# How often do you replace braided line?



## sel1005 (Jan 10, 2008)

I'm pretty new to braid, have a couple of reels that have 2 year old line on them and wondering how often I should replace it? I usually replace my mono every two years, earlier if I haven't used the reel much and it starts looking like the "memory" is kicking in and line starts curling too much. 

But on braid, I don't know what I don't know...... Two years? Every year?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I have had a couple spools of braid now for over 12 yrs. If it gets frayed I'll cut it back but I almost never replace the whole spool. Spectra and Dyneema fibers have a nearly unlimited shelf life. I usually tie about 2 rod lengths, or more depending on the type of fishing, onto the braid to act as not only a shock section but also as a breakaway. If you hang up, the mono will almost always break before the braid. By doing this I've only lost a foot or 2 of braid in years of fishing the same spools.


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## mdmack (Mar 23, 2011)

I have been fishing braid for a long time now. Honestly it is more obvious than you think when you need to replace your braided line. It will lose almost all of its color and the fibers will begin to seperate (looks like fraying). A trick a friend tought me is to flip your line over when the top looks worn. You rarely ever have more than half your braid off your spool, therefore the braid on the bottem of the spool is MUCH less worn that that on top. If you have a couple extra reels laying around you can spool it onto one spare to get it backwards then spool it onto the other spare to get it on the way you had it on your good reel then spool it back onto the reel you want it on and it will be opposite of what you had it on to begin with. I usually replace my braid every 2 years depending on the reel and how much I fish it. My ling reels only get replaced every 2 or 3 years seeing as I do not catch near as many ling as I do other fish in a year. Now a few of my inshore rods get replaced every year because I use them 4 to 5 times a week. Hope this helps.


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## Reel Wins (Jun 4, 2009)

Chris V said:


> I have had a couple spools of braid now for over 12 yrs. If it gets frayed I'll cut it back but I almost never replace the whole spool. Spectra and Dyneema fibers have a nearly unlimited shelf life. I usually tie about 2 rod lengths, or more depending on the type of fishing, onto the braid to act as not only a shock section but also as a breakaway. If you hang up, the mono will almost always break before the braid. By doing this I've only lost a foot or 2 of braid in years of fishing the same spools.


What knot do you use to connect the braid to the mono?


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## Lou Albiero (Oct 15, 2010)

Make a loop at the end of your braid using a bimini twist (A LOT easier than it looks), then connect your mono or flouro leader to that using a Bristol Knot (a.k.a. "No Name Knot). Very easy and very strong. Plus, if you need to change out your leader, simply push the tag end (of the leader) back through the knot and work it out; don't have to re-tie the bimini twist. I have had no knot failures with either of these knots. In addition to both knots being fairly easy to tie and very strong, they are both slim and don't catch in your guides while casting. OR...you can simply connect the mono/flouro to the braid using a double uni-knot. Just my $.02...


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## sailfish23 (Mar 24, 2008)

uni-uni is tobulky for my taste, double the braid and tie an albrite knot, much slimer plus the strenth is amazing to how "flush" the knot is, but make sure to double the braidbefore tieing or you risk the chance of the braid cutting thru the floro or mono depending on the size of the braid to mono/floro....just my $.02


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## reeltime (Aug 4, 2008)

Wirelessly posted (iPhone)

Yep the allbright is now my preference. But if having troubles with the Bimini/noname might wanna try a spider hitch/ noname.


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