Fishing Forum

Has anyone tried this new braid like by Shakespear yet? How does it seem to work in comparison to Power Pro or Stren Super Braid? What about cost?
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Hey T4me. The Ugly Braid was put on the test board over a year and a half ago.

That product shouldn't even have hit the market. There were so many bad reviews on it(mine too) that they were slated to cancel production.

It tends to break off at 15% over what the line is rated for. That may be OK for your average "Joe" but it would never pass the specs if you wanted to enter a species for IGFA records.

Even the official IGFA line is expensive and the Ugly Braid runs right around the price of Power Pro.[pirate]
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No kidding? I thought it just came out. LOL, I guess I got caught holding the smoking gun of stupidity that time. [crazy]

You know, power pro is being questioned about it's breaking strengths by the IGFA as well. I read an article about it not long ago. In that IGFA book I got at the seminar, it has all the rules, including the max breaking point for each pound test line. Each test line has a different percentage past the pound test it is allowed to break.

Did you know it cost like 50 bucks to submit a record? Isn't that a crock? It cost members, like myself, 40 bucks. That seems like alot of money.

Seriously though, is there any money involved in breaking a record? I've asked this before and no one seems to know.
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Power pro is one of the best braided lines imo. I have nothing but good thinks to say. Have not found a braid that can compare to the quailty. Just my .02 cents
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It did just come out on the public market. It has been going through some rigorous testing and couldn't make the mark.

It seems like IGFA and the tackle shops make more of the money for the records.

Have you seen the price of IGFA approved mono?? Check it out at Cabelas. You may think that the price is decent since the have 1000yd spools.[cool]
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Welcome aboard fishing_ak. Thanks for your opinion too. Everyone counts in the vote.

Have you ever tried the Calcutta braided line?? That one is very comparable to the Power Pro. It also has a comperable breaking strength to the Power Pro.

The coating on it requires a SanDiego knot but it won't slip on you like some of the braids that are out there.[cool]
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I agree with you fishin_ak, power pro is one of the best lines on the market. The problem the IGFA was having with it was that a large amount of the test line was breaking way past it's pound test. If it goes too far over, no record. That's serious stakes for trophy hunters. But, power pro is a hard line to beat.

Now, this is where tuben2 and I disagree. LOL [] I think calcutta braid is crap, atleast from my experiance. It has a flatter composition and tends to twist alot worse than Stren super braid or power pro. It also has a tendacy to bury in the spool under intense stress. If you're going to spend the money anyhow, just get power pro. []
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Calcutta will work better if you spend a little money on some quality backing. I found that out during the test.[]

I did my Avet LX with 400yds of backing and 200yds of 30lb Calcutta. I pulled in some big fish and didn't have a problem with the next set of casts.

I did a similar test on my Saltist 50 without the backing. Only put about 700yds of braided. It tends to get slushy on you causing it to need a different way of reeling it in.

The trick is to criss cross or zigzag it as you are winding it in. It is not recommended to us on any style of level wind though. It doesn't zig zag it fast enough.

Give it a try sometime. Even with the Power Pro. You will see how much better it will cast for you on those long range casts.[cool]
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I actually thought about doing the zig zag thing with the line, but I was affraid that if I hung a speedy fish, it could cause a tangle when the line is being stripped off.

I'm not a big fan of doing a top shot on a reel, unless I need it. Usually, I do it the other way around anyhow. I'll do a topshot of Mono over braid as a shot absorber. [cool]
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The Zig Zag is only used when you are reeling in the unbit line. It helps to lengthen your next cast. My buddies still wonder how I can throw a Taddy 45 over 130 yds with a Newell 220. Not only is the Newell in my favor for casting but I zig zag the braided on it.[cool]
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