Coated Braid Hook Link Materials Explained

Coated braids have been around in carp fishing for many years and are an integral part of some of the most popular set-ups.

The quality of coated braid that is available has improved greatly over the years, as has the variety of different properties offered by this type of hook link material, and its ease of use makes it a popular choice with anglers for creating all sorts of different rig mechanics.

What is a Coated Braid Hook Link Material?

A coated braid is exactly as the name suggests, being an inner core made from some sort of braided material, which has an outer coating made from some sort of plastic.

The inner braid is what provides all of the strength and gives the material its breaking strain, whilst the outer coating is there primarily to change the properties of that inner braid into something that is more useable for certain types of rigs, primarily by adding some stiffness wherever the angler wants that and opts not to strip back the coating – although it can also help with abrasion resistance in some instances. So it differs significantly from other types of hook link materials.

The whole idea being that the inner braid is what makes up all of the strength and stated breaking strain of the hook link material, and the outer coating being there purely to change the properties of the braid, and allowing the angler to strip it back easily as required.

The inner can be either a very supple braid such as the one found in N-Trap, or something with a little more stiffness to it such as Dark Matter Tungsten Coated Braid.

It is the outer coating though which affects its properties and mechanics far more though, and this can be anything from a softer coating which still allows the hook link to be very supple, but at the same time helping to prevent the tangles you might get just using a braided hook link, and with the added advantage of it helping how the rig settles.

Then there are coatings which offer enough stiffness to become part of the rig mechanics, such as N-Trap Semi-Stiff and Dark Matter Coated Braid, but make it easy to include a soft, supple section such as the part of the hook link next to the hook.

You also have coated braids such as Hybrid Stiff which cross over into the category of stiff rig materials and booms, due to the stiffness of the coating that has been used and its ability to give the properties of a boom section.

What are the Advantages of a Coated Braid Hook Link Material?

The main idea of a coated braid is to allow anglers to easily create combi style rigs that involve combinations of supple and stiffer sections, but without the need for having to join different hook link materials together with knots or via crimping.

If you want a one inch supple section of material directly above your hook, and the rest of the hook link to act as a stiffer boom, then instead of having to join a supple braid to a stiffer material, you simply strip back part of the coating to remove the stiffer and expose the inner braid.

It also allows you to play around with all sorts of presentations – such as making a break in the coating to form a hinge for a pop-up, such as when using a multi rig; or fishing with a hook link made entirely from unstripped coated braid, but with a supple hair where the coating has been stripped back.

The easiest way to strip a coated braid, and far better than trying to use your teeth, is to use a purpose designed Strippa Tool, which removes the outer coating without causing any damage to the inner braid. When you are tying the same rig regularly you will be able to judge how much coating you need to strip back to leave you with a supple section by the hook once the rig is tied which is the length that you want, or measure it out on a RigSafe or similar once you get it just right and then know exactly how much to strip.

Another big advantage of coated braid is how tough it tends to be versus something like standard monofilament, even though it has a lower diameter.

Although the outer coating itself doesn’t add to the breaking strain, what it does do is add extra abrasion resistance if it comes into contact with any sort of snags or weed, and even if that coating gets damaged by a snag, the braid underneath is usually tough and made of something like Dyneema, or another braided material.

Unlike nylon hook links, which could give you a similar stiffness to a coated braid, if a fish goes around weed or similar, a coated braid is far less likely to shear off under tension at a funny angle, than a nylon would be.

So not only are coated braids very versatile in terms of the rigs and mechanics that they easily allow you to create, but they are also very robust in general.

The coating also makes the rig more resistant to tangling on the cast, versus a standard braided hook link, and with softer coated braids this allows you to fish a presentation that is supple and has plenty of movement, but is far less likely to end up tangled and not fishing.

Plus it adds enough stiffness to allow the rig to settle nicely away from the lead, but will allow the hook link to follow the bottom contours and present well.

For a coated braid to be useful it also needs to be able to be knotted without the coating breaking, otherwise that can add hinges in places where you don’t want one, and if that occurs at the hook link swivel knot it can add a hinge that allows the rig to fold back and increases the chances of a tangle.

Coated braids work with conventional knots such as the grinner or figure-of-eight loop knot, and if moistened with saliva the knot will bed down neatly.

These days coated braids come in a wide variety of different breaking strains to cover all sorts of different angling situations at home and abroad, from more subtle presentations using something like 15lb N-Trap or 18lb Dark Matter Coated Braid, right through to more extreme snaggy conditions where you could be using those materials in a higher breaking strains, or Kamo which is available from 15lb right up to 80lb to cover fishing in Europe.

The exact properties of the coated braid tend to be determined by the outer coating, with a softer coating retaining more of the suppleness of the inner braid, and progressing in stiffness right the way through to a material that can be used for boom sections.

Which Rigs are Coated Braids used for?

There are a wide variety of different rigs where coated braids can be used, covering all sorts of different presentations and hookbait types.

The simplest rig is a standard knotless knot hair rig, with the coating stripped back so around an inch or two, depending on what you want to achieve, of braid is exposed directly above the hook, with the bait on a supple hair.

This set-up can be adapted, such as a flipper-style bottom bait rig, where the braided hair exits the hook around the bend via a piece of silicone tubing, and a piece of shrink tubing or kicker aids the hook in flipping over and taking a hold. With this rig you’d strip back enough coating that once tied, there is a small section of uncoated braid below the kicker to allow movement.

It is also very easy to make blowback style presentations, simply by adding a rig ring which is knotted onto the hair and threaded onto the hook so that it sits in the right position opposite the barb, with the hookbait hanging down the right distance, then a knotless knot is used to secure it, and a kicker added to aid the hooking mechanics.

One of the most famous coated braid presentations is the multi rig, which allows you to quickly change your hook without having to tie a new rig. For this rig the hook link material is left unstripped and a figure-of-eight loop is tied in the end of it, which is used to attach and change the hook when you need to. Movement is given to the rig by making a small break in the coating to provide a hinge, such as right next to your counterbalance weight or putty if using it for a pop-up, as is common.

A variation on using a standard knotless knot is the KD rig, which features an adapted knotless knot, where some of the turns go below where the hair exits the hook, and once tightens provides a hair that exits quite close to the eye and when fished with a buoyant bait, encourages the hook to drop down and take a hold in the bottom lip. A supple section of stripped back braid next to the hook allows the necessary movement.

There are other rigs as well which utilise the ability of coated braid to allow you to use a combination of supple and stiffer materials so easily, plus others which utilise the properties of it in its coated form entirely.

The spinner or Ronnie rig is usually associated with a stiff boom hook link material, but it can also be very effective when used with a coated braid, and especially if the bottom is uneven or there is debris, as the extra flexibility the coated braid provides allows it to sit better on the bottom.

The same goes for variations of the hinged stiff rig, which incorporate a coated braid boom section instead of a stiffer one, to improve presentation on some types of lakebed. 

How Do You Choose the Right Coated Braid?

There is no right or wrong answer to this, and it will entirely depend on the type of rig you are intending to use and the exact presentation they’re trying to achieve.

Which coated braids you opt for will depend entirely on the properties you want them to have and what you are trying to achieve and get your rigs to do.

With such a multitude of uses, coated braid is definitely something you should have a couple of spools of in your tackle box, even if it isn’t your usual choice of hook link material, as you may well encounter fishing situations where it gives you a better rig option.

Coated Braids: Quick Questions

What is a coated braid hook link?

A coated braid hook link is made from a braided inner core surrounded by an outer coating that modifies its properties. Depending on the coating, it can provide greater stiffness, help reduce tangling and allow anglers to create rigs with both supple and stiffer sections by stripping back part of the coating. 

What are the advantages of coated braid hook links?

Coated braid hook links are versatile because they allow anglers to combine supple and stiffer sections within a single length of material. The coating can help reduce tangling during casting, influence how the rig settles on the lakebed and provide additional abrasion resistance, while stripping it back exposes the supple braided core.

Why do you strip the coating off a coated braid?

Stripping back the coating exposes the supple braided core, allowing a section of the hook link to move more freely. This is commonly done close to the hook to provide movement while retaining a stiffer, more tangle-resistant section further up the rig. The amount stripped back depends on the rig and presentation being created.

How do you strip coated braid without damaging it?

A purpose-designed coated braid stripping tool, such as a Strippa Tool, is recommended because it removes the outer coating without damaging the inner braid when used correctly. Avoid using your teeth, and establish how much coating needs to be removed to achieve the desired supple section once the rig is tied.

Which carp rigs can you tie with coated braid?

Coated braid can be used for a wide range of carp rigs, including knotless knot hair rigs, blowback rigs, KD rigs, multi rigs, spinner or Ronnie rigs and variations of the hinged stiff rig. Its versatility comes from the ability to retain the coating, strip it back or create a hinge to achieve different rig mechanics.

Can you use coated braid for a spinner or Ronnie rig?

Yes. Although spinner or Ronnie rigs are commonly tied using stiff boom materials, coated braid can provide an alternative. Its additional flexibility can help the rig follow uneven lakebeds or sit among debris, depending on the stiffness of the coating and the presentation required.

Can you use coated braid for pop-up rigs?

Yes. Coated braid can be used for pop-up presentations, including multi rigs. Creating a small break in the coating can introduce a hinge that allows movement around the hook link or counterbalance weight. The position and amount of stripped coating should suit the intended rig mechanics.

Is coated braid better than a supple braided hook link?

Coated braid offers different properties rather than being universally better. Its coating can help reduce tangling and provide more control over how the hook link settles, while stripping back sections exposes the supple core. An uncoated braid may be preferable when maximum suppleness throughout the hook link is the priority.

Is coated braid more abrasion resistant than nylon hook link material?

Coated braid can offer good abrasion resistance because the coating provides an additional protective layer and the braided core can remain robust if the coating becomes damaged. However, abrasion resistance and strength under load depend on the particular materials, their condition and the fishing situation. 

What breaking strain coated braid should you use for carp fishing?

The appropriate breaking strain depends on the fishing situation, the likelihood of encountering weed or snags, the size of fish expected and the rig being used. Coated braids are available in a range of breaking strains, from lighter options for more subtle presentations to heavier materials for demanding conditions. Always choose a suitable strength for the venue and fishing conditions.