SUBbraid

Whether you are new to using braid or are looking for something different, this explains all you need to know about SUBbraid and why some of our Team Korda anglers swear by it!

Braided main lines have been around for years, but when it comes to carp fishing they’re still generally under-used, and anglers are missing out on the benefits that they can offer.

Virtually every angler will have braided main line on their spod and marker rods, because they recognise the advantages that it offers, but surprisingly few will also be using it for fishing with. Part of that is due to the fact that some fisheries ban the use of it, often on fish safety grounds, but if it is used correctly – with some sort of leader or tubing to prevent contact with the flanks of a fish during the fight, and a carp-friendly lead set-up - then it is no more dangerous to a carp than mono or fluorocarbon is.

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Danny setting up his fishing rods with Korda SUBbraid

But even on venues where it is allowed, relatively few people use it, and a good quality sinking braided mainline, like our Korda SUBbraid, offers a lot of benefits and is the number one choice for a number of our Team Korda sponsored anglers.

SUB braid sinks incredibly well

One of the biggest advantages of Korda SUB braid is that it sinks like a brick compared to many braided main lines, and one of the first things you’ll probably notice is that it is relatively thick in diameter compared to other braided lines of a similar breaking strain, certainly if comparing it to our Apex braid, or Marker/Spod/SLR braids.

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SUBbraid sinks incredibly well

The reason for that, is that those other braids are actually designed to repel water, which stops the braided material from absorbing it and becoming heavy, and thus negatively impacting on casting performance. The main reason for using the other braids mentioned is either to allow easier long range casting, such as when spodding, or in the case of Apex, to allow you to fit large amounts of it on your reel when you are boating your rigs out long distances, especially on the large European waters.

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“The 20lb SUB Braid has been my go to main line for a long time now, as I believe that it has many benefits over mono or fluoro. The SUB Braid never lets me down, even in the most extreme situations!” TOM STOKES

The biggest downside with those other braids is that they float – the only time that is an advantage is if there are snags on the bottom such as tree stumps – and this makes them susceptible to being picked up by boats and birds, as well as acting as a magnate for any floating weed or similar.

SUBbraid is actually designed so that it can take on water and this means it sinks incredibly well, and for most UK fishing situations that is a big advantage – it will still lie across the top of weedbeds.

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Thinner than mono

It is still thinner than equivalent breaking strains of mono though, and if you are fishing a weedy water it will cut through the weed during the fight, rather than getting bogged down in it like mono tends to, thus improving your chances of landing anything that you hook.

The diameter, alongside the fact that it has zero stretch, also means that you get better bite indication, and even when fishing it slack, any movement at the rig end still shows up.

It is never going to be an extreme range casting line, given the diameter and also its weight when wet, but in most situations you will be able to get your rig out to where you want it, and it still casts very well, for a sinking braid – the lack of stretch also helps you to load the rod more easily during the cast.

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SUB green colour helps it to blend in

Extremely supple

SUBbraid is also extremely supple – some braids can be quite stiff and wiry – which not only makes it nice to use and means that it winds onto your reel spool tightly and with less chance of loose loops to potentially cause issues when casting. But it also ensures that it closely follows the contours of the lake bed and means that there is less chance of fish bumping into it and spooking, or avoiding your spots because they can see lines nearby. That’s definitely an advantage on any busy and pressured lakes where a lot of the anglers choose to fish tight lines – such as on day ticket venues – and the carp have become very wary of them.

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Improved bite indication

The lack of stretch in braid puts off some anglers as they don’t like the idea of playing fish on it, but once you get used to it, then it actually means that you can feel exactly what the fish is doing on the other end of your line and respond to that. Plus of course, zero stretch helps when it comes to feeling the lead down and determining what sort of ‘drop’ you’ve had.

It also means that you get much better bite indication and can be on the rod quicker, such as when fishing to snags, or when fishing at long range, as well as ensuring that every time you clip up and cast, it will go exactly the same distance as the line can’t stretch at all – so if you aim at the same spot and hold your rod in the same position after the cast - before it hits the clip – then your rig will land in the same place every time. Wind can of course come into play, but the thinner diameter means it is less affected by wind anyway, plus when you do hit the clip, the braid will straighten far easier than mono will and will result in much less of a bow in your line.

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Tough and durable

Whilst SUBbraid is soft and very supple, it is also extremely tough and durable for its diameter, meaning that it is able to cope when it comes into contact with weed or snags without easily breaking/cutting.

This also means that it will last for years on your reels without needing to be changed, and even more so as it doesn’t have a tendency to twist like mono when using a baitrunner or clutch. This is due to its lack of any memory, unlike mono, and that also aids its life span and continued usability and performance. So, whilst the initial cost of filling your reels is higher than mono, it actually works out as being fairly economical when you consider that it should last you for a number of years without needing to be changed.

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Use a leader with SUBbraid

As with any braided line, you should use some sort of leader with it to help prevent any chance of it damaging fish, such as by lifting scales, and this can be something such as our Dark Matter fused leaders or Kable leadcore range, or a longer length of IQ2 fluorocarbon or XT Snag Leader, depending on the fishing situation. There is of course also the option to use rig tubing. Whichever you opt for, you must make sure that your rig is safe should you get cut off above your leader or tubing.  

Great for boat fishing

In many cases when boating rigs out to the horizon on large waters, anglers tend to opt for our Apex braid, but if you are in a situation where you know there are no snags between you and your spot, then SUBbraid can be an option, and not only helps prevent fish from bumping into it, but also significantly reduces the chances of you catching your line with your boat engine and having a nightmare.

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Darrell Peck likes to use SUB braid for his boat fishing where possible

There are also situations where anglers such as big water expert, Darrell Peck, will use anything up to 100m of SUBbraid coming back from his rig, and then Apex for the rest of his line, so he gets the best of both – line pinned down near his rigs, but also being able to fish over snags such as tree stumps on the lake bed closer to him, and still fitting enough braid on his spools to reach his spots at extreme range.

It comes in a choice of 15lb or 20lb breaking strains, with 0.30mm and 0.34mm diameters respectively, and the subtle SUB green colouring helps it to blend into the lakebed.

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