Fluorocarbon verse Braid

[davehazell]

Some times its a dilemma for me in terms of which hook line to use. While I understand the use of braid in main line due to it's strength and small diameter, it's a mystery to me why anyone would use braid for a hook length. Firstly there are so many choices of colour which needs significant knowledge of the bottom condition. Even given we can drag leads to find weed, silt, gravel or clay, the chances of getting it wrong and hence being very visible to the fish is significant. With modern Fluorocarbons and a refractive index of near water to make it near invisible, there is a much better chance of getting things right. It also allows you have less rigs and to spend your time of which type of rig rather than multiple bottom types. There are also different type of fluorocarbon now such as ultra stiff (for pop up presentation), ultra soft and normal. Equally the lines are getting less in diameter and more durable. While I have plenty of raided rigs, I am becoming a definite fluorocarbon fan. Am I losing the plot or is this the way the trend is moving.

[grangemilky]

Fluorocarbon will never rival a neutral soft braid. I also would not get too hung up on selecting the right colour, they can't see as well as the tackle company's may lead you to believe. Lake beds are littered with all sorts of things that a fish cannot differentiate.

[salokcinnodrog]

It is very rare that I use a fluorocarbon hooklink at all, preferring to use (Amnesia top) combi-rigs to braid or coated or uncoated braid rigs.

 

I don't like the stiffness of fluorocarbon as that may not allow the bait and hook to travel towards the fish on the suck, whereas a braid hooklink can unravel as the fish sucks.

 

If you worry about how the braid falls in water then it may look a bit of a mess, but by feathering the cast and using PVA bags, stringers or mesh you can totally eradicate tangling.

 

Matching the braid to the lakebed, I don't worry about it. Kryston SuperSilk although white out the packet soon takes on the colour of the lkebed, looking tea coloured, but the other Kryston braids I use seem to match up, whether Mantis, Mantis Gold or even the black version, and I have had a lot of fish on Merlin, SuperNova and those I also don't worry whether they blend in.

 

I actually think that the softer braids, no matter what colour, are more like a bit of weed around the area, than any other hooklink so are not as frightening as they may appear to the angler.

[davehazell]

Thanks, very useful comments. I came across some Korda Supernatural and Soft N-Trap from a friend. Would you recommend these or should I go out and get a reel of Kryston Super silk. Might as well try it now I've got the wisdom of the experts.

[hnv]

As already stated, the main advantage (and the reason for their conception) of a soft braid is the suppleness that they give to a rig. The bait behaves in a far more natural manner when approached by the carp.

I have not used the braids you mentioned but I am sure they will be effective.

My favourite supple braids are:

Merlin, SuperSilk, Drennan Carp silk, and Supernova. They all have a very soft and supple "feel" to them. Go for the heavier strains such as 25lb as they are still extremely supple compared to mono (either flouro or nylon) but are a little thicker, this will help to negate the "cheese wire" effect of some very fine diameter braids.

 

If I had to choose just one soft braid to use for the rest of my life it would be Kryston Merlin in 25lb...