Flipping with braid

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:02 pm

Curious, how many guys on the delta flip with straight braid (no leader) all the time, not talking about punching.

Burke · Post by **Burke** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:08 pm

My two cousins and I use straight braid all the time (flipping, cranking, top water, swimbaits, worms, drop shotting, etc.). Never have had any problems with fishing straight braid.

alvyman · Post by **alvyman** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:55 pm

I think it's a confidence issue.Alot of guys are concerned with visibility,especially with slow moving baits.I only fish the Delta and agree with Burke 100%.I fish all braid all the time no exceptions.I feel the water is stained enough to not present a problem.However, I've talked to many Delta fisherman who think the exact opposite.You got to do what feels right to you.Regards...Mike

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:14 am

Never. Two major problems you'll experience is the braid has zero feel or sensitivity while on a slack line. Most of the time when flippin you are target flippen or pitching where it's important yer bait falls straight down versus swinging away from that target. Most bites come on that initial drop, if yer line is slack, yer gonna miss the pick up and your hookset to hookup ratio is poor. Second problem is when flippen around rocks, braid is just a cloth and is no match for the abrasion it endures, results, lost fish due to break offs. Fluorocarbon eliminates both of these problems.

I know a lot of guys who love and fish with straight braid here. I always recommend the fluoro to my clients prior to trips with me. More times than I can count over the years, every single angler who has showed up with braid and then said, "I've "NEVER" had a problem with flippin braid on the Delta", end up experiencing both the problems I mentioned above within the first hour out on the water with me. If yer only fishing tules, it prolly don't matter as much, but 60% of this River system is rock levee walls and if you spend enough time on those rocks like I do, you will break off flippen with braid regularly. It's inevitable.

Ceaser · Post by **Ceaser** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:30 am

This was always a dilema for me. Cooch is spot on about braid around rocks. No bueno. Good to have a mono/flouro flip rod and a braid flip rod ready. But when all is said and done, if you are flipping edges then by all means flouro is the one, but if your flipping and pitching over cover, to pockets deep in the tules or wood infested areas braids the deal. Ive had enough toads straighten xxh flip hooks on braid pulling and never looking back to know flouro wouldnt stand a chance. Gotta get a jig with a heavier hook i guess huh Cooch?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 9:01 am

Can't feel a bite on a slack line??? Maybe you need to get a better rod. I use braid when flipping jigs and punching. UNLESS... The water is super clear (5' viz) or flipping rocks. Braid will break easy on a Rock. The Dobyns 805 flip was built for this.

Now with plastics.... Senko or Texas rig.. I use 20# fluorocarbon. I think you get more bites with it. Punching and jigs are more of a reaction bite and the fish don't care about the braid.

merc1997 · Post by **merc1997** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:29 pm

i fish with braid all the time here on table rock, and we have clear water. i also fish with stren sonic braid clear blue florescent. i do not use a leader. we have rocks and lots of them, and they are super sharp. when i first started using braid i had some problems with the line popping on the hookset, and it was like someone cut your line with scissors. but, the problem did not lie with the line, it was from not putting enough wraps in my knot. braid scuff just any other line and will weaken from the scuff. you need to retie braid just as any other line, and more especially in rocks. i have not experienced the loss of feel flipping as others have stated. i have experienced better feel with braid.

i feel if you are breaking off often on the hookset, it is more of a knot problem than a line problem. by the way, when i used mono all the time, i also used florescent line.

bo

yjjustforme · Post by **yjjustforme** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:38 pm

I flip straight braid every time unless I'm flipping a senko or a jig on rip rap, other than that always straight braid.

TheChaz · Post by **TheChaz** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 11:59 pm

I flip strait braid every time im in brush especially in the delta. I started flippin with 65lb power pro after reading an article by whom I forgot(if this sounds familiar to anyone correct me) talking about throwing the heaviest braid on the market and the biggest fish being an oddball fish. Good article, Really though its all about the conditions and the anglers confidence.