Dying braid

[TWilson]

I had a thread a while back about which braid to use and what size, and some people brought up coloring the line with Sharpies. Smart idea, I'll never do it again. I went through 2 Sharpies trying to color 10ft of line. This brings me to my question. Is there any other way of dying the line? Preference is black.

[Bigwrench]

Maybe a black bingo blotter ?
Rubber gloves in and some of that black liquid laundry dye on a rag, run the line out and then hold the line between the rag as you reel it in maybe ?
Liquid edger Black shoe polish with the sponge ? The chemicals in some might affect the line strength ? May take that into consideration.
Could get messy though I would think.

[TWilson]

I thought of all of those, but the possibility of line damage was in the back of my head...

[Mike Cork]

I had a thread a while back about which braid to use and what size, and some people brought up coloring the line with Sharpies. Smart idea, I'll never do it again. I went through 2 Sharpies trying to color 10ft of line. This brings me to my question. Is there any other way of dying the line? Preference is black.

I'm not sure what happened here but I use the same sharpie for about a year. I won't go into how much I fish and all the rods I use braid on, but you must have had discount sharpies or something was way wrong with them.

[TWilson]

Sharpie brand from walmart. They just kept drying out. I'd put the cap on one and switch to the other. Vice versa. Idk. Maybe it's me.

[Pferox]

I don't mess with that anymore, never really thought it made much difference, but when I did I used a Marks A Lot, the wide one and cut a V in the felt applicator.  I usually mushed the tip down badly before it ran out.

I also was afraid that the stink from them stayed in the line for a while, another reason I quit doing it.

Actually I just got lazy.   

[TWilson]

Lazy is a good excuse...

[LgMouthGambler]

It don't make any difference to me. But I did try it. A sharpie lasted me a few months. Colored my line a lot too. I just don't bother anymore.

[TWilson]

I'm using it for c rig with a mono leader with floating lizards. Just thought about doing it and now that it's done, it's not an issue. Just a thought for it I do it again in the future.

[Scott F]

If it was possible to permanently color braided line, don't you think the manufactures would do it? The sharpie ink won't stick and it will just come off on you and your gear.

[Pferox]

If the braid is well worn, most of the things that make it repel the elements / lubricants is usually gone, then it will absorb the ink.  The ones that I did were almost white and probably should have been just cut off.

But you are right, it will fade, and sometimes stain, even the Permanent kind of ink.

[loomisguy]

I wouldn't be concerned with whats above the swivel if your using a leader..

[analfisherman]

I'm not sure what happened here but I use the same sharpie for about a year. I won't go into how much I fish and all the rods I use braid on, but you must have had discount sharpies or something was way wrong with them.

Ya, one or two Sharpies last me a season.

[Oldfart9999]

Yep, cut a v notch, keep the lid tight and only do about 3 feet or so of the line.
Rodney

[TheLastRodBender]

I've personally gotten into the habit of using my old braid for backfill.  It is easy to uni-knot into any other line, and it gives me a very distinct change in line so I can tell when I'm getting close to needing new line.  Plus, when it's spooled on tight, it wont allow new braid / mono / flouro to cut into itself, helping me with casting and preventing backlash.  I don't even try to color it.... I also don't get to fish as often as most around here, so the expensive to me for new braid is less then others.

I will say that I do this with my big time, flippin and jig braid.  50 - 65 lb.

[coldfront]

I had a thread a while back about which braid to use and what size, and some people brought up coloring the line with Sharpies. Smart idea, I'll never do it again. I went through 2 Sharpies trying to color 10ft of line. This brings me to my question. Is there any other way of dying the line? Preference is black.

depending on the application, it might be easier to just tie on a flouro leader...

[WRB]

You think black is harder for bass to see? All you are doing is wasting your time and getting dye everywhere you don't want it.
FINS makes a superbraid with permanent colors, used the green color line since the early 90's without any issues or with dye problems.
Tom

[earldogg]

I use a sharpie with a large applicator occasionally on my hi viz braid, not to disguise my line, but to help me distinguish how deep my bait is. There are occasions this helps. Gl

[TWilson]

Don't use fluoro and don't plan on starting now.

[DonM]

I tried it on yellow 50# braid last week.  No problem doing it with a Green Sharpie, but I can't see that it makes any difference to the fish.
DonM

[Smallie_Stalker]

Even in the gin clear waters I fish I don't think it makes any difference. In the past I have used Sharpies with no problems, and they lasted a long time.

Also Viscious fishing is one of a few companies that makes a marker specifically for coloring braid. Can't speak for any of them though as I never used them.

[TWilson]

There's a company that makes black braid, which disappears beautifully in my waters, however, the lowest poundage they have is 80#....my luck

[Pferox]

There's a company that makes black braid, which disappears beautifully in my waters, however, the lowest poundage they have is 80#....my luck

Check the carp fishing sites, most of their lines in England are camouflage or black, they usually run up to about 30lbs give or take.  There are some American stores selling that stuff online.

[OkobojiEagle]

There's a company that makes black braid, which disappears beautifully in my waters

Imagine lying on the bottom of your stream looking at your black line silhouetted against the light blue sky with fluffy white clouds... is your line as camouflaged from this perspective?  From what vantage point are the bass viewing your line?  Camouflaging your line is as much about the background the line will be viewed against as it is about the color of the line itself.

My line color of choice is faded gray.

oe

[BassmanRudy]

I'm not a huge believer either way But I know that if I color my green braid black then "I" no longer see it in the water!! :-) of course we fish stained water a lot or the tannic bottoms from lily pads!