (which is the same color as normal fishing line) but the only downside is that you can’t tell the difference between your braided line and your leader line.
If you’re fishing in murky water then it doesn’t really matter because visibility is super low. If you’re fishing in extremely clear water then you’ll probably want Ghost (but Low-Vis Green will do the job as well). The other reason I might go green is that it’s much easier for you to see. If you get tangled around something you’ll probably want to be able to see your line and it is pretty tough to see Ghost. You can see the braided line I use here.
Best Way To Spool Braid On A Spinning Reel
There are a number of different ways you can spool a rod but I’ll show you what I do. I pretty much do the same thing for all my rods (spinning & baitcaster) and it’s been working fine for me. Here’s the process.
The first thing I’ll do is put a thin backing layer on the spool using mono or fluoro line. Simply tie the normal fishing line to the spool and do a couple of wraps until the spool is covered. Normal fishing line tends to grip the spool better and you won’t get any slippage. You can put the braided line directly on but I prefer to do it this way.
The next thing you’ll want to do is attach the braided line to your backing line. I use the Double Uni Knot but anything will work (just make sure the knot is fairly thin). You can then start spooling the braided line on. Make sure you keep tension on the line as you’re putting it on because it will cause problems if you don’t. Fill the spool so there’s a 1/8 inch gap left on the spool.
I’ll then attach a 6-8 foot leader of fluorocarbon line to the braided line. You don’t have to do this but I want a portion of my line to sink. I’ll attach a clip to the end of my leader so I can quickly change between lures but one thing you’ll want to make sure is that your knot (leader to braided) is not inside your reel when you’re ready to cast. It could cause some problems. Here’s how to connect braid to your leader:
Happy fishing. There are plenty of fish in the sea.
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