I want to try a  #30lb. braid for top water poppers / walking baits and am curious if there are braids / superlines  made which float or float better than others ?

 

My short list is Power Pro original and Sufix 832 but there may be better choices I am not aware of as a ideal top water braid / super line ... Your thoughts & experiences ?

Sufix 832 is a very good braided line, but if you want to try a GREAT line

give TUF-Line Tournament 8 a try!

 

http://www.tuf-line.com/products_TUF-Lines_26.html

 

 

 

 

832 may not float. Sunline SX2 does not float (great line otherwise). Power Pro floats nicely; I walk baits with the 50 lb and the results are great.

832 may not float. 

 832 floats, trust me. 

832 floats, trust me.

I thought 832 was supposed to sink like fluorocarbon? I remember when 832 came out there were a bunch of articles written about it calling it a "game changer" because it sank like fluorocarbon but had the sensitivity of braid.

Power Pro all the way.  I like the 50lb for topwater too, it's like rope you just can't break it.   

Sufix 832 is a very good braided line, but if you want to try a GREAT line

give TUF-Line Tournament 8 a try!

 

http://www.tuf-line.com/products_TUF-Lines_26.html

 

 This tournament 8 braid sounds interesting : Round and it floats ! ...I believe Suzix 832 is hydrophobic (floats) as well as Power Pro . I'm leaning towards a hi - viz yellow or neon green color though for better visibility .

 

 

i personally do not like braid for walk the dog type baits as it seems to get hung up on the front trebles more often than mono, flouro or hybrid type lines.  I still use braid but if i fished those patterns more often i would at least use a leader or different line entirely.

The two spools (50 & 65#) of 832 I tried didn't float what so ever. I'm a PP guy and just like most of the other guys here I like 50# as my favorite "do it all" pound test braid.  

i personally do not like braid for walk the dog type baits as it seems to get hung up on the front trebles more often than mono, flouro or hybrid type lines.  I still use braid but if i fished those patterns more often i would at least use a leader or different line entirely.

Thanks flyfisher - I noted I would use 2ft. min. of mono leader to guard against treble hooks catching on the braid.

i personally do not like braid for walk the dog type baits as it seems to get hung up on the front trebles more often than mono, flouro or hybrid type lines.  I still use braid but if i fished those patterns more often i would at least use a leader or different line entirely.

 

Flyfisher beat me to it. The only time I would use straight braid for topwater is for fishing a hollowbody frog, mouse, bird, or buzzing frog like a horny toad for example. Great top water lines that shine for flukes, spooks, chug bugs, etc. would be mono, then copoly.  

Thanks flyfisher - I noted I would use 2ft. min. of mono leader to guard against treble hooks catching on the braid.

Guess I missed the leader part on the original post...probably cause it isn't there lol

Thanks flyfisher - I noted I would use 2ft. min. of mono leader to guard against treble hooks catching on the braid.

 

I think you though of it, and missed including it.... lol... it happens to me a lot too. Going back to your original post, if you have a 2 ft leader of mono let's say, then yes braid can work. I still would prefer straight mono or copoly, but if braid had to be used for this application braid can work. Just adjust your drag and the power of your hookset. Braid has 0 stretch, and 2 ft leader I don't feel is enough shock absorption. Just my .02 Best of luck to you. 

flyfisher : Right you are ! ... my mistake , I thought I mentioned I would be using a leader .

I think you though of it, and missed including it.... lol... it happens to me a lot too. Going back to your original post, if you have a 2 ft leader of mono let's say, then yes braid can work. I still would prefer straight mono or copoly, but if braid had to be used for this application braid can work. Just adjust your drag and the power of your hookset. Braid has 0 stretch, and 2 ft leader I don't feel is enough shock absorption. Just my .02 Best of luck to you. 

BassinLou : Thanks , I may study this a bit further ...trying to consolidate my baitcast set ups but still carry a reel with 16lb. Sunline Super Natural  Mono on it .

I've used 832 in 6, 10, 40, 50 and 65lb tests and all have sunk. Night and day between it and suffix performance braid, which floats nicely.

I've used 832 in 6, 10, 40, 50 and 65lb tests and all have sunk. Night and day between it and suffix performance braid, which floats nicely.

Interesting - wonder if the Gore Tex addition has anything to do with 832 sinking ?

Most braids will sink once the coating has worn down and the line is thoroughly saturated with water but there isn't enough mass there to get it to act like the fluorocarbon.  832 is the heaviest (mass) braid I've used and I don't think even it is as dense as a fluorocarbon.   All that sinks in not fluorocarbon.

 

Sinks?  Floats?  When it comes to topwater and braid it doesn't seem to matter. 

I don't know which braided line is the most buoyant, but do know this:

Berkley Trilene Braid floats, and will continue to float as long as it's on your spool.

Line that floats on the water surface makes line-watching a breeze,

especially for lures fished on a slack line such as flukes & senkos.

After the cast, you can let all the line slack just flop on the water surface without taking up any slack.

Then watch the largest loop of slack line you find, which tends to magnify small line movements.

That may seem like an awful lot of slack line, but it's all gone instantly with less than one-turn of the reel handle.

 

Roger

I'm on board with RoLo, I've never used a floating braid, even some that was years old and used constantly that began to sink over time.

What's the difference between braid and superline?