04-26-2006, 06:48 AM
I've been using 30lb test Power Pro on nearly all of my newer reels, and all of my freshwater reels for years with no problem? I haven't had any guide problems at all. (I did had Fireline groove some of my older rods, but that's not a braided line), but haven't had any problems since switching to Power Pro. I have run Whiplash on three of my smaller surf outfits for 3 years, with no problems at all either. Even when I was using Fireline, the only wear I did get was on the tips of my plugging or jigging rods, nothing was noticable on the live bait set ups.
As far as running braided line on conventional reels or rods, the guides on a conventional rod are made of the same materials as a spinning rod, so I don't see where that would make a difference?
I would venture to say that any good quality aluminum oxide, non cushioned guide like the Fuji Hardloy or Pac Bay Hialoy guides or better would all hold up to any braided line made today. It's the older ceramic or chrome plated or bronze guides that had serious problems with the early braids. Besides, there were some early braids that used Kevlar or other fibers that were abrasive, Spectra and Dyneema are both very guide friendly. While dirt can be picked up on the line, the amount that it would take to groove a good quality guide, especially in a live bait fishing application would be almost non existant. I freshwater fished in cedar water for years with Fireline and Power Pro and neither ever grooved any of my aluminum oxide guides. (Fireline did groove a few of my older brown ceramic equipped guides, but they were cheap guides to begin with).
I do see where running a very small diameter line on an older conventional reel could be a problem, I have seen cases were the lighter lines have gotten behind the spool, a good cure for that is to simply run a heavier line. I have several Penn GTi series reels on boat rods, and find that I'm safest running nothing lighter than 50lb test, and 65 or 80lb on the larger reels. (I have 100lb test on my 345GTi reels on Roller Rods, simply since it was the only diameter that wouldn't foul in the roller guides, and can't get behind the spool. The larger diameter also helps prevent ugly crossed lines.
I am more concerned about the older spinning reels. As far as the line being flat, only the original Spiderwire is real flat, with Power Pro, Stealth, Stren Braid, Tuf Line, and Fins are round braids, with Power Pro and Stealth being the most round. Whiplash sort of has a combination of characteristics, it's a braid like Power Pro, made of Dyneema fibers like Spiderwire, but is not round and tightly woven like Power Pro. Whiplash seems to be the strongest as far as size vs. test. I have Whiplash currently on several Okuma EB80 reels and have never had any problems with line twist, no have I seen any line twist on my Daiwa Emblem reels. (It's been my experience that any reel that uses a 'V' groove type line roller all seem to do an excellent job controlling line twist, regardless of the type of line).
My concerns are with why so many insist on not using it on the older reels? I could understand if there was no line roller, or if there was a gap next to the line roller that could catch the line, but the Penn and Daiwa reels seem fine that way. I can understand not using it on a reel like an old Mitchell 302, since it has no line roller and the non skirted spool could allow the line to get behind the spool.
The Penn 9500ss looks like it should work fine?
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As far as running braided line on conventional reels or rods, the guides on a conventional rod are made of the same materials as a spinning rod, so I don't see where that would make a difference?
I would venture to say that any good quality aluminum oxide, non cushioned guide like the Fuji Hardloy or Pac Bay Hialoy guides or better would all hold up to any braided line made today. It's the older ceramic or chrome plated or bronze guides that had serious problems with the early braids. Besides, there were some early braids that used Kevlar or other fibers that were abrasive, Spectra and Dyneema are both very guide friendly. While dirt can be picked up on the line, the amount that it would take to groove a good quality guide, especially in a live bait fishing application would be almost non existant. I freshwater fished in cedar water for years with Fireline and Power Pro and neither ever grooved any of my aluminum oxide guides. (Fireline did groove a few of my older brown ceramic equipped guides, but they were cheap guides to begin with).
I do see where running a very small diameter line on an older conventional reel could be a problem, I have seen cases were the lighter lines have gotten behind the spool, a good cure for that is to simply run a heavier line. I have several Penn GTi series reels on boat rods, and find that I'm safest running nothing lighter than 50lb test, and 65 or 80lb on the larger reels. (I have 100lb test on my 345GTi reels on Roller Rods, simply since it was the only diameter that wouldn't foul in the roller guides, and can't get behind the spool. The larger diameter also helps prevent ugly crossed lines.
I am more concerned about the older spinning reels. As far as the line being flat, only the original Spiderwire is real flat, with Power Pro, Stealth, Stren Braid, Tuf Line, and Fins are round braids, with Power Pro and Stealth being the most round. Whiplash sort of has a combination of characteristics, it's a braid like Power Pro, made of Dyneema fibers like Spiderwire, but is not round and tightly woven like Power Pro. Whiplash seems to be the strongest as far as size vs. test. I have Whiplash currently on several Okuma EB80 reels and have never had any problems with line twist, no have I seen any line twist on my Daiwa Emblem reels. (It's been my experience that any reel that uses a 'V' groove type line roller all seem to do an excellent job controlling line twist, regardless of the type of line).
My concerns are with why so many insist on not using it on the older reels? I could understand if there was no line roller, or if there was a gap next to the line roller that could catch the line, but the Penn and Daiwa reels seem fine that way. I can understand not using it on a reel like an old Mitchell 302, since it has no line roller and the non skirted spool could allow the line to get behind the spool.
The Penn 9500ss looks like it should work fine?
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