All Braids Aren't Created Equal!!

Until just recently I thought all braid lines on the market were about equal.  Well that is most of them I'll say as there are a few I'd never consider using again.  About a month ago I picked up some FINS XS Braid and after the first day of fishing it I was truly impressed.  I would have had some video of me fishing it too, but that was also the day I lost my GoPro and the video I shot was lost with the camera.  Sorry, I'm still a bit upset about that but lets move on about this FINS Braid. The XS is made from 8 Strands of Spectra Fibers and this really makes this line round.  It even feels round to the touch and it also feels smaller than most of the other Braids.  It is a lot quieter than most of the other braids too and that is also attributed to it being so round.  No it is not as quiet as Mono or Fluoro, sorry.

 
When I started the day I had new FINS on all my casting rods and have to say I wasn't sure if it was any different from the rest to start.  If you've fished braid much you will know that it takes some time for it to break in so to speak.  Well it only took about 10-12 cast before I started seeing a difference and by the end of the day all I can say is WOW!  I was making some really long casts into the wind and was having no real problems with backlashes.  Sure I'd be telling a lie if I said I was casting into the wind with no backlashes, but the ones I did have were very small and easy to get out.  I did catch one really good fish on it too in heavy timber so I had my drag locked down pretty tight.  Normally when I do this and catch a good fish the next cast sucks.  This is because the line bites down into the spool when setting the hook and fighting a fish on a tight drag.  Then the next cast will bind when it gets to that spot and stops your lures momentum.  This did not happen with the FINS XS on the next cast.

Now I know what you are thinking.  You are thinking why didn't I mention this new line when I did that report on the Lake Fayette trip, right?  I really wish I had a better reason than I just plain forgot, but that is the reason.  I guess I was too upset about the camera and just forgot to say anything.  The good news is I've fished the Bayou with this line now and I purposely didn't say anything in that report so that I could write an article just about this line.  Speaking of the Bayou; it is tough on line and that is especially true when you are fishing the laid down timber like I was this past weekend.  The reason for this is the Bayous are brackish water and just about every piece of timber in the water have barnacles all over them.  These barnacles cut line like a hot knife through butter and they are very tough even on braid!!  Well right before I started writing this article I did a check to see how the line had fared.  The truth is I couldn't find one nick or wear mark on the line that is on my Swim Jig or Flipping rods.  So not only is FINS XS very castable it is also a very tough customer and can withstand even the tough cover like barnacle encrusted timber.  Yes I know you have gone back to the Bayou article by now and check to see the line and are saying that don't look like braid.  You are right as I was running about a 6 foot Fluoro leader.  Now the leader did have some nick in it from the barnacles.  If you want a good knot for connecting Fluoro to Braid then check out my buddy Joey Randall's video.

Bottom line here folks is I'm going to highly recommend that you give FINS braids a try.  I'm going to get some of their 10lb Wind Tamer Braid for my Finesse Spinning setup also and give it a try so there might be another article in the works soon.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!