I would think that braid would tend to float and leave a little slack belly in your line while drift fishing. Can you get braid that sinks?

I saw my dad's rod snap above the handle when setting the hook on 50 lb braid float set up this winter. He still brought the chrome winterun in by hand in the heavy current.

Last summer we were drifting mono and he tried setting the hook real hard and got a bird's nest. There were 7 summeruns in the hole and I wanted to get some pics of him hooking one. He told me to cast and I let the steelhead take it before setting the hook and landing it. Never seen him so PO'd and he's the best steelheader I've ever fished with.

Once we saw a summer take my bait and I set the hook too soon out of it's mouth. I like to feel them take it and then set it. It probably costs me winter fish that mouth the bait. I don't have quick reactions.

Look at the sexy guy in the background & what that on his rod????? P-Line Mono all the way baby!!! You'll never make a convert out of me.

Randy, I cant wait till you show up for a day of sidedrifiting with a spincaster spooled with power pro, it will happen one day I know it.

Wow, that is a BIG whitefish....bigger than most Sky brats! Good thing you had PP on! How'd it eat?

Well Jody it sounds like you obviously know how to treat/handle your rods and you probably have never broken one (at least while fishing ). But you would have to agree that the average Joe (no offense Fly or Rvrfshr) has a greater chance of breaking an (overloaded) 1141S with 30 lb. Power Pro than with 8 lb. mono.

I've seen lots and lots of rods rated for 8-17 lb. line break, snap, and/or shatter with 12 lb test for main. Don't you think it would be easier to break that type of "beefy" rod with 30 lb test, not to mention a "noodle" rod, rated for 4-8 lb test?

I hear alot about bent out hooks, and alot of mono leader snap-offs while using braid, I'm just surprised that I don't hear of more rods broken....that was my point.

Ike

There have been some good comments.

Line is only part of the answer.

I've tried both but like mono for drifting, just personal preference.
There's less stretch w braid which makes breaking off snags a little easier while wading, but it can be tough to break off if the main line is the problem. A good mono is very predictable.

If you are missing bites, check your rod tip position (follow the drift) and keep the slack out.

Stick your index finger down and catch the line on it. You will feel movement before you see it. You an also use your left hand (if holding the rod in the right) to hold the line between your thumb and index finger for good feel. Keeping the rod tip pointed at the water (low rod) puts all the feel into the line and off the rod tip, but then you don't have the rod tip to absorb a strike, so it is all a moving target type answer.

Just my observations, which may be worth exactly what you paid for them!

Best luck to you.

Izor tends to degrade, The bulk spools I just chucked out were Izor, my 12 was breaking like 6. I like it when fresh though.

I have only broken one rod on a fish, it was 15 to 30lb rod with 15 lb test mono and it was totally my fault, I high sticked a chum at the beach right when it started to thrash. I was unhooking it at the time and not only did it break my rod, but it slashed my thumb rather badly with one of those big teeth. That was about 15 years ago. I have stepped on them and so has my dog though.

You can easily break a good steelhead rod with any line its rated for, just try lifting a downrigger ball off the floor with the tip too high, instant snappo. The rod will break before the line does.

Mono does cushion the load when it stretches though, so when you make a mistake it may be more forgiving.

Braid - hate the stuff in general. Will use it on float and plug rods and the occasional back bouncing rod for heavy waters.

Mono for me when drift fishing, side drifting, boondogging, pocket worm fishing, and hardware (spoons and spinners).

Then again, I also use Vision hooks and swivels and contend that there's nothing wrong with them, either. It's the angler(s) that I question. Often.

Just an FYI..................


Side drifting is not drift fishing

hell, i'm hesitant to call it fishing, at all.

Thanks Captain Obvious.

Braid is awesome.

Braid sucks balls.

Braid is the best.

Braid is the worst.

All the cool kids use braid.

The cool kids wouldn't be caught dead using braid.



Did I get all that right?

That's because THAT'S fly talk.

And that's really uncool/cool.

Wait a minute...............

use what you like....mono is my friend for drifting gear, tossin spoons/spinners, and is easier on my thumb...its all personal opinion

+1 use what you like. i used maxima line that eventually became 17 years old. it still was putting kings on the rocks... that is no lie or stretched fib. 17 years old and still good. i didn't ask anybody's opinion on wether it was a good idea. just went out and did it.

that same line put kings on the rocks till it reached 20 years old!

I remeber the sad day when you reported it was time to retire that spool.

That's about when you hook that 70 lb King.
That one lil nick and the fish of a lifetime lost.

15 bucks for a new spool of UG is a small price to pay.
Back when I used mono, I'd change the chit religiously.

Power Pro all the way baby.
UG is leader line only.

Going back & using mono, it feels like you have a rubber band tied to your spool.

What I don't like about braid:
Boy goes all nofish and bucket on the squirls with a casting reel.
Main line is all tangled up in the tree. Boat is now turning sideways in the current as he has the drag all the way cranked and both thumbs on it. "It won't break dad!" The sound of it exploding is pretty cool though.

i don't run in the cirlces of what if. where i fish the days of 70# kings have been gone for decades. so no worries on that.

i have a simple montra for checking quality of line before it hits the water. if any line can solidly hold a blood knot without popping it is still good line. this simple test has proven itself for 25 years. knots are the zone in any line, if knots hold tight, well it still is worthy.

when i checked on a old reel that was broke but kept in my broken reel crypt that i keep. the reel had been spooled with 20# chem. maxima. so the line stayed on the broke reel in the crypt for 17 yrs. the 20# when checked for curiosity of strength.... i was shocked. it would not pop! held every knot with incredible strength. so i spooled it onto a 5500c3 where i fished for kalama fall kings for 4 solid years. i used fresh 15 leader which popped before the old crusty 20#. that old line landed every king upto 36#s, it never failed under test. then one spring day i checked the old line and the blood knots would not hold. so it got pulled. it was a sad day.

i understand this is way out of the comfort zone. it was only a test that proved a great point. maxima has balls!!!! i only used it for fall kings where there was plenty and had high confidence in my eggs. so if i did lose a fish it was no biggy. at least to me a no biggy. the line at 20yrs old never failed.