Braid Fade

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Not sure if this is the right place, but it seemed to make sense to me...

Should I worry when my braided line starts fading?
I like Daiwa J-braid. Only color available locally is moss green, not sure if it even comes in any other colors and haven't bothered looking it up.
I'd hate to think I'm supposed to respool when it starts to fade, as it only takes about two days of fishing to start noticing it.
I've used other braids that kept their color longer, but I just like this stuff.

The line on my two Shimanos and my spinning reel look to be a greenish white. If you're an artsy type, think of washed out mint green.

[Lee Smith]

I don't worry about the fade, you can take a black magic marker, cut a slit in the tip and run the braid through it and it will dye the line.

Also, when the fade turns into fraid, just tie the fraid end to another reel and roll it over from one to another and you will have brand new line to fish with.  I always do this and I get twice the fishing time per spool.

[Mike Cork]

I haven't met a braid that doesn't fades. This always leads to the question, "do fish care". I don't believe the can determine fishing line as danger but the pro's do. They all use leaders....

SO for myself, and only to put questions out of my mind on clear water heavily pressured lakes, I carry a Black Sharpie in the boat. I've cut a notch in the tip of it for my line to slip into. I will color the first 4-6 feet of line black. It lasts about a day.

Here's the bonus, faded braid is very easy to watch. You can see it against nearly any water color. So you can have the confidence that you line is as NON visible as possible to the fish but AS visible as possible to you to detect strike

Lee and I were typing at the same time and have the same ideals. Great minds think alike or at least my tries to emulate the great ones.

[Lee Smith]

Lee and I were typing at the same time and have the same ideals. Great minds think alike or at least my tries to emulate the great ones.

  think you backards on that un ole boy!   

[Mike Cork]

  Well we'll have to get in the boat and figure it out

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Lol, I'm not worried about the color itself, I do like that it's easier to see!
Deal is that I've seen folks mention fading before, but I never noticed anyone mention a real problem from it.

Kinda makes me wonder why they don't just make it white, and put a little mini sharpie in the box!

[Capt. BassinLou]

Mike and Lee already covered it, nothing wrong with line fade. All braids eventually fade, some quicker than others. Main thing to observe is, if the braid is fraying. Then its time to flip it over on the spool or re-spool. 

[WTodd]

This always leads to the question, "do fish care". . [/i]

Of course the fish care; do you really believe a fish is going to bite on something that's tied to crappy looking line?


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[Princeton_Man]

Like Mike, Lee, and others have said. Fade doesn't matter, fray does.

I use the KVD line conditioner on braid solely for the purpose reducing the fade.

[SteelHorseCowboy]

I do keep a close eye for fraying.

[SteveTX]

Lol, I'm not worried about the color itself, I do like that it's easier to see!
Deal is that I've seen folks mention fading before, but I never noticed anyone mention a real problem from it.

Kinda makes me wonder why they don't just make it white, and put a little mini sharpie in the box!

I believe the color is as much to sell the line (like many lures) to us anglers. I've probably got 4 or 5 reels with Power Pro Moss Green that is washed out so much its as you describe it, washed out mint green in appearance. It hasn't stopped the fish from coming to eat yet. Ill probably flip the braid on my spools on all my reels in the next month when its really cold. Not because of color but just to have new line for next season to work with. 
I've had experience with Daiwa J-braid the line was already lighter in color if I remember correctly than Power Pro in the dark green color. I also remember it fading really fast also but I may be wrong. But I don't see the color as a issue. The break offs and the green that covered my reels was a turn off for me.                           

So to answer your question

Should I worry when my braided line starts fading?

I agree with what others have said, Nope!

But fraying gets a big Yup!

That is the newest Power pro I have on my reel its been out like 3 times the other reel is like most of my reels that I have been using pretty light green.

[SteelHorseCowboy]

I haven't had an issue with break offs due exclusively to line failure. I did lose a spinner bait that, in my opinion was my own fault. I'd said to myself several times "I need to retie that... right after the next cast..."

Yep, it does have a lighter color out of the box. But nope, you're not mistaken... I believe it fades noticeably after a single outing.

As far as the green stuff all over the place? I've only tried two braids so far. Both of them have left green stuff everywhere, but the J-braid left more than the other.
I like it because it feels softer and smoother, seems to make less noise going through the guides. There is other stuff that feels smoother, but almost seems like they achieve their smoothness with a coating. It's probably just a certain finishing/polishing process. But I also find J-braid easier to tie than the other stuff I used like that.

[Fun4me]

IMHO, Fluoro is the best choice for line invisibility, so I use a leader in those cases. I never care about the color of my braid. I feel like the fish will see any color of braid in clear water, and probably not see it all that well in stained to muddy water. I've never used a black marker on my braid because, In my mind, black is more of a contrast in clearer/dirtier water than light green. I wish we could ask the fish if they see the line, what color they see the least, and if seeing the line keeps them from eating a bait.    

[analfisherman]

OK, you want No Fade Braid.............

Vicious No-Fade Braid
Came out at Icast 2016 show.
Hit market 2017
(non-live due to suppliers name in video)

Vicious along with multiple pros say..............
Smaller diameter braid.
8 strand
Resists fraying........some say ZERO fray
Resists or eliminates getting buried on spool when setting hook
Casts great even after hundreds of hrs. of use
Very STRONG....stronger than traditional braid

OK, from reviews

Found ZERO negative reviews! 

BIGGEST CATCH........$39.99 for a 150 yards 
                              $56.95 for 300 yards
Probably stick with a sharpie. 

Anyone use/try this?
Any personal reviews?

[SteveTX]

$39.99 for a 150 yards is keeping me from being a test dummy.

[Oldfart9999]

IMHO, Fluoro is the best choice for line invisibility, so I use a leader in those cases. I never care about the color of my braid. I feel like the fish will see any color of braid in clear water, and probably not see it all that well in stained to muddy water. I've never used a black marker on my braid because, In my mind, black is more of a contrast in clearer/dirtier water than light green. I wish we could ask the fish if they see the line, what color they see the least, and if seeing the line keeps them from eating a bait.

You can ask the fish have one setup with a leader and one with straight braid, same bait etc and see if there is a difference in catch ratio.
Rodney

[bigjim5589]

To me if the braid color fades it's not a big deal. As long as I can still see the line I'll use it. I keep a close eye on fraying or other abrasion, and certainly for any nicks or cuts.

I tried using a black marker on braided dacron one time years ago, because someone at that time said fish would see the white line. As silly as that is, like they can't see a black line? That was before these braids we use now came out. When I didn't mark the line, and was still catching fish, that's when I decided it wasn't worth doing.

I catch bass, on jigs with the hi vis yellow braid, and tie direct to the jig. Don't see any reason to blacken it with a marker. 

[basss]

Also, when the fade turns into fraid, just tie the fraid end to another reel and roll it over from one to another and you will have brand new line to fish with.  I always do this and I get twice the fishing time per spool.

Ditto.  Why get rid of all that nice new line at the other end of the spool.

[SFL BassHunter]

I do nothing when braid fades. If I'm fishing braid it's somewhere that has plenty of vegetation or the water isn't crystal clear. The hue of green I use isn't a factor and I've found no reason to believe that a bass would prefer the out of the box moss green over the faded green.



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[merc1997]

To me if the braid color fades it's not a big deal. As long as I can still see the line I'll use it. I keep a close eye on fraying or other abrasion, and certainly for any nicks or cuts.

I tried using a black marker on braided dacron one time years ago, because someone at that time said fish would see the white line. As silly as that is, like they can't see a black line? That was before these braids we use now came out. When I didn't mark the line, and was still catching fish, that's when I decided it wasn't worth doing.

I catch bass, on jigs with the hi vis yellow braid, and tie direct to the jig. Don't see any reason to blacken it with a marker. 

i am with you on the hi-vis yellow.  proved that fact to a fellow fishing with me on lake fork the other day.  and, i am sure that you fish some pretty clear water quite often.

bo

[Marc4166]

Other than how it looks, fade isn't an issue. That said, if you truely want zero fade, Vicious no fade braid is it! I sprung for it a while back. Not only is it still brand new looking after months of use, it is real smooth too. But get out your wallet.

[analfisherman]

Other than how it looks, fade isn't an issue. That said, if you truely want zero fade, Vicious no fade braid is it! I sprung for it a while back. Not only is it still brand new looking after months of use, it is real smooth too. But get out your wallet.

Thanks for your review of the Vicious.......knew someone had to of tried it. 

Thanks again!

[SteelHorseCowboy]

Meh, some folks may be misunderstanding what I was getting at. The color doesn't bother me a bit. I was wondering if it would be an indicator of other issues. Sort of like a wear indicator.

[SFL BassHunter]

Meh, some folks may be misunderstanding what I was getting at. The color doesn't bother me a bit. I was wondering if it would be an indicator of other issues. Sort of like a wear indicator.

No it isn't. Different braids fade at different usage levels. If you want to look at wear, look at the threads, if the line is fuzzy you may have some fray in your line.
I wouldn't worry about the fade.

[Pferox]

Back when I first moved to Baytown, a local guy here had a special on white PP.  He said that he bought a lot of it that wasn't colored right.  It was more like an off white to me.

I spooled one of my reels and my buddy's with it.  Man did it show up when it was new, after a few outings it started to absorb the water stain that is in the bayou.  It looked like a white wall that was in a smoker's room.  Worked OK though.  We caught a lot of fish on that line too.

Aren't some companies making white braid now?  I had white Nanofil, if I remember correctly.

Talking about fraying, I used 80lb Gator Line with about 10 yards of 100lb flouro leader on a shark rod back in Fl, after a couple of outings it looked like a caterpillar, never did break.  I finally replaced it because it looked so fuzzy.