What size reel are you using? With a 6000 sized reel, I could fit well over 300 yards of 30 pound braid but why would you want to? It's abrasion resistance isn't that great at that size either. Most use 50-65 pound.

 

I used 65-80lb power pro last year, had 3 fish break off, I don't know exactly how big they were but I'm sure they weren't any little fish.

 

I caught about 100+ pound sting ray as well as a couple of good size sharks on 50lb power pro this past fall on a medium sized spinning combo. Locked the drag down completely and I thought the rod was going to break if anything. 50lb braid is extremely strong. Most of the time if it breaks it's more likely there was a bad spot in the line, or the line was cut by something in the water.

 

All lines break at some point unfortunately, but if you are fishing in rocky or heavy cover areas then braid is not the way to go (i am a big fan of braid) since the abrasion is just too hard on them, go with mono or long mono leaders, good luck.

 

Hey Xrider, I use 50lb Sufix braid and may go to 65lb braid in the future but with either I will not fill the entire spool with braid. 50lb braid is equivalent to 12lb test mono. I like a mono backing on the spool before I add the braid to help keep the braid from slipping on the spool. I don't put more than 100yds of braid on the 6500C3 spools and actually spool 100yards of line on then tie on the (old) mono to be added until the reel is full. Then I reel it out and reverse it. That way I can take a 300yd spool of braid and divide it exactly by three so each reel gets the wanted amount. Won't say this is the right way but it is my way. 100yds of braid is a lot of line.

 

You have to set you drag correctly. You want your drag to be set at 1/3 the breaking strength of the line you are using max.

With 30lb braid, you shouldn't be fishing with more then 7lbs-8lbs of drag after you figure in the breaking strength of the line with loss of strength because of the knots.

But, 30lb braid is enough to land most catfish caught in open water if you know how to use your rod and drag properly to land a fish. It is also the perfect braided line strength (in my opinion) for big channel cats.

 

I don't worry much about the anti-abrasion properties of 20lb, 30lb, 50lb, or 65lb as braid of any thickness will cut in a second if it is under tension and touches a rocky, rough, or sharp edge edge.

The only sure fire way to use braid and avoid break-offs/cut-offs, because of abrasion, is to use a monofiliment leader.

This is especially important if you are fishing in rocky areas. But, if it is wood and vegitation that you are fishing around, a mono abrasion leader may not be nessesary. IMHO

 

But, to answer the question, never have had 30lb braid break from a fish, ever. :smile1:

 

For cats I use 60-65lb braid on my smaller set ups (6000) sized reels and 80lb braid on my larger set ups (7000) sized reels. I use 60&80lb mono leaders respectively

 

I used to run braid...but after way too many easy breaks around structure I ditched in and switched to heavy mono...been pleased ever since

 

you have to remember 30lb braid isnt equal to 30lb mono. Alot of guys used 30 and 40lb mono thinking that same lb in braid was the same -well it is not. the abrasion resistance on 30-40lb braid is awful. 65lb is equal to 17lb mono and 80lb equal to 20lb mono. im sure if you tried 60-65lb braid you'd be alot happier. 50lb braid would be ok as long as you use at least 30-40lb mono for a leader. 6-18" mono leader is great. I fish rocks and trees with mine and its almost impossible to break. I have straightened hooks or had to break off with a dowel but that 60-80lb braid is ridiculously strong. and 30lb not so much unless its open water

 

I've had good luck with 100lb power pro and I use a 18-24" 80lb Ande mono leader. It works great around structure and if get hung, I usually only lose my hook.

 

I have had fish break, well, not break but cut, 30 and 40 lb mono leaders a few times on my small fish rigs. If they make a roll just right and the line hits the fin, it can cut it pretty quick.
I now use 80 lb braid and 60-80 lb mono leaders when fishing for bigger fish just simply for the abrasion resistance on the leaders. If your in open water, you would never have to have over 40lb line for a catfish, but I hardly ever fish open water. I have witnessed a 56lb blue caught on 20lb test.
I usually don't have problems with fish breaking line, I always use the drag. Bull reds on 17lb test will teach you this pretty quickly LOL

 

Most of my reels hold less than 300 yards 15 pound mono. The two Mr Catfish reels are at like 140 yards of the same. Looking at numbers shows 50 pound braid at the high end of good 15 pound mono and 30 is just under.

I would rather use drag than straightening out hooks or ripping lips (anyone had that happen?). Having extra line is always a plus especially if you are using drag. I also don't want to pull the fish up from the deep to fast anyway.

I have used masking tape in the past on the spool with braid which works well.

 

Xrider, I can see you understand the options that were talked about here and it boils down to a preference more than anything else. I agree with the majority of your thoughts but I do only put 100 yards of the expensive braid on each reel and the rest is just filler. I totally agree with letting the reel, rod and line do their jobs and to not horse the fish in. It all comes down to a question of how much line is needed even when a big fish is peeling off line. I guess I look at it that 100 yards of 50lb braid is more than enough to work the cat some, tire him out and land him. Any more than that on the spool to me is just expensive braid that will more than likely just get unused and tossed when I change line. So, it is a simple option that each makes his choice on.

As far as having a good mono leader, I totally agree both for it's abrasion resistance and to add just a little bit of stretch factor. I think fewer lines are broken because of the mono leader.

 

Most of my reels hold less than 300 yards 15 pound mono. The two Mr Catfish reels are at like 140 yards of the same. Looking at numbers shows 50 pound braid at the high end of good 15 pound mono and 30 is just under.

I would rather use drag than straightening out hooks or ripping lips (anyone had that happen?). Having extra line is always a plus especially if you are using drag. I also don't want to pull the fish up from the deep to fast anyway.

I have used masking tape in the past on the spool with braid which works well.

Maybe you could tell us about the conditions, structure, catfish species, and sizes that you are working with. Sometimes it helps to have a small diameter line with 300yds of line, other times, it is ok to have just 150yds of very strong line.

 

I use 50# power pro or spider wire stealth when i usebraid and have never had any real issues, just make sure you inspect the line before you cast out or after you have landed one to see if theres any line damage.

 

Like others said.... its all about the abrasion. Fishing 30 lb is fine in open water but as soon as it rubs a rock it quickly loses any kind of strength it had. I been there and used it, and quickly moved on to 65 and 80 lb braid. Plus I added a mono shock leader of about 12 ft. Solved all my problems. And yes I have had 30 lb braid break on me for that reason.

 

It is strange. I always thought braid could resist abraision since it's the go to line for bass fishermen using jigs in heavy cover. I guess I will have to see what happens real world to this big game line I already have.

Thanks everyone for the input!

 

It is strange. I always thought braid could resist abraision since it's the go to line for bass fishermen using jigs in heavy cover. I guess I will have to see what happens real world to this big game line I already have.

Thanks everyone for the input!

Bass anglers are getting the abrasion resistance of braid mixed up with how braided line cuts through weeds because of its very thin diameter.

 

The main reason I would choose braid for jigs is the sensitivity. I used to be a die hard jig fisherman, wouldn't throw anything but braid. I never found it to be a problem in wood areas as much as rocky areas, I horsed alot of good bass out of treetops using braid.

 

William,
Thanks for bringing this topic up. I never gave this much thought.

To everyone that replied. Yawl Rock! I have used mono line pretty much on every reel I have ever used. Never gave it much thought. But now, I have to rethink every reel set up I'm running. 150 yards of line per reel is what I'm looking at now. I mean, ask yourself, do you want a 80 pound flat head a football field and a half away from ya ? Hell no. You want him within 65-75 yards away and hooked up to fight. Add drag, leverage with rod and reel handle, line stretch, not line breakage. That's got every wheel in my head spinning. This has got to be one of the most under thought pieces of my system. It sure has been in mine, until now.

I'm thinking 150 yds of 80 pound braid with 8-10' of 50 pound mono leader. The leader can reel right up to and the reel without coming into the level wind system.

Yawl are bad ass~!
Thanks for the insight.

Mic