Spiderwire braid

[River_eye]

Any of you guys use this. I've been using fireline, and I was in the local tackle shop and the owner tried to sell me the spiderwire saying it's pretty much the same, although I'm pretty sure it isn't.

Any comments on the stuff?

River eye

[Chuck Pederson MN]

I think you will do just fine with the fireline in the right situation. That spiderwire unless used on Mitchell rods and reels can be a nightmare. I have seen guys get hung up and bury the line into itself to a real meltdown. Just short of a blowtorch to clear the reel. Also in cold situations it can slip on the reel and eat your eyes. I have used it when deep verticle jigging before fireline came out worked OK but be carefull if you get hung up don't grab it with your hands and keep a clipper handy. Carry bandaids. Good luck.

[Brad]

Great stuff for the right application. You can use it for trolling and get all the feedback you can stand. You can tell if you have weeds etc. You must be careful not to tear the hooks out (no Stretch). For casting it's great. Jigging OK. Worming for Bass. NO.

[FreeByrd]

RiverEye,
I use SpiderWire Braid trolling on Erie for walleye and steelhead, and Lake Ontario for Salmon and trout. I use if for everything from pulling dipseys, jet divers, cranks, with downriggers, off of big boards. I tried Fireline before this and didn't like it. It seemed to fray pretty quick, wore out from releases, and was just a pain to use. Perhaps I had a bad batch of fireline, but having used both - my preference is for Spiderwire Braid. I now use rubber bands for releases on boards and downriggers. I use 50# test / ten pound diameter. Once you get used to it I believe you will like it. I use diawa 27 linecounter reels, St Croix rods for my board rods, Shimano rods for downriggers, and Okuma rods for dipseys. I've not experienced the problems mentioned above. It is more expensive than other lines but with as long as it lasts I figure i'm better off spending the money when I need line to get what I like.
Good Luck,
Steve

[JustLookN]

I tried the Spiderwire trolling and at the end of second season it was breaking, maybe i got old batch, the ironthread (discontinued) i used before this lasted 3 years and was changed due to getting short on some reels not rotten, trying Ripcord now, hope it lasts longer, my second choice was Power Pro, priced better than the ripcord but wasnt sure how it would hold up on the salmon..Bob

[BILL]

I USE SPIDER WIRE FOR TROLLING AND FOR JIGGING AND WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOWNRIGGER, THE LINE CUTS INTO THE RELEASES. YOU SAY YOU USE RUBBER BANDS ON YOUR RELEASE. HOW DOES THAT WORK AND WHAT SIZE DO YOU USE?

[EAGLE EYES]

River_eye,

I MHO, Spiderwire cannot be beat on bait-casting reels.
it's limpness is very forgiving. But, as far as spinning reels go, Fireline has been very good to me, and I really have no complaints. The main reason I don't like use Spiderwire on spinning reels, is it seems to hold back on casting distance because it's chemical makeup is not as "slippery" as Fireline. Good luck! and May the fish be with you! EE

[chrism]

Eric
I've tried both fireline and spiderwire - they are real good, but they do fray, especially where you'll be fishing... I would suggest you try powerpro, it is my favorite choice - Ernies has it in stock. I use 2/10 for walleyes and 8/30 for the big stuff (cats/pike/trolling). Almost the same price....
This line does lighten up in color as you use it, as do the other two - I just take a stinky felt marker and color the last 3-5ft of line.
Are ya ready for the weekend?

[FreeByrd]

Bill,
Couple different ways. I use anywhere from a size 12 to size 16 depending on wave conditions. I cinch the rubber band around the line, then use a pinch pad release - I just use a cumler planar board release. Most of the time just clip the band in the release so it will pull out when a fish hits, but sometimes will loop the band behind the pad so a fish will break the band. These two methods allow the band to stretch with waves and with small fish. Other thing some guys do is just cinch the band around the line, bury the knot and the spiderwire in a pinchpad release. The pads will grip the rubberband knot. This method is good for bigger fish - trout / salmon, but I prefer the other metods when there are smaller eyes or even whitebass, sheapshead in the area. You can learn to "read" the rod tip when you have the band helping relay the action of what's going on with your lure. Other thing that helps with this is putting a dipsey snubber between the downrigger ball and the release. This helps you detect small fish or debris. Nothing worse than dragging around a hitchhiker for a couple hours.
Hope this helps,
Steve

[Butch]

I have used Spiderwire since the week it came out.
In fact I just replaced that original line last week. (4-5years old) and it was still good. (50# test) But, I had trimmed it down so much that I only had about 40 yards left.
I use it purely for Bass or Muskie.
I use Fireline for all my Walleye fishing.
Spider is GREAT but in certain situations...

Hope this helps?

B2

See ya on the water!

[FreeByrd]

Bob,
Just wondering if you had Spiderwire BRAID? This is the most durable stuff I've seen/used. The spiderwire FUSION is different stuff - more like a fireline I believe. I also have some of the discontinued Gorilla Braid from Berkley which is also awesome stuff.
Catch some big ones!
Steve

[Slugchucker]

I too have used Spriderwire since its inception, beforethe Superbraid wars broke out. I still have the Spectra Spiderwire of 30 # test and 6 # diameter on a reel.

For casting situations in heavy cover , it is unmatched. No line memory on the spool, zero stretch, don't need much of a hookset.

I have used Fireline for jigging in the Canadian shield but didn't care for it. Great sensitivity no doubt, but frayed easily, and I found myself needing to retie too often.

Have never used either for trolling or on boards, but I love the Spiderwire for casting. It cost me over $20 for a spool, but that spool has lasted at least five years, so in the end it is probably cheaper than respooling with premier monofilament these days.

[River_eye]

Thanks Chris

I'll have to try some of that stuff.

I guess you could say I'm ready for the weekend, although I won't be able to fish till after supper. I'm going up to the lodge today, and my first day of work is tomorrow.

Maybe I'll see you around, you have a green lund with a honda 50 right? or is it blue?

Take it easy

River eye

[River_eye]

Thanks for the info everybody. Good luck on opening weekend.

River eye

[vetspet(ind)]

spider has some very good and bad points....it will hold just enough water if it is below 32 degrees F to freeze onto itself on the spool and you will not be fishing...this has happened to me....on the other hand sometimes my trilene seems to get brittle when its real cold out but not freezing and small 1-2 lb coho break my 8 lb line...lost 6 or 8 lures one day alone...went to spider wire 8/20....no more lost lures....it also ate one of my eyes on a st croix rod.....a local fishing writer says it does not eat eyes but i think it did mine....i use 2/8 for crappie/bluegill fishing with small ice jigs and it will straighten the hook every time whereas my buddies are cussing because their lines break when they try to pull snags loose... i really like it when the panfish are bedding in pads or sticks...steve

[JustLookN]

It was the braid, maybe i bought some old inventory at the time, the ripcord seems alot like the Ironthread i use to use before it was not available, hopefully it will last as long. Has your spiderwire lasted few years? At the price i had to try something different after not getting 2 full years out of the spiderwire..Good Luck...Bob

[Mattman]

I prefer the braids on baitcasters. Many of the reasons have already been mentioned. Doesn't dig or birds nest as bad, very limp especially in the heavier poundages, I think it casts better (off a baitcaster), I think its much more manageable on a baitcaster.

I prefer Fusion or Fireline on spinning reels. I think it casts much better (off a spinning reel), less prone to freezing because it doesn't hold as much water, with a little usage it gets quite limp, I think its much more manageable on a spinning reel.

Superlines are made from spun polyethylene (milk jugs) which is a naturally "waxy" plastic. It has its own lubricant. Fireline and Fusion fuse the spun fibers together while the braids, you guessed it, braid them into a line. Guide wear should not happen even with braids. I've had braids on a cheaper baitcasting rod of mine for 3 years now and even those cheap guides aren't showing wear. So, I really don't expect my higher end rods to show any. Older braids weren't always polyethylene and those that weren't did wear guides.