Top 10 Tips for Choosing Spinning Braid

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PowerPro

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First of all, cords are distinguished by the method of weaving. There are two main types: classicalwhen several nylon or polyethylene strands of fishing line are twisted together, and parallel, implying a complex plexus like a pigtail or even more difficult. There are a lot of differences between such cords and each has its own advantages and disadvantages:

Weaving type	Advantages	Flaws
classic	Wide price range; Long service; Many strength options, from ultralight to hard; Strong structure; Extensive color palette.	There is a stretch; The appearance of pile over time; Possible flattening; Low sensitivity during wiring and bites.
Parallel	Good sensitivity; Ability to fish in strong currents Virtually no stretch; High strength.	High price; windage; Rapid wear from friction; The appearance of pile over time.

Summing up all aspects, we can conclude that classic weaving is more suitable for fans of standard fishing. Parallel weave has low stretch and high sensitivity, making it ideal for jigging and spinning, and can also be used when trolling from a boat. As for wear, it is almost the same for both types. The braid does not like friction, and it is inevitable when casting. It all depends on the quality of the cord and the manufacturer.

So that the braided fibers do not unwind and retain the integrity of the cord longer, soldering technology is used. This allows manufacturers to significantly reduce the cost of the final product, since the threads do not intertwine into a complex ornament, but run parallel to each other, sometimes simply twisting. There are two types of soldering: shellwhen the cord is completely covered with additional protection, and thermalwhen there is no shell, but the heated nylon is tightly fastened together.

In principle, there is no big difference between the types of soldering. Sheathed line is less subject to wear from friction, but this percentage is negligible to pay much attention to it. Strength and stretch are also on the same level, so the question of which model to choose depends only on your desire and on which method the preferred manufacturer uses.

The standard, cheapest braid is assembled from 3-4 strands. They can be soldered or even twisted into a pigtail. But manufacturers don't stop there. Modern technology allows you to make complex designs. In them, each thread also consists of individual fibers and their total number can be in the tens. But the number of warp threads is always taken as the basis, and the total thickness is calculated by summing the diameters of each module. Simply put, the same braided line can consist of 3 or 12 fibers and this significantly affects the final density. An example selection scheme would look like this:

Number of strands	Spinning class	Bait used (g)	Maximum trophy weight (kg)
3-4	Ultralight	3-10	Until 3
5-8	Ultralight, medium	20-40	4-8
8-12	hard, ultrahard	40 and above	From 12

This is the main advantage of braiding. You can find it exactly for your gear, and not buy a special spinning rod or pick up bait. For example, you have an ultralight rod and you fish with 10g tackle. Accordingly, you need a braid with a diameter of 0.01 mm, assembled from 3 or 4 fibers.

Strength is one of the most important parameters of any fishing line, including braided line. It determines at what voltage the cord will break. If the strength is low, then a venerable pike or pike perch will simply tear the line. And here it is important to understand that the maximum load is not the weight of the trophy, but the force that it produces when it hits the hook. It is very difficult to calculate it, besides, you never know what will fall for the bait, so it is advisable to always have a margin, and a significant one at that.

Strength is measured in kilograms or libra (lb). One libra is equal to the English pound, which is approximately 454 grams. Most manufacturers try to list values ​​in both metric systems, but if you see only lb on the package, simply multiply this figure by 2.2 and get the strength in kilograms.

It is important to understand here that the strength parameter is relative and largely depends on the manufacturer, his tests and honesty. For example, little-known, especially Chinese brands are very fond of inflating data for marketing purposes. While top companies, on the contrary, underestimate the data so that the fishing line has a margin of safety. Companies belonging to the IGFA Reted association will have the most honest data. This is an association of sport fishermen, and participation in this group requires producers to maintain maximum honesty. Information about participation in the association will be indicated on the packaging.

The diameter of the braid is determined by adding up the thickness of each thread used. The range ranges from 0.12 to 0.7 mm. This parameter determines not only the weight of the future trophy, but also other features that are present in fishing:

Diameter	Trophy weight (kg)	Terms
0,12-0,15	1-2	Calm water; No flow.
0,2-0,3	2-4	Weak current; Little wind.
0,4-0,5	5-8	Virtually any weather conditions
0,6	Up to 15	Strong current; Gusty wind.
0,7	20 or more	Any conditions and maximum load

A cord with a diameter of 0.4 to 0.5 mm is considered universal. It will easily cope with almost any trophy, of course, if you didn’t accidentally catch a giant pike or a trophy pike perch on the hook. In addition, such a fishing line feels great during and in windy weather. Thinner models are quickly carried away, due to which the sensitivity drops significantly.

The cross section of the cord can be round and flat. The most preferred is a circular section. Such a fishing line is easily and correctly wound on a reel, has a low windage and is less subject to friction on the rings. Flat thread is difficult to cast.Due to the high windage, even a small wind will blow it away. In addition, the cord will wind crookedly around the coil. Flat section is most often used when trolling from a boat, when you do not need to make long casts and struggle with windage, since the line is in constant tension.

The density of the fishing line is not determined in any way and is not indicated on the packaging, although this is a very important parameter that you can check yourself. You just need to bend the cord anywhere, hold it a little and release it. If there are no traces left at the bend, then the density is normal, and the fishing line can be taken. The appearance of traces at the fracture site indicates a low density and a memory effect, which is unacceptable for braids. Such a cord will “get used” to the position of the spiral, being on the coil, and when unwinding, it will create tangles, which will be almost impossible to deal with.

It is well known that predators such as zander or pike are very sensitive to the color of the gear used. Braids are available in a wide range of colors. The classic option is a green line. It is great for summer fishing, as it merges with the bottom vegetation and becomes as invisible as possible.Unfortunately, there are no transparent braids, so you have to choose the color depending on the conditions. So, in dark water, when it is cloudy outside, the blue color and its shades will work better. In winter fishing, the use of yellow is relevant. He brings the sleeping fish out of apathy and makes them attack the offered bait. In dense thickets of coastal or bottom vegetation, black cords work great.

If you have already decided which braid to choose, but want to additionally check it for defects, you need to carry out a couple of simple manipulations:

1. Pass the line through your fingers. If the thickness is different, that's a bad sign.
2. Examine for wear.
3. Check the memory of the cord by bending it and holding it in that position.
4. Twist a section 5-10 centimeters long. A bad line will delaminate, a good line will remain intact.

The main way to determine quality is through clenched fingers. This will allow you to feel all the irregularities: flattening, pile, difference in diameter. Before choosing any fishing line, be sure to check it out, especially if the manufacturer is not well known or the price is suspiciously low. Marriage is extremely rare among top brands, but they also have it.

When it comes to fishing accessories, the first brands that immediately come to mind are Shimano and DAIWA. These are Japanese market leaders, but not in relation to braids. They also produce them, but they are inferior in quality and price to other companies. American products look the most interesting PowerPro and Varivas. These are brands that produce cords with maximum quality, but do not please with affordable prices.

In the middle and low price segment, we recommend looking towards the Russian brand ALLVEGA. The company is relatively young, but has already developed and implemented a couple of interesting technologies. Alvega has the lowest prices with high quality and reliability. We also note that there are a lot of generally unknown brands on the market. You will not see their ads on TV or hear them on the radio, although the quality of the goods may be the highest. Here everything is already clarified by experience.