Another Braided Question...

My last couple of times out rockfishing, I've had my 30lb braided Power Pro line break (usually right near the lure/knot) on several snags and one fish. For those of you who use Power Pro...does it fray the way mono does against rocks? Maybe not as much but still enough that you need to re-tie every now and then while fishing? I know I've asked this before, but could WD-40 coming into contact with the line have any negative side effects?
 Thanks guys!
 Andrew

Spectra is suppose to be impervious to WD-40 according to what I read on another board.  In fact, WD-40 was recommended to keep the line slick for better casting.

Spectra is great stuff but if gets nicked, it's gone.  That's why for me a mono leader is mandatory for rockfishing.

Mono leader, huh? I'll do that. Thanks!

Spectra is great stuff but if gets nicked, it's gone

I totally agree. I ran out of mono leader while fishing Still Water - due to snags...when I fished with straight braided line - the sensitivity was so much better but when I BARELY snagged - I lost even more lures  

I have had good luck using the 30lb power pro with a 20 or 25 lb mono leader.  I used the same leader for two days at elk  and had very minimal abrasion.

travis,

If it didn't get abraded it didn't really get tested, right?

The issue is whether 25lb leader holds up after it gets scuffed or abraded.

If it didn't get abraded, then sure, it has at least 25lb breaking strength,
or more, which is plenty for any rockfish or lingcod.

Btw, great vermillion! Those big rockfish fight pretty good, eh?

But what about when it is abraded somehow?

I think you'll eventually lose a big fish due to an abraded 25lb leader.

Then you'll wish you had used 40lb. cause I think those rockfish and
lingcod are not leader shy.

I have used both 25lb and 40lb recently myself and neither has broken, but I think I plan to use 40lb with a 20lb snap and 30lb spectra for
rockfish, and use the 25lb for halibut leaders or salmon leaders, etc.

try some 40lb and see if it hurts the bite, tell us what you think.

If you go with the braided line becareful not to slice your wet hands by pulling on the line, either on a snag or against the drag of your reel, it cuts flesh quite nicely. I always cut my index finger pulling against the drag. I am sure that I can't be the only idiot that does this over and over.  If I am, well I am sure someone will poke some fun.

-Brian

I use a wire leader. Don't lose any fish at the boat due to sharp teeth, the rocks don't wreak havoc with my line, and you can pull out hell of snags too. At the Elk tourney I actually bent a hook getting a snag out. If it is impossible to get out, then cut the line, but it is rare they are that bad.

BrianG-- I end up with nicks all over my hands too...but the same is true when i use my little 6lb mono set-up as well.  its not that spectra is sharper or something-- its that it is sooo much thinner, and strong....

works great for cutting through kelp snags, and cutting cheese too!

I use a wire leader. Don't lose any fish at the boat due to sharp teeth, the rocks don't wreak havoc with my line, and you can pull out hell of snags too. At the Elk tourney I actually bent a hook getting a snag out. If it is impossible to get out, then cut the line, but it is rare they are that bad.

How long a wire leader? How does that help with snags? Wouldn't the line just break at the knot?
 Thanks,
 Andrew

If it didn't get abraded it didn't really get tested, right?

 I was dropping it all over the rocks for two long days.  Maybee I just got lucky.

The issue is whether 25lb leader holds up after it gets scuffed or abraded.

 If my leader is damaged I change it.  This is usually not an issue for me.

I think you'll eventually lose a big fish due to an abraded 25lb leader.

Then you'll wish you had used 40lb. cause I think those rockfish and
lingcod are not leader shy.

 I am still a newbie and I don't have very much experience but I think that if your 25 lb leader is abraided that bad you probably aren't checking it enough.     I just have not had abrasion problems yet and I drop to the bottom all the time.  I have acctually been using a 20lb leader most of the time with no probs.

I'm way more of newb than you I'm sure. my impression is you grew up fishing, no way to substitute for that kind of experience.  Learning as an adult is never quite the same.  I'll never catch up to most people that
learned as kids, just a fact.

pardon my posting style, mainly trying to think my own way through this.
best way is to talk to somebody with experience like yourself. sometimes you gotta poke 'em a little to get the good stuff. sorry bro.

In this case it sounds to me like you have a habit of checking the leader for abrasion, then you change it. I don't have that habit. So I'm probably better off with a heavier leader, assuming it doesn't inhibit the bite too much. I'm trying to convince myself it doesn't matter, but haven't quite succeeded.

I'm less worried about rock abrasion than I am abrasion from a fishes teeth when I have them on the line.  For rockfish and lings, I use 25# and haven't broken a fish off this year.  For halibut, I use 30#.

-Allen

All 4 of my Avets are spooled with the PowerPro. I run about 20-25 feet of 25# CarbonPro Flourocarbon leader as a top shot on each one attached to the Spectra by a Reverse Albright knot. These are replaced almost every trip or every other. Something I learned years ago and it proved itself back in my tournament fishing days is re-tie very often. Run the last 3 or 4 feet of mono through your lips and tongue after each fish. Being such a sensitive area, you'll feel any abrasion or nick in your line. If you feel anything then re-tie. If you don't you'll eventually beat yourself about the head and neck when you farm that  huge trophy fish at the boat....been there, done that but no more!