# braid for bottom fishing



## Orangebeach28 (Jun 3, 2009)

I would like to hear the board's thoughts on braid for bottom fishing? What lb test? Also, I'd love to be able to use the same reel for trolling for kings - I was thinking 40lb....your thoughts?

If you hate braid for bottom fishing, let me know why. I'm going to spool some TLD 25's here in a month or so - and I want to do it right. Tell me what you think.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

I love braid for bottom fishing, it takes way less weight to hold because of the smaller diameter. If you use it for trolling I would use a big top shot for some shock absorbsion.


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## Orangebeach28 (Jun 3, 2009)

Mono top shot I presume, what lb test?


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## Orangebeach28 (Jun 3, 2009)

how long?


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

For bottom fishing I don't use a top shot just a 4' to 6' leader, but for trolling I would use about 50 feet. I would think 50 # would be fine.


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## Joraca (Dec 29, 2007)

I use a 150 yd topshot of 60# braid for bottom fishing with my Penn 113H reels, with 18# of drag at the rod tip. 

Joraca


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## BBob (Sep 27, 2007)

I'm also for using Braid for Bottom Bumping....esp in the deeper depth. We use a 6 foot leader for Bumping and a 20 foot leader for jigging. When we troll we use approx 100' top shot. The test depends on what we target. The bigger the target the higher the test. Believing that the strike and working drag's setting are more important than the test (depending on how you set the hook and choose to "play" the fish.)

I am fairly certain that someone will give you advice on what test to use and why. 
JMO BBob


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## bonita dan (Oct 3, 2007)

Personally I only use braid on my smaller baitcast style reels(400's) to get the most capacity for bottom bumping for mingo,trigger,scamp and such with a 30lb. topshot connected to a 20lb flourocarbon leader. Larger bottom sticks get nothin but mono but I've heard of good success on braid outfits,just not for me. Trolling,we use nothin but mono in a high-vis color. Too many risks of a tip wrap,wind factors in too,seeing your spread and the chance of someone(me)loosing a finger while leadering. Guess thats the purpose for a long topshot. Plus that sh#ts just plain too expensive to load a trolling reel with. JMHO


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

I use braid for both bottom fishing and trolling. Some of the trolling rods don't have a top shot of mono and they both seem to work equally well. I do use longer leaders on the lures because as mentioned in the previous post, you don't want to leader a big fish and have nothing o grab but braid line. I've spooled 4 30 W;s and 2 50W's with the braid. I just can't see the expense of braid on anything larger than a 50 W. 400 lb braid is also great for your down riggers, less resistance, less singing.


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## alm (Aug 23, 2008)

I use Jerry Brown hollow core 80 and 130 for bottom fishing I put about 30 ft mono top shot on both. The jb line i have now is about 5 years olb and still good i just p/u some more for other reels i wouldent use any thing else.


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

what is top shot? 

I've used braid for trolling for Kings. Straight 65lb power pro to a wire leader and never had a problem, but I do keep the drag pretty loose.


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## alm (Aug 23, 2008)

Jighead said:


> what is top shot?
> 
> I've used braid for trolling for Kings. Straight 65lb power pro to a wire leader and never had a problem, but I do keep the drag pretty loose.


 Top shot is when you put mono fishing line inside of the hollow core braided line. You buy a rigging kit with hollow needles that you put the mono in and push it inside the hollow braided line.


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## bombtosser (Oct 5, 2007)

i like braid for depths over 250 feet. You can feel the bait better. but, if you or the guy next to you aren't paying attention, it's knot central. On your tld's, id spool them with 40lb momoi mono and go fishing. i bet they'll hold 400+ yards of mono. Braid is for newer reels, with smaller spools and tons of drag.


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

I fish TLDs 15s 20s and 25s and use mostly 65lb power pro with 300 yds of braid per reel with enough 50lb mono under it to make the braid fill the spool. For bottom fishing I don't use mono except for the rig itself. For kings or trolling I will put between 15ft and 50yds of 40 or 50lb mono on top depending how much room is on the spool and what I have laying around.


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

alm said:


> Top shot is when you put mono fishing line inside of the hollow core braided line. You buy a rigging kit with hollow needles that you put the mono in and push it inside the hollow braided line.


Ummm...


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

alm said:


> Top shot is when you put mono fishing line inside of the hollow core braided line. You buy a rigging kit with hollow needles that you put the mono in and push it inside the hollow braided line.


Kind of like putting the string back in the waist of shorts. I see. Someone should train Umpa Lumpas to do that.


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## Orangebeach28 (Jun 3, 2009)

Yeah, it's a big dilemna - In the end, I think my best solution will be to troll using my 850's. They have 30lb power pro on them now. Hopefully, I can just lower the drag on them to compensate for the lack of stretch in the braid. 

As for my TLDs - I think that 60 lb mono under 50lb braid to fill up the spool is the right way to go. Will Outcast or any similar store rig em that way? I'm just nervous about my Albright knots....I can do it, but I'm not confident!


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## gbliz (Jan 13, 2011)

Is braid good for surf fishing


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Joraca said:


> I use a 150 yd topshot of 60# braid for bottom fishing with my Penn 113H reels, with 18# of drag at the rod tip.
> 
> Joraca


 
That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. You lose the ability to use lighter weights if you are using mono.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Orangebeach28 said:


> Yeah, it's a big dilemna - In the end, I think my best solution will be to troll using my 850's. They have 30lb power pro on them now. Hopefully, I can just lower the drag on them to compensate for the lack of stretch in the braid.
> 
> As for my TLDs - I think that 60 lb mono under 50lb braid to fill up the spool is the right way to go. Will Outcast or any similar store rig em that way? *I'm just nervous about my Albright knots*....I can do it, but I'm not confident!


 
After the knot use a 3 turn uni to lock down the knot on the tag end.


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## Joraca (Dec 29, 2007)

lobsterman said:


> That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. You lose the ability to use lighter weights if you are using mono.


Sorry. Braid over an almost full spool of mono backing with a high speed reel.

Joraca


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

Just tie a uni to uni braid to mono and be done with it. Power pro puts the instructions in with the line.

But I bet outcast can hook you up though.


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