Thread: What's a quality Japanese 3lb braid?

I've only tried one jdm braid and it was really thin and wasn't that great. The daiwa jbraid in 6 pound test is really thin and phenix makes a thin 3lb braid. I quit using braid on my ultralights though, thin blanks and tip wrap are a problem with braid.

My recent experience with 2 different braids, 6# and less, was that it is a poor performer in the wind. Ice fishing or fishing over the side of a boat it performed well.

I am not sure that you will find any 3# test braid that actually tests out at 3 pounds. For me if I am buying any line it will be Varivas. Their Infinity PE X8 is a great line and comes in a 5.6# test and a 7.5 pound. A true 3# test braid would only have a diameter of around 0.04mm. Not sure that one can even see that.....LOL. If you have not tried Varivas Twitch Master nylon you should. I had pretty much stopped fishing nylon lines until I tried it.


Regards

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

I am not sure that you will find any 3# test braid that actually tests out at 3 pounds. For me if I am buying any line it will be Varivas. Their Infinity PE X8 is a great line and comes in a 5.6# test and a 7.5 pound. A true 3# test braid would only have a diameter of around 0.04mm. Not sure that one can even see that.....LOL. If you have not tried Varivas Twitch Master nylon you should. I had pretty much stopped fishing nylon lines until I tried it.


Regards

I've got three spools of Varivas Twitch Master 3lb line. I tried it several weeks ago and was iffy about it. I think I'll give it another run as everyone speaks highly of it. I just have to be careful because some of these redear I get into can pop small line in a New York second. I do tend to have a loose drag setting and will gradually adjust the drag as I bring in the fish. Thanks, Randy!!

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I've got three spools of Varivas Twitch Master 3lb line. I tried it several weeks ago and was iffy about it. I think I'll give it another run as everyone speaks highly of it. I just have to be careful because some of these redear I get into can pop small line in a New York second. I do tend to have a loose drag setting and will gradually adjust the drag as I bring in the fish. Thanks, Randy!!

I loved using 2# P-line Floroclear line , but had too many break offs after I landed a fish or while trying to drag them up a hill if where I was fishing at a high bank .
I’m talking about fish that were under a pound .
Fishing from a boat or having a net wouldn’t be as big of an issue , but I’m a 90%+ bank fisherman now . And don’t want to carry a net .
That’s why I started using Daiwa X8 J Braid using a 4# Floroclear leader about 8’-10’ . I use a variation of the surgeons knot to join the two lines . Six turns instead of the normal two. I haven’t had any issues with the knot passing through the micro guides on my Abu Garcia MB3 JDM rods .
Using leaders is one reason I struggled using braid at first , but I’ve gotten use to it .
By using a four pound leader , if I get hung up , the leader line usually breaks at the jig . I can add leader material with a surgeon’s knot like I’ve always done fly fishing .
The Daiwa J braid is 6# test , but 1.5# test .
I have seen issues with wind blowing the braid , but I think that’s because I can see the braid better than I could my 2# flouroclear. I’m not sure it gets blown any more than a mono .
I do have to be more conscious about making sure the line is strait after closing the bail . I think what people call wind knots are the result of not checking the braid before starting your retrieve.
Since I started checking as I close the bail , I’ve had almost zero problems unless I forget to check .
I tried the VARIVAS PE Line, Super Trout Area 4x in 6.7# , and it was nice braid , but it’s $38 for 75m .
I like the Daiwa J braid x8 just as well and right now it’s $28.36 for 300 meters , enough with backing to fill three reels .
I like being able to rod lift most fish now without worrying about break offs as much .

Tried UL braid once - immediately took it off. Wind knots galore, and I fish in all weather. I stick with Varivas Twitch Master 3 lb and sometimes 4 lb. When it was on sale, I bought 20 spools of it. Before starting with JDM line, I really liked K9 hi-viz 4 lb copolymer, still do - for dock shooting where I might need to straighten a hook. I don't think a 'cracker could break it, but I'm not catching 2 lb+ fish (yet).

Edit: lately I've been spraying automotive silicone lubricant on a rag, and reeling the line thru that when I re-spool. Seems to slide easier and last a lot longer, with less memory.

Berkley Fireline 4 pound might fit your criteria. Stiffer than other braids when new because it's fused, so it rarely gets wind knots and doesn't require a leader. Stronger than it's rated line strength, so it can handle your big Redears. The FishN'Fool knot works great for tying braid to a lure. It's just a Uni knot with two passes through the hook eye instead of one. The Varivas braids are the best, but i wouldn't use one without a leader. They are the most expensive, but a lot cheaper if your buying a reel on Digitaka! Double Cross is my favorite. Handles and sinks better because it's a braid/ester hybrid line.

I’m kinda partial to the Varivas braid also. I have several reels spooled up with it. My little rods get the 4 lb and most of the others are 5.2 or something close to that. They do blow around some but I think it’s no worse than the 2lb mono I’ve used before. You know the sensitivity is way good and I make some allowances to get that. The twitchmaster is also good but very different from the braid and I dont use it much. Where I fish is full of junk and the toughness of the braid helps a lot. I still have a few rods with mono and nylon but more often than not there’s a rod full braid in my hand.