# Waxing the braid on my ultra-lite



## richg99

Waxing the braid on my ultra-lite.. I have used braid on my spinning reels for many years. No spiralling twists. No hardening of lines over time.

However, I recently bought an expensive spool of Power Pro super 8 slick in ten lb. strength. With the diameter of two lb. mono, it casts very well.

But, in just two weeks, I started getting wind knot/tangles. I mean a LOT of them. Of course, I've had those issues before, but usually once a trip...not after every five casts. I am throwing unweighted plastic worms under branches. The fact that I have very little lure-weight to drag the line out no doubt contributed to the problem.

I tried an old trick yesterday. I took a small candle, wrapped the line around it and pulled the entire spool through, waxing the line. Tried casting it this morning, and NO wind knots! This process has helped in the past and seems to have saved the day this time, too. 

regards, richg99


----------



## Captain Ahab

It is more likely being caused by your reel not properly laying the line on the spool. Pp slick is already coated.

Also make sure you always seat the line in the roller and hand close the bail.

Throwing weightless stuff you may want to use some tension from your fingers to make sure the line spools snuggly


----------



## onthewater102

Not sure if it's just exposure to sunlight on the deck or what, but a friend of mine and I both have been using power pro for a few years now (the original, not the round braid) and we're finding that the line is almost dry rotted in places now. Not sure if that's the right term, but that pretty well describes the condition of the line. I only noticed it on one of my least favorite reels, he had problems on most, but before his daughter was born this year he fished 5 days a week for at least 4 to 5 hours a day, so his line soaked up a lot of UV that mine never saw. Here again, not sure if that's the problem or not. I've heard of line conditioners, but I thought they were more so for fluoro or mono.


----------



## Johnny

pulling in a 5 pounder with every other cast should take care of that there twist


----------



## RivRunR

Another trick for old braid, if you have a spare spool for your reel, is to wind it from one spool onto another. This will put the old, "used" line on the bottom of the new spool, and the newer, "unused" line on top. Unless you're throwing braid 100 yards and all of it's "used."


----------



## Johnny

and I agree on the price !!
I bought a 165 yard spool of the Super 8 Slick 65# test Marine Blue a few months ago and love it.
so far, no twisting issues..... that could be because it is much stiffer than the 10#.

yeah Riv, that makes sense. If you don't have an extra spool, 
just walk it off in the yard and rewind it like you suggest. 
Good Idea !!


----------



## KMixson

I found that when using braid on a spinning reel you have to load more yardage than mono because of the diameter of the braid compared to the mono. If you do not load enough braid it will wear faster because of the added friction caused coming off the spool. When I purchase braid I get it installed at the tackle shop so it fills the spool up to the correct amount. A 100 yard spool of braid may not fill your reel to the correct amount.


----------



## onthewater102

I half fill my reels with fly line dacron backing and only top them with ~70-80yds of braid & that way I can re-wind them as mentioned to double the life on the braid.


----------



## richg99

Guys...it was the line. 

Same rod..same reel..same lure..same fisherman..same weather.

30/10 power pro..no problem
10/2 new power pro...I had wind knots big time.

If adding a bit of candle wax every 6 months helps...so be it.

richg99


----------



## Johnny

Rich - so sorry - I did not fully understand your post.
I thought you were asking about if the wax would - whatever . . . 
now, with a clear mind and fresh cup of coffee, I see that you
actually FIXED your problem with the candle wax !! and it works for you.
That is good thinking. I want to get a good quality ultra-light spinning outfit
like you mention for pulling bluegills from the underbrush.
Personally, I prefer braid but when I think of small diameter, my mind flashes
back to other anglers I have seen with the same problem of birds nests or over runs.
so I would probably stick with the mono. But with your idea of the wax, I may not
be so distrustful of it.
Thanks !!

sorry for the misread.


----------



## Captain Ahab

Rich:

Not doubting it was the line - but why? Well I would "guess" it is because you went to braid in much smaller diameter. Just throwing in a few often overlooked things more for other members then you 


I am happy the wax trick worked for you and it is a good tip 




I avoid PP - Sufix for me!


----------



## Butthead

Captain Ahab said:


> Rich:
> 
> Not doubting it was the line - but why? Well I would "guess" it is because you went to braid in much smaller diameter. Just throwing in a few often overlooked things more for other members then you
> 
> 
> I am happy the wax trick worked for you and it is a good tip
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I avoid PP - Sufix for me!


I have to agree on the diameter being a possible issue. What size reel are you using this on? I've heard of the Slick 8 losing it's coating over time, but I haven't had an issue with the stuff I've used. I'm definitely going to try this trick out in the future for myself.

When it comes to braid preference, sorry Ahab, but I'm the exact opposite of you. I've had nothing but issues with Sufix braid. I like their mono and poly lines, but I've just had bad experiences (and lost a lot of money in gear) with their braid. I've had 0 issues with PP and Fins braids. I guess it's luck of the draw?


----------



## richg99

Yep...it was because I went to the smaller diameter, given that NOTHING else changed.
I purposely selected the smaller diameter because, on the little lakes that I am fishing here..... tiny lures and worms etc. rule the day.

The problem seems to be solved. I've used the line/reel/rod/lure setup three times since I originally posted. After applying the wax....I haven't had a twist of any kind.

Wax on,Wax off......Wax is good.

richg99


----------



## Butthead

So what size reel are you using this on?

I use braid on a couple of my 1000 and 2000 size reels and really like it. Just out of curiosity, do you use a leader? When panfishing, it always seems like I get less bites when I don't use a leader, especially on slow moving baits. I'm thinking it may just be where and how I'm fishing though.


----------



## richg99

I don't know the official size, but it is a tiny reel matched to the ultra light rod. I am too lazy to go to the van and see if a "size" is on the reel. As I said before....NOTHING changed but the line. 

I've used this rig for the last two years. It's caught everything from three-inch long bluegills to a 6 or 7 lb catfish. Since I was in my kayak at the time, the catfish gave me a freshwater sleigh ride.

Problem solved with the candle wax. Took the rig out for the third time yesterday and had NO knots.

As far as bites and leaders ....I just started adding a fluorocarbon leader. I used to tie the braid directly to my lures, or to the hooks. I do think that my hit ratio went up with the addition of the fluorocarbon.

regards, richg99


----------



## New River Rat

This has been an interesting read, to say the least. I just ordered a spool of 10# SuperSlik PowerPro to put on my Curado 70 and my Curado I-50. Both of these are smaller bait casters and I was just satisfying my curiosity to see if light and weightless would cast any better.

Rich, you are using a spinning reel, right?


----------



## richg99

I use both. Spinning for lighter lures or against the wind. Baitcasting for larger, heavier lures. richg99


----------



## New River Rat

I guess if I had re-read your initial post, I would have known that you were referring to a spinning reel.


----------



## DaleH

New River Rat said:


> This has been an interesting read, to say the least.


Same here, I'll make sure to make note of this tip!


----------



## New River Rat

onthewater102 said:


> I've heard of line conditioners, but I thought they were more so for fluoro or mono.



I read this and used a search engine for "Fishing line conditioners" and started reading reviews about KVD Line & Lure conditioner. Apparently this is the greatest thing ever (if you believe everything you read). I got to thinking that *YEARS* ago I had placed an order with some fishing supplier and they had thrown in a 4 oz bottle of this stuff. Sure enough, I went down in the dungeon and found it, unused. This ain't something I'd buy, but I will now openly minded try it and see if it works as well as I've read. With my healing shoulder, it might take a while.....


----------



## richg99

Awaiting your report. richg99


----------



## New River Rat

New River Rat said:


> I just ordered a spool of 10# SuperSlik PowerPro to put on my Curado 70 and my Curado I-50.




I just spent the past week trying these out on the New River. I couldn't wait to get home and get it off the baitcasters. I have never had so many back lashes in my life. I put the slick on spinning reels this morning, original PowerPro back on the baitcasters.


----------



## richg99

IMHO, it is pretty hard to do better than the old Power Pro. ..On any reel.

richg99


----------



## onthewater102

I'm with you there...tried Suffix 832 as it was supposed to be the cat's meow & ended up going back to my tried & true vermilion red power pro.


----------

