# Braid for snook



## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

Braid has no abrasion resistance as compared to mono.IMHO


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Once they get into the mangroves it's probably not going to make any difference which weight line you have.


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## redjim (Oct 16, 2012)

You could fish 100 lb Mono and it will still happen time after time again if the fish are big enough.

Like the others said most prefer mono in the bushes. You are not going to turn them all.


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## gheenoelotide (Feb 5, 2015)

talking about heavier line to put the heat on them to KEEP THEM FROM GOING INTO THE MANGROVES... so what is everyones setup for working mangrove shorelines and pitching baits undeneath them?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Line won't matter at all if your other tackle can not do the job.

50lb line spooled on a reel with 30lb drag bolted to a 30lb class rod.

Leave your trout rod at home.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Your tackles not the problem, it's the guy behind the reel.
When you hook another big boy and he starts beelining for the mangroves, open the bail and put it in freespool. He'll stop immediately. No no pressure on the line, no urge to run


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

most snook battles in the mangroves are short distance fights with only a few seconds to do the right things...
  ---with 20lb braid and 30lb mono leader i bring a lot of big fish to the boat. any tackle larger than that is hard to cast and will wear you out pretty quick.

20lb. tackle / braid
good knots
strong non wire hooks
quality lures
- will make a difference and big snook will gas out pretty fast if you put the mucho macho on them.  

10-15 lb tackle is for guppies in open flats.


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

I agree with a lot of the comments here--you probably don't turn them all no matter what and braid parts quick on hard sharp stuff no matter the test. I've never tried opening the bail, that's interesting. 

I fish snook around limestone and oysters as well as more open areas, so my goal is to have a shot at landing a big fish and still be able to cast and enjoy smaller reds/snook. I prefer 20-30lb braid with a 2-3' 30lb flouro leader to a short (<12") section of 40lb flouro or 50lb mono. I use stradic 4000/5000's on st croix medium fast 7'6" inshore spinners (decent backbone). With this tackle, my attitude is still that at least a couple things went right for me to land a big fish around cover. Here I'm considering a "big" snook >36", but rarely encounter one over 40". 

If I got keyed into really big snook around cover, I'd be looking for shallow water grouper tackle that could handle drag set at at least 15lbs, which is asking a fair bit of the rod. But I'd also probably be fishing at night and making short pitches with big baits.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

No snook or mangroves over here, just big reds and drum and oysters, but I just wanted to mention a reel I plan to check out for similar situations. The Shimano Ultegra and Ultegra CI4; it's billed as a surf fishing reel, but the drag strength and line capacity vs. weight are the best in their line up.

ULT5500XSC: 
mono - 10/425,12/315,16/230 
braid - 30/360,40/270,50/220 
max drag - 33 lb
weight - 17.8 oz.

ULCI45500XSB:
mono - 10/425,12/315,16/230
braid - 30/360,40/270,50/220 
max drag - 33 lb. 
weight - 15.9 oz.


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## BadKnotGuy (Jul 8, 2012)

I would worry less about the braid and more about the knots you hold it together with. Even a 20lb braid will have a breaking strength way above the pressure level that can be put on it in most cases. Most back country size spinning reels won't be able to put enough drag pressure on it to break the line in fact (assuming your throwing lures using up to say a 4000 size reel). If the line does fail it is more likely that it was knicked or weakened somehow earlier in the day. For big snook it might suit you better to learn a good knot to double the line and then another good knot to attach it to your 30 or 40 lb test flouro leader (for the abrasion resistance). Even a seemingly low drag number like 10lbs is actually really really high. Trying lifting a 10lb weight off the floor with your fishing rod and you'll see what I mean...


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## gheenoelotide (Feb 5, 2015)

> Your tackles not the problem, it's the guy behind the reel.
> When you hook another big boy and he starts beelining for the mangroves, open the bail and put it in freespool. He'll stop immediately. No no pressure on the line, no urge to run



easier said then done..the problem is the guy behind the reel? Come on....


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## gheenoelotide (Feb 5, 2015)

and thanks everyone else, will be stepping up my tackle


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## Frank_Sebastian (Oct 15, 2007)

I fish for snook under the docks here in the Sebastian area. I use a Penn jigmaster with 30# braid on a 7' 30# class rod. I only fill the spool 2/3 full to gain a little more leverage when cranking. It works better for me than anything else I have tried.

I think 30# braid is more cut resistance than mono and seems stronger as well.

Best regards,
Frank


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

> Your tackles not the problem, it's the guy behind the reel.
> When you hook another big boy and he starts beelining for the mangroves, open the bail and put it in freespool. He'll stop immediately. No no pressure on the line, no urge to run


I've always used this as a last resort rather than right after hooking a fish but I agree and it works on most species that tend to run for cover.


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## Harlieb3 (Dec 16, 2013)

You can definitely steer large fish where you want them to go. I don't open the spool but you lay off when they start in a direction you don't want them to go. I never completely take the bend out of the rod but just back the pressure off and they'll stop or turn. Then you can get back to it. 30lb braid with Bimini to 20lb fluorocarbon.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

> and thanks everyone else, will be stepping up my tackle


My apologies, my post wasnt meant to be directed at you as a bad fisherman. My point was with your question your going to get 15 different suggestions on new reels and rods, when yes a bigger setup would help if you want to just lock the drag and basically ruin the whole fight. And no its not easier said than done, it just takes time and experience. I live in an area of world class snook fishing only rivaled by mexico or costa rica, ive caught plenty but im not here to brag, only help with suggestions many havent heard of. The whole point of opening the bail is to stop him before he goes for the mangroves, and as long as your barb stays in place it will give you a couple seconds time to maybe better maneuver your boat or your position in the boat etc before resuming the fight. And 9 times out of 10, when you open the bail around mangroves the snook usually head to open water for some reason, where the fight can then be resumed on light tackle and you will feel much more accomplished rather than using an oversized setup and horsing the fish in


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

There is some good advise here Lawrence.  But what is lacking with your post is more details.

Tell us how you are fishing the mangroves, what rod (brand, model, size, etc.), reel, what brand braid, leader, what hook & size, knots, Also are you using a push pole, trolling motor, free drifting, what rig and bait are you using and how are you setting the hook and how you are fighting the fish?  Is there clear, snag free water behind you?  A channel, flat, more mangroves behind you?

Answer these questions and you will get more accurate answers.  Don't rule out operator error, equipment, rigging, line and what you are doing.


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## gheenoelotide (Feb 5, 2015)

> There is some good advise here Lawrence.  But what is lacking with your post is more details.
> 
> Tell us how you are fishing the mangroves, what rod (brand, model, size, etc.), reel, what brand braid, leader, what hook & size, knots, Also are you using a push pole, trolling motor, free drifting, what rig and bait are you using and how are you setting the hook and how you are fighting the fish?  Is there clear, snag free water behind you?  A channel, flat, more mangroves behind you?
> 
> Answer these questions and you will get more accurate answers.  Don't rule out operator error, equipment, rigging, line and what you are doing.



Gloomis pro green 7'6"
Shimano ci4 4000
10# braid
25# flouro
uni to uni knot
jighead with curl tailed grub
fishing parralel to mangroves(i know....)
snag free water to the side
on IPILOT, first trip using it
fish all broke off within a few seconds


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## gheenoelotide (Feb 5, 2015)

way undergunned


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I use a greenwater 7ft 6in, 10-20 lb rod, Diawa Certate 3000 with 30lb samurai and 30 lb floro leader. 3 uni knots. As soon as I hook something I start moving away from the mangroves but it doesn't always work. Ea hook up is different.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

> > There is some good advise here Lawrence.  But what is lacking with your post is more details.
> >
> > Tell us how you are fishing the mangroves, what rod (brand, model, size, etc.), reel, what brand braid, leader, what hook & size, knots, Also are you using a push pole, trolling motor, free drifting, what rig and bait are you using and how are you setting the hook and how you are fighting the fish?  Is there clear, snag free water behind you?  A channel, flat, more mangroves behind you?
> >
> ...



sometimes when you get into the big girls theres nothing you can do...... 
just be glad your hooking em.


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## GTSRGTSR (Nov 10, 2009)

I use 20lb braid and 30 lb leader, I used to use flouro exclusivly, but have been using regular mono recently(may go back to flouro...)

Was out last night and had a real nice snook hit it and take me to the piling, breaking the 30 lb leader. It was mostly my fault , but I am not 100 % sure I could have stopped this one the way hit hit and ran. I caught 2 more nice ones and capped the night with a keeper size, just over 28...

I would ditch the 10 and use 20...


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Lawrence, is it the same rod that devrep has?  If you are throwing 10lb braid, I'm sure it's not.

Look, that's a nice outfit for the open flats and situations where you have plenty of room to fight a fish, but how you are fishing and what you are bringing to the fight is like bringing a Chihuahua to a dog fight!  I can write an article about this very subject, but I'll spare you the details.

1st - Don't go parallel, you'll never win that battle!  Snook know exactly where they need to go to cut you off.  Get perpendicular and fan your cast, then use that fancy iPilot to tool you down the bank and pick up where you left off and continuing fanning.  Try to stay no closer than 50ft and no further than 100ft+/- from mangrove shoreline.

Your tackle - I would step up the rod to the 10-20lb in a 7ft stick for jigging.  If you don't want to spend the money on a Loomis, then buy it in a Hurricane Calico Jack ($59) or a St Croix Triumph in a 7ft 10-20lb ($79).  Again you can go to a less expensive Shimano or buy a Okuma Epixor ($59) or better level of Okuma in a 40 spool it up with 20lb Spiderwire Ultra Braid or Invisibraid.  I'll tie on 6ft of 20lb fluorocarbon and about 18" of 40lb of fluoro for the bite leader.

Here is the key.....  You need to have that trolling motor at the point where the moment you get a hook set, you wheel the bow of the boat around fast and drag the fish out in open water, almost with a complete palm lock on the spool until you are in clear, snag free water to fight the fish in.

The bite - if you are fishing the jig slowly, they will bump it slowly.  If you are working it fast and hard, they will hit it hard and get all excited.  So work it slower and let them bump it but don't hit them hard (see below).

The hook set - Snook are a unique type of fish.  If you hit them like "Ike" in the Bass Master Classic, he will shank you in the sticks before you know it, I don't care what lb test you are using.  I knew guys that use to use aircraft cable on docks to avoid that, back in the day.  So you need sharp hooks that penetrate and trust they do just that and just lift the rod as high as you can and hold the pressure without hitting him and use the trolling motor to drag you out of there.  It's all got to be done in a hurry and with one smooth motion.  While you lift the rod and hold it up high, you reel as fast as you can while getting the trolling motor turned out.  That will turn the fish's head up and confuse him and keep him from diving down.  Once they can get a foothold and turn downwards, then you will have big problems and he'll (she'll) bulldog you into the roots.  Also, with big pressure on it when it's turned down, that's where he'll cut the leader using it's gill plates.

Remember, when you hit them hard, they'll react and find something to cut you off!!!  But when you smoothly and gently apply pressure on them (almost like using a circle hook), pulling them upward and outward, it confuses them for a brief moment and they will not put up as much fight and will come out with you.  You literally have seconds during this moment to do so in one smooth motion before he figures out what's going on.  If you wait too long, then he'll head for the bushes, or dock pilings, or rocks, etc., etc...  It's all the same!  Get it?

Once out away from the mangroves, you can hit him with a couple of sharp snapping hook sets, but still not those largemouth bass hook sets you see on TV, just to ensure the barb if fully penatrated.  Back the pressure off and play the fish with a lighter drag, which will keep you from getting cut off or bull dogging you back into the bushes.  If he heads back to the bushes, get his head turned back up and drag him back out and away from the mangroves using the same techniques.  Also, bow to him when it jumps just like you would a tarpon to avoid it throwing the jig.

Again, perpendicular as much as you can only and not parallel to the shore (it's a loosing battle).  Step up your gear and your line (and leader).  Don't hit em hard but lift the fish's head up high and keep it up above or at the surface as you reel fast and drag it out away from the bushes with the trolling motor.

Jigging mangrove shorelines with 30lb sucks and I would avoid it if all possible.  You can leave that for your bigger bait rods.  I will actually use 15lb Invisibraid with a 8-17lb 7ft rod with 30# fluoro leader for most of my jigging and can get them out the same way.  But if I know I'm in those areas where the snook tend to run bigger, I will break out the rod I described above (10-20lb 7ft w/20lb Invisibraid with 40lb fluoro leader).

Btw, the open free spool trick works, I just don't use it unless they get hung up.

Again, snook know instinctively every place to cut you off and will do so the moment you give it a chance and especially when you hit it hard and apply lots of pressure on him. Reds and tarpon don't hardly do that.

Good Luck!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

GTSR, was hoping to hear if any of these little tricks has helped you pull out some linesiders from the sticks?


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