Braided lines overview

Braid in six tables: carrier count, PE number vs lb, colour, leaders and knots, other braid types, spooling and troubleshooting.

Braid = near-zero stretch + thinner for the same strength + floats. Choose in this order: job (main line or contact section) → measured diameter and knot strength → carriers, coating, colour.

  1. Carrier count — Carrier count = yarn bundles on the braiding machine, not fibres. Same yarn and size: fewer carriers → thicker bundles → rougher surface. Beyond the count, four things…
  2. PE number vs lb rating — PE number = a size grade (linear density); lb = a strength label. There is no universal conversion. Before comparing, say which: same label lb, same measured break, or…
  3. Colour — Colour changes what you see first, and what the fish sees second. To see the line, go bright; to keep the main line away from the fish, add a leader rather than change…
  4. Leaders and knots — Leader lb ≈ PE number × 2.5–3 (open water) × 3–4 (cover) · PE 3 and above: tie direct, no leader. Adjusting the length Soft FC for finesse (keeps the action), stiff FC…
  5. Other braid types — Plain braid has four weak points: it floats, it throws wind knots, it fades, and it wears badly on hard surfaces. Each newer type below fixes one of them and pays for…
  6. Spooling and troubleshooting — Fill to 1–2 mm (about 1/16 in) below the lip, never flush. Tape the bare spool or lay a few turns of nylon first: braid on a bare spool can spin as a whole. A frog cast…

Further reading