I saw on several other forums and the first review on BPS says that braid should not be used on Carrot Stix.  I am thinking about getting a stix and wanted to see what everyone's experience was with braid on the stix.  Any issues with the guides?

None that I know of.  While I don't fish braid, my partner does and hasn't had any trouble doing so.

One of my 7'3" MH casting and one of my 6'7" M spinning each have braid. The casting has 50 pound Power Pro, the spinning has 20 pound. Both have been used with braid since I got them in March of last year and I have had zero issues. I use both for heavy cover and winch fish out with it. Most of my friends who own Carrots use braid and have not had any troubles. This is the first I have heard of this recommendation.  :-?

Here is one of the sources that I saw on another forum:

http://tackletog.com/jip/2009/03/21/e21-21-carrot-gold-stix-review/

And saw this review here:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?hvarEID=3310707&hvarAID=vantage&cm_ite=Freshwater+Fishing+%3E+Soft+Baits%2FLures+%3E+Worms&catalogId=10001&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.basspro.com%2Fwebapp%2Fwcs%2Fstores%2Fservlet%2FProductDisplay%3FstoreId%3D10151%26catalogId%3D10001%26langId%3D-1%26partNumber%3D10203730%26cm_ven%3DAffiliate%26cm_cat%3DVantage%26cm_pla%3Dfeed%26cm_ite%3DFreshwater+Fishing+%3E+Soft+Baits%2FLures+%3E+Worms&langId=-1&cm_pla=feed&cm_cat=Vantage&cm_ven=Affiliate&partNumber=10203730&storeId=10151

That's what you get for visiting other forums.

I use(d) braid (50# sufix) on my carrot stix until Wednesday.  I never had any problems with it just don't tighten your drag down all the way.  I say used because I broke my carrot stix completely in half on a fish that wrapped me around a tree and I tried to horse him out of it.   Totally my fault but sh** happens.  

My experience w/ braid on Carrot Stix rods:

LTX has SS chrome guides, a bit noisey using braid but it does handle braid good.  Only complaint using braid or mono lines is on the spinning rods.  The first 2 guides from the reel seat are small in diameter IMO compared to spinning rods w/ ceramic inserts which the 2 guides mentioned are bigger in diameter.  The smaller diameter guides on the first 2 doesn't seem to give you very good casts, like the line is labored to shoot out of the guides.  The guides on the b/c rods though is no issue mentioned, the line shoots out whether it's braid or mono...then again I'm using 8 lb P-Line CXX on my spinning reels on the spare spool.  I wonder if that makes a difference compared to some other mono or copoly line.

New Gold Carrot Stix & Boyd Duckett baitcast rods:  The guides are coated w/ a ti something & I've noticed that braid shooting out & reeled in is not as noisy as on the LTX.  I don't know how long this coating will stay on since Tackle Tour did experience some wear on the first guide on top of the new Gold Carrot Stix.  I've used braid on both these rods & so far I've not noticed any wear on the first guide or the other guides.  I don't own any spinning rods in these models.

i have the 7' xh carrot stick and fish it with 30# power pro and it's actually not that noisy compared to the spinning rods i also use braid on . but to repeat what all carrot stick owners will tell you , ''braid is NOT an issue.''

I'd be more concerned about the rod breakage than guide problems.  A guy I was fishing with broke 2 Gold Carrot Stix over the weekend.  They'll be covered by warranty, but that doesn't help for that day.  This guy may have been high sticking a little, but these rods have more than their share of breakage issues.

None,besides a c.stick has a lifetime warranty why worrry?? Just if you use brad make sure the tip of the rod doesnt get the random line wrapped around the tip eye,then braid will probably snap it.

None,besides a c.stick has a lifetime warranty why worrry?? Just if you use brad make sure the tip of the rod doesnt get the random line wrapped around the tip eye,then braid will probably snap it.

I had a reel fail me (drag locked up) on day 2 of a tournament one time.  It was a 5+ lb smallie making it's second run.  It was hooked really well, so chances are I land that fish if my gear didn't fail me.  That fish would've been worth roughly $10,000 (counting retail value on a boat).  That was years ago, and I still get sick when I think about it.

No warranty is going to cover losing the fish of a lifetime.  I'm certainly not saying "don't buy a Carrot Stick"; I'm just answering your question, "Why worry??"

I would say the CTX is alittle noisy, but that dosnt bother me a bit.  No other issues with mine, VERY castable with 30# suffix braid.

I am sure the manufactures of braid would not sell a line that would cut into rod guides.  The difference is in strength.  Braid does not cut into ceramic, steel, composites or other metals.  It's just stronger.  It may sound different when you cast and reel, but it's probably not like a saw cutting into your guides... :-X

I use braid on my topwater Carrot LTX 6'9" MH and have had no issues at all in 2 years.  Hooked a nice 7 lb'er in a local pond on a scumfrog and handle it with ease.   Put new PowerPro 60 lb. on it Friday and fished it in a tourny on Saturday and it performed well.  I wouldn't have used 60 but I was out of 30 lb.

I fish a lot of the gold carrots and I have not had any problems with the coating wearing off from braid.. and the LTX handles it just fine.. A lot of people are complaining about the guides but Not one thats complaining can say they have failed on them... they can only say they should be Fuji Sic and I totally agree but the guides on them are fine.. just make some noise but its not a big deal... E21 is making some REALLY sweet rods for sure.

I am sure the manufactures of braid would not sell a line that would cut into rod guides. The difference is in strength. Braid does not cut into ceramic, steel, composites or other metals. It's just stronger. It may sound different when you cast and reel, but it's probably not like a saw cutting into your guides... :-X

just fyi-

There are plenty of cases of guides being grooved by braided line. *Most* of today's rods come with guides that can handle braid but certainly not all. Typically it's not the braid itself, but rather the debris trapped in it that act like the saw blade.