I've been using braid on all my reels and I've been quite happy with casting distance. I use either 40 or 30 lb braid, mostly PP. I do use some other braids, but I like PP the best.

 

I have one reel that I spooled 15 lb P-line CXX. I haven't used a non braided line in so long. 

 

So it got me to thinking. 40 lb braid is 10 lb copoly/mono/flouro in diameter. Well for the most part, I know some nylon lines vary in diameter, but in general; 40 lb braid is 10 lb in mono. Braid is much more limp than mono and does not have memory.

 

Which of the lines mentioned would cast better, farther, easier? As I mentioned, I'm used to braid.

Braid cast the furthest without question. IMO, mono is the "best" casting overall as far as handling and casting distance in combination (in bass fishing sizes anyways). 

Braid, the farthest in terms of casting, even forgetting test strength and comparing it straight up, that is, diameter to diameter with the other lines. But, on bait casters, you will run into some possible handling issues if you use a too light braid. And, lighter braids can create the occasional wind knot and also wrap around rod tips at times. Neither, in my mind, is all that big a deal. 

 

Agreed, that modern monofilament lines are superb for casting and ease of use. I love Sufix Elite monofilament as it behaves so well. Some people try too hard to use expensive fluorocarbon lines in my opinion. I have fallen into this category personally.

 

No experience with co-polymers but full acknowledgement that several have great reputations.

 

Fluorocarbon lines, for most people, will create the most cast handling issues. Some are softer than others, cast better, others are stiffer and more geared toward leader usage.

 

For spinning reels, I think braid is the way to go and you can get away with super light test strengths. I use 2 lbs. test Sufix Nanobraid on a few reels and I'd say it has the breaking strength of 8 lbs. mono. One could use 6 or even perhaps 4 and never worry about breakage on spinning tackle. Here, I use fluorocarbon leaders to braid in many circumstances.

 

Brad

Stick with braid.  In my experience, it casts further, and is much easier to handle.  It gives better hook setting authority, better strength and sensitivity.  I use braid or braid to leader on everything for these reasons.

 

Give me a spool of Power Pro or J Braid and I'm happy.

Braid by a long shot. 20 lb braid has the diameter of 8 lb mono, but the strength of over 20 lb mono. But it has another attractive property. It all but eliminates spinning gear line twist. For that reason, a lot of people, yours truly included, use only braid for the main line on bass spinning gear. If I need another type of line for the technique, I tie on a leader.

Never tried to discover which type cast the furthest.  Some of my longest cast have been with 40# Sufix Performance, but I think the rod and lure had more to do with that than which kind of line I was using.  I've also made casts with Sufix Elite using a 3/4 oz. spinnerbait on a 7'6" Zillion HF rod that was long enough I'd probably had a hard time setting the hook.  A Primmus spooled with 12# AN40 on a 7' ML Hurricane Redbone (3/8-3/4 oz.) really launches a 3/8 oz. popper.  An OG Fuego with 10# fluoro has made some long casts on a 7' MF rod.  So on and so forth.

 

Two days ago I was fishing 40# braid on a spinning reel, MH rod rated 1/8-3/4 oz. with a 4/0 hook and 10.5 inch ribbontail worm.  All the baitcast rods I keep here in Florida cast the same lure farther....whether with braid or something else.  Yesterday I used an older 7' MF Fenwick Elite Tech to easily cast a 1/0 EWG hook and 5 inch finesse worm further than I had been able to cast the larger set up with the other spinning rod.  Size of braid unknown as it came with the reel I was using.

 

Personally I choose line depending on where I plan on using it.  My preference is a mono or co-polymer for most reels.  I know braid does better on a spinning reel, but I still like nylon lines on some.  I grew up using Trilene XL.

My longest casting setup defies logic.  It's a 6'2" MXF rod with 20# Tuf-Line Supercast.  That thing will throw a Sammy or a Popmax a mile.  I'd braid on a spinning reel would be the longest caster.

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

My longest casting setup defies logic.  It's a 6'2" MXF rod with 20# Tuf-Line Supercast.  That thing will throw a Sammy or a Popmax a mile.  I'd braid on a spinning reel would be the longest caster.

I'd agree that defies logic.  What rod is that?  Do you think the line helps achieve that distance?

4 hours ago, ghost said:

I've been using braid on all my reels and I've been quite happy with casting distance. I use either 40 or 30 lb braid, mostly PP. I do use some other braids, but I like PP the best.

 

I have one reel that I spooled 15 lb P-line CXX. I haven't used a non braided line in so long. 

 

So it got me to thinking. 40 lb braid is 10 lb copoly/mono/flouro in diameter. Well for the most part, I know some nylon lines vary in diameter, but in general; 40 lb braid is 10 lb in mono. Braid is much more limp than mono and does not have memory.

 

Which of the lines mentioned would cast better, farther, easier? As I mentioned, I'm used to braid.

It just so happens that I tested 30lb. braid vs. 10 lb. Izorline XXX yesterday.  I was using identical Daiwa Tatula 100HL reels on the same rod (Daiwa Ardito 7' MHF) and a 3/8 oz. casting weight.  The braid easily out-distanced the mono in this case.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

4 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

I'd agree that defies logic.  What rod is that?  Do you think the line helps achieve that distance?

 

I think it's just a combination of the right rod, a screaming reel, the exact right weighted bait, aerodynamics, and casting technique.  I use a nasty, heavy, overhead, snap cast.  It's an old pre IPC Avid AC62MXF.  It was a demo rod, with hand written specs on it.  I've had SC rebuild it twice for me.  The reel is a fairly stock purple Alphas.

9 minutes ago, J Francho said:

 

I think it's just a combination of the right rod, a screaming reel, the exact right weighted bait, aerodynamics, and casting technique.  I use a nasty, heavy, overhead, snap cast.  It's an old pre IPC Avid AC62MXF.  It was a demo rod, with hand written specs on it.  I've had SC rebuild it twice for me.  The reel is a fairly stock purple Alphas.

Nice!  Love my purple Alphas...both are stock.  I bought one of Fenwick's 6'3" casting rods from FFO on closeout.  I'd like to get a little more distance with it.  I've only fished with one other person that was using baitcast gear, but have seen a few others while on the water.  Tomustang from here is the guy I fished with.  Has the strongest cast I've every seen....not that I've seen that many.  I'm sure I couldn't cast the same distance as either of you using the same gear. 

Braid will cast farther but I usually never cast any farther than I do with 6 to 8lb mono anyway.  All things being equal I still prefer mono, but it's hard to argue against braid.

Braid casts further, and is not prone to line twist issues so it casts the best on spinning gear too. On casting gear, mono birds nests the least and is easiest to pull a birds nest out, although braid still casts further.

Interesting discussion. I've not run braid very much at all on a baitcaster. I might have to give it another try. I do like the sensitivity of braid but everything else, I am happy with mono.

@Bazoo

Modern coated braids and, especially, X-braid introduced in 2018, changed the game for me - I wouldn't touch braid before 832.  I mix up kayak fishing with salt shore fishing - distance is always handy, but it's critical in the latter (I build reels just for the niche)  

If you begin w/ braid on a deep-spool reel, back it with massive mono 20 to 25 yds of 20- to 25-lb mono (not fluoro).  Join the braid with a low-profile knot that will pass your line guide.  (easiest way to do this is tie the knot first and move the backing onto the braid source spool before you charge the reel)  This keeps your loaded spool mass and inertia low and gets those long casts.  

 

Shallow PE-special spools are the other way to go, e.g., Daiwa 1000S SV

 

Fishing a tide pass last month, I got to push one of my bench reels to its limit.  

 

I was hooking fish on the far slope - says something for the rod.  Unfortunately, when the tide started moving, and the fish turned on, a half-dozen dolphins moved in and shut us down. 

we still had great kayak drift fishing in the 2 hours back to our launch, and a killer fish taco camp meal

Mono gets a bad rap for casting distance but I'm constantly amazed how far I can cast a #3 Mepps black fury on my Imx Pro SJR901S 7'6 rod with a shimano nasci 1000 with 6 pound Sufix Siege mono. 

 

I guess the long rod really helps

Braid usually… an exception BFS. 
 

In BFS, when casting say 10 lb braid - the line is so light/limp that you are entirely relying on the weight of the lure to get distance. If that’s a 1/16 oz hair jig it doesn’t go that far. 
 

Substitute the braid with 6-7 lb fluorocarbon which is denser and that 1/16th oz hair jig benefits from the added weight of the line plus the lure and you get more distance. 

 

We were fishing weightless cigar-cork dropper rigs on salt XUL 15 years ago, and Kamikaze 4-lb copoly from Oz was the way to go.  

But the swap to 0.1-mm braid changed all that - this is 6-lb in 832, and 16-lb in X-braid.