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Braid ? ALWAYS use a finger protector

Gerry Giles

Gerry Giles

Senior Member & Supporter
when using braid mainline always use a casting glove or finger stool
OR
you will only ever slip up once and trust me you will experience a new level of burning intense pain you never knew existed I know as this is a picture of my finger when a pal simply walked into my swim dropped his bucket of particles on the floor behind ... I hooked it as I gave it the biggun this went straight to the bone like a hot knife through butter
 
Ooff.

I only ever use braid as mainline when lure fishing for pike, otherwise I just use it for hooklengths for larger fish. But even then I managed to slice into the side of one of my fingers on the bank last summer whilst tying a new hooklength. Didn't go as deep as yours (I didn't need stitches), but it's still not fully healed nearly a year later.
 
I was very lucky a few years ago whilst fishing in Thailand.I was fishing for Mekong catfish (the hardest fighting freshwater fish) using 80lb braid.On casting out the float fished bait was taken on the drop,before i could put the bail arm over, by a 140lb Mekong.The bail arm kept jumping up under the pressure, as i tried to close it and a loop of braid went around the end of my little finger,pulling tight.After what seemed like ages,with my hand trying to pull through the butt eye of the rod,probably a second or two, the loop came off the end of my finger.One of those situations that could have ended so much worse.
 
When it happened I gripped my finger with the other hand I then placed them between my legs close to the wedding tackle squeezing my legs together and jumping up and down like you would do in a sack race ?? I dont know why ?

shouting Golly Gosh why on earth did you put that bucket there ? ( might not of been those exact words lol)
 
Mark Swaby said:
I was very lucky a few years ago whilst fishing in Thailand.I was fishing for Mekong catfish (the hardest fighting freshwater fish) using 80lb braid.On casting out the float fished bait was taken on the drop,before i could put the bail arm over, by a 140lb Mekong.The bail arm kept jumping up under the pressure, as i tried to close it and a loop of braid went around the end of my little finger,pulling tight.After what seemed like ages,with my hand trying to pull through the butt eye of the rod,probably a second or two, the loop came off the end of my finger.One of those situations that could have ended so much worse.
Click to expand...

That is really scary. I'm going for the first time in December and wouldn't even have considered this but for what they cost I will definitely get a finger protector. Thanks all - good call
 
Never ever had a problem with braid

A. Slicing a barbel clean in two.
B. Cutting my skin.

This could be that I use heavy braid 50-60lb and not 20lb ultra thin type. Though all of my feeder fishing is done via 8lb drennan feeder braid......perhaps the callouses on my skin protect me.
 
I use Braid leaders when feeder fishing at range for Bream. I always tighten the clutch down before casting to prevent line being given during the cast, with the possibility of a cut finger. I always use a finger stall too.
 
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