Braid as a backing for trolling reels??

[Fishbowl836]

Getting ready to replace the backing on a lot of my trolling reels.  Would like to hear the Pro's/Con's and what type/brand of Braid most people are using as a backing on trolling reels.  Also, any suggestion on the best place to purchase the new braid?  Thank you for your time and effort.

 

Fishbowl836

[Crestliner1850]

Using braid as backing gets very expensive. Depending on the sizes of your reels you could use 20 lbs big game. That's what I have on all my reels as backing. I only have two reels with braid as backing, my wire rods.

[HB2]

Why would you use braid as backing on a mono rod ? 

 

I use 20# big game as suggested . Then when fleas get bad , I splice in 150 ft of 30 or 40# ,then 25 ft  15 or 20#  tippet . 

My wire rod has braid backing . I use power pro or suffix but I would think any major brand is good . 

 

Here is my trick to get max amount of backing and braid, wire on perfect . This is where those old trolling reels with bad drags come in handy . 

 

Reel onto your good reel the tippet first , then the 30# splice or your wire , then fill to capacity with the backing  till full . Transfer that to one of the bad reel . Transfer that to the  2 nd bad reel . 

Then transfer from the 2nd bad reel to the good reel . 

It is now filled perfect . 

It's,a lot of trouble , but it works . Got sick of under or over filling . 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by HB2

[FishingFool34]

I wouldn't use braid as backing on anything that I didn't plan on getting the backing wet on. Wire diver and down rigger setups will do just fine with mono backing. Once you get into leadcore and copper setups you will prolly want braid backing for most of those setups because the backing will see the water. On my 1/3/5 color setups I do mono, 200yds braid then the lead. Everything over 5 colors and 200+ copper I use full braid backing. I have been using KastKing braid for a couple years now with no issues, it's pretty stiff stuff and I wouldn't recommend it for a traditional fishing setup (ie spinning/baitcast reel) but it works well for trolling applications. It's also much cheaper than big name brands.

[sherman brown]

you need a mono backing so the braid doesn't slip on the spool. I didnt use any backing when I first started using braid. went out trolling and had 3 reels that kept giving me trouble. sent them to tuna tom to get then repaired. he drilled a hole in the reel spool to put a pin in and sent them back to me and let me know that the braid was slipping. now I use 150' of 17# mono as a backer for my braid. braid is to costly to use as backing.