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Straightening coated braid

Andy Frances

Andy Frances

Administrator
Staff member
Hi all,

I've bought a few different coated braids recently and really struggle to straightened them on the bank without damaging them.

The Korda stiff link I've just bought is like a coiled spring coming off the spool. It recommends steaming the line to straighten though I like making up rigs on the bank rather than at home. Pulling the line across my leg only half works and damages the coating if you pull too hard!

Anyone else struggle with this? Has anyone got any tips for straightening coated hooklink braid...?

Cheers,

Andy
 
Never had this problem Andy the stuff I use comes off the spool and hangs perfectly flat. My coated braid preference is Korda N trap in the soft weedy green variant at 15lb bs.
It’s lovely and supple stuff, strips really easily and certainly doesn’t come off like a spring. I’ve made countless rigs on the bank.
I’ve not tried the stiffer variations mind and have no need to either.
 
I think the clue's in the name Andy. Always bloody stiff when you don't want it to be eh :oops:
 
Hi men,

ESP tungsten coated is really useable strait off the spool if you want the extra weight of the coating . Gardner is the best by a long way all-round for most applications

IMG_20191013_110250.jpg


I'm going to look at others , jelly wire , and the new ridge monkey stuff , but I'm happy with the above . However , avoid the latest cheese cutting wire that Korda have released , terrible stuff .


Hatter
 
Good point @Terry Simner , it does what it says on the tin I guess!!! Shame they seemed to 'set' it stiff on the spool though...

Hatter @Mark Anderson - thanks for that, I reckon I'll get some of that for the BFW shop.

Thanks @Richard Isaacs - I'm going to order some of the N trap
 
Andy Frances said:
Hi all,

I've bought a few different coated braids recently and really struggle to straightened them on the bank without damaging them.

The Korda stiff link I've just bought is like a coiled spring coming off the spool. It recommends steaming the line to straighten though I like making up rigs on the bank rather than at home. Pulling the line across my leg only half works and damages the coating if you pull too hard!

Anyone else struggle with this? Has anyone got any tips for straightening coated hooklink braid...?

Cheers,

Andy
Click to expand...

https://ridgemonkey.co.uk/product/rm-tec-rock-bottom-tungsten-coated-hooklink ;)
 
Andy Frances said:
Hi all,

I've bought a few different coated braids recently and really struggle to straightened them on the bank without damaging them.

The Korda stiff link I've just bought is like a coiled spring coming off the spool. It recommends steaming the line to straighten though I like making up rigs on the bank rather than at home. Pulling the line across my leg only half works and damages the coating if you pull too hard!

Anyone else struggle with this? Has anyone got any tips for straightening coated hooklink braid...?

Cheers,

Andy
Click to expand...

I love
Atomic Tackle Jel E Wyre
 
The problem with the stiff coated braids is that you do need to steam them to straighten them. ESP tungsten loaded is straightened easily without steaming as is Atomic Jel E wyre
 
I'm commenting here without actually having tested my view...
But for a couple of years now I've carried a leader straightener as used by fly fisherman. Mine has three sets of pads within it ranging in suppleness with each generating various degrees of heat as the leader / line is drawn through them.
I tend to use this with stiff booms and flourocarbon hook links and it will reset, remove memory easily with those materials.
As I say, I can't say that I've tried this with coated braid but I think it should work the same in principle.
With regard to my coated braid preference... I'm another esp tongston advocate in both variations. This I find easily straightens when simply run in between my finger and thumb.
 
I store my rigs on a Korum rig board so they are “bent” two or three times. Although they are misshapen when I remove them from the board I find that they are perfectly straight after the first cast and being exposed to the current for a few minutes.
 
"Stiff" is a relative term (steady!), especially when it comes to braid ...and I'd question the need for stiff braid in flowing water. My first thought would be .... is stiff braid being used to counter failings in other elements of the rig?
 
Before the ESP I was using Sufix Camfusion in 15lb breaking strain,however the Sufix was discontinued so I started using the ESP but the only available b.s was 20lb,this is used in conjunction with 30lb PowerPro mainline,all a little OTT it may seem but the idea is to get the barbel on the bank as quickly as possible and then back into the river.I had problems using mono hook links (breakages around the eye on the hook)and I never felt confident in fluorocarbon but since turning to coated braid haven’t looked back.
A few years ago it was considered “unsporting” to use high breaking strain line but the welfare of the quarry comes first hence the tackle used
 
Trevor Brown said:
this is used in conjunction with 30lb PowerPro mainline,all a little OTT it may seem but the idea is to get the barbel on the bank as quickly as possible
Click to expand...
In my opinion Line of that strength is unnecessary because you can’t use it any better to do what your saying (essentially drag them in kicking and screaming) than you could using a spool of 15lb mono.

I agree there are hit and hold moments but you’ve still got to play them because if they can’t smash your line they can, and they often do rip the hook out if they can’t take a bit of line on a lunge.
In this case letting a Barbel take 30lb line to avoid hook pulls is no different to letting it take 15lb line.
The other thing as well is im not sure it’s a good idea using line that is probably a lot stronger than the rod. I don’t see the benefits even if your trying to get them in quickly.
 
I don’t consider myself to be “dragging them in kicking and screaming”
I’m using 2.25 TC through action rods and have the clutches on my reels set to give line,extra pressure is applied to the spool skirt in the event of the fish taking line.Ive used this set up for a fair few years and am happy to continue using it.The rivers I am fishing hold barbel in excess of 16lb and are snaggy in certain swims,using my set up I am confident of landing any hooked fish
I suppose this comes down to the “braid vs mono”argument but I have used braid for many years and have never had problems using it.
Didn’t mean to start a debate on set ups,just thought I’d mention the main line strength to explain the hook length strength 👍
 
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