I have yet to spool new line on my spinning reels this spring.  My question is, is it ok to put braid on a spinning reels?  Most of my bass fishing is done with my baitcasters.  In the fall i will take a trip to the upper peninsula where we do a lot of trolling (with stick type baits--7 inch rapalas, cranks, etc.)  This is primarily where I use my spinning reels.  Would I benefit by using braid for this type of fishing since it is so strong, sensitive, and has a smaller diameter/lb than other line, thus allowing it to go deeper.  Abrasion would not be an issue and i would probably tie on a fluor leader and maybe even a titanium wire leader to that since we primarily catch northern pike.

Is it a pain to fish braid on spinning reels?  Do you normally put some type of backer line down on the spool before putting it on?

Anyone???

Braid works fine on spinning reels.  Most people do put down a mono backing first.  I use Power Pros compression tape that they include with their line instead.

Later,

I fish braid exclusively both fresh and salt ( btw I'm from Birmingham) and I only use spinning. I do not use mono backing, however nothing wrong with topshotting. I simply tape the braid onto the spool using painters or masking tape.

Do the math and see how much mono is needed, I would think about 100yards of braid would be sufficient.

Many tips I could give you about braid, once I got used to it nothing else is considered.  When casting with braid retrieve with your rod a bit higher like in the 2:00 position rather than perfectly horizontal or low, you get a better hookset(because of no stretch)if you are going to troll no problem as the rod most likely will be in a rod holder.

Thanks guys!  Another question though?  Would you bother with a fluoro leader when trolling for pike?  The water is fairly clear in the st. marys river....If so, how do you tie fluoro to braid??  Is a blood knot appropriate?  I hate to make my setup too complicated (knot at jxn. and at leader) if I don't have too!

Also, how long can I leave braid on my reels (as long as it doesn't get too banged up?  More than one season?  One season?  Any input would help

Definitely yes with the leader for pike. We have pickerel here in NJ and the same set of choppers, only smaller and they can wreak havoc on braid. It doesn't have to be long, maybe 18" or so, just as if you were using a wire leader.

Thanks guys! Another question though? Would you bother with a fluoro leader when trolling for pike? The water is fairly clear in the st. marys river....If so, how do you tie fluoro to braid?? Is a blood knot appropriate? I hate to make my setup too complicated (knot at jxn. and at leader) if I don't have too!

Also, how long can I leave braid on my reels (as long as it doesn't get too banged up? More than one season? One season? Any input would help

I think you'll be fine with pike, they aren't really afraid of anything so why should a line scare them? Use a steel leader tho, those toothy guys cut braid better than I can. And you can leave braid on baitcasters for quite sometime, 1-2 years, or even longer, a tip is after a year of use turn the braid around so that the side that has not seen water is now the front of the line.

I caught a decent pike (pickerel) yesterday on a spinning outfit with braid - no leader. It can be done. This is my first year using braid, quite a learning curve for me as far as learning to ease up on the hookset. In fact, this was my first braid fish period. I had quite a few hookups prior, I think I was too aggressive and pulled the hook out.  

I don't think I will ever use anything but braid with a fluoro leader on my spinning equipment.

a tip is after a year of use turn the braid around so that the side that has not seen water is now the front of the line.

Excellent tip

Do you need steel leader?, no...........but for pike it's best to have one.  You can twist up some piano wire or better yet, what I do is make my own leaders.  You can cheat a little bit by purchasing about a 40# leader, then cutting off those terrible snaps and putting good ones on.  Buy some crimpers and most fishing pliers have a crimping tool on them.

goes like this

swivle snap (crimp it), single leader line attached to a barrel swivel(crimp it on )then tie your braid to the swivel and change your lure when desired via the snap.

i use 40lb suffix braid on a saros 3000...

works great, better than mono i believe bc it resists line twist much better...

i agree with snookalot on putting it on, you can use mono backer, but i personally use gorilla tape on the bare spool then line up as normal....

i do line it up extremely tight on the spool though to prevent the line from digging into itself.....

as for the leader.....if it is necessary , i have had great success with the alberto knot for going from braid to mono or flouro.  

Thanks guys! Another question though? Would you bother with a fluoro leader when trolling for pike? The water is fairly clear in the st. marys river....If so, how do you tie fluoro to braid?? Is a blood knot appropriate? I hate to make my setup too complicated (knot at jxn. and at leader) if I don't have too!

Also, how long can I leave braid on my reels (as long as it doesn't get too banged up? More than one season? One season? Any input would help

Check out Cortland's Toothy Critter Leader material

http://www.fishwest.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CD32TOCR

This stuff is a very nice option (but a little pricey).

Clearly designed for fly casting however makes an excellent tie-able and manageable leader. Can be used in front of mono, fluorocarbon and braid. Uni-knot to uni-knot works well.

A-Jay