Read on to get a down-and-dirty perspective from a former charter captain who doesn't have time for poor-performing fishing line.
Being an avid inshore angler, I put my fishing tackle through a lot of hell. When the average angler's tackle is getting a break during the weekdays, mine is ruthlessly beat down by fish of every species.
My fishing trip success revolves around fish making it into the boat and not breaking off. To lose a personal best or not get that perfect photo is bad for the Blog.
There is an arsenal of tackle I employ to put more fish in the boat.
This is my Power Pro Braided Fishing Line Review
I use Power Pro fishing line because it is the best line for the kind of fishing I do. It is versatile, dependable and gets the job done. Until a better line comes out, I will be using this fantastic product.
So let's look at Power Pro from the perspective of an avid inshore angler to shed light on both the good and the bad:
Power Pro is a braided fishing line. It does not stretch and, for the kind of fishing I do, this is a good thing. It is what makes the line so tough and yet so sensitive.
It's like Mike Tyson playing a piano.
Actually, last time I saw Mike Tyson play a piano, he got up and knocked out some fat guy. With Power Pro fishing line you'll do the same thing with the fish!
This pretty trout was possible because I felt his extremely soft bite. Trout bite softly when water temperatures are extrememly cold.
Sensitivity of Power Pro Fishing Line
Being so sensitive, Power Pro will not betray a false bite. Instead, it will effectively communicate to your hands what is happening underwater. You will know the difference between a snag and an actual bite. This is important when fishing for flounder, over oyster beds or even for trout in cold water.
If I throw a heavy enough jig out, I can feel the bottom and tell you if it is grass, smooth or an oyster bed. This is important because there's really not a lot above the water to tell you where fish are underwater.
Makes sense, right?
Rigs like this one produce trout but have a lot of barnacle-encrusted pilings that PowerPro helps overcome.
Abrasion Resistance
Power Pro is surprisingly abrasion resistant. This property will give you a return on your investment when you see Power Pro defeat fish-losing obstacles like oil platforms and sharp oyster reefs.
One time I hooked into a spanish mackerel (while looking for trout) and my trusty 20lb test Power Pro helped me land it in the boat. Admittedly, the line was on its last leg after the event and I retied it before it gave up the ghost on the next cast.
Another example would be sharp gill plates.
If you don't believe me, try poking your finger in there sometime. If the line meanders under the gill plate during a fight, it can be cut. Well, a lesser line can be cut, but Power Pro will pull through unscathed.
Being able to cast further helped this Angler land two trout in one cast.
Small Things Making a Big Difference
Something I preach to people are the "small percentages" you can introduce into your fishing strategy that will help you land more fish. One of those is being able to cast further. Especially in the application of artificial lures not tethered to a popping cork, this skill is paramount.
Power Pro will give you extra casting distance. Why is this important? Lets say you make three hundred casts in a day, which is not unlikely. If you cast an additional five yards per cast then you are covering an additional 1,500 yards of water each day. That's a LOT of water.
Make your trolling motor drag you across 1,500 yards and it will be screaming "UNCLE!" as the batteries die.
Covering more water is essential and Power Pro helps you do this because of its physical characteristics. It has a smaller diameter than comparable monofilament and retains no memory of the spool it is sitting on.
Read on for tricks you can perform with Power Pro to get more out of it!
Freelining bait is more effective when you can feel the bait becoming "nervous", letting you know there are fish down there.
Saving Line
Fishing in Louisiana's estuaries, I encounter a lot of underwater obstructions that my jigheads love to get hung up on. I find myself having to pop the line and with Power Pro, this process is much less costly and painless than what it used to be.
Take the time to learn about knots and knot tying, you will learn that knots are always weaker than the line itself. They usually retain 70-90% of the line's strength, though this number does vary with each knot.
When I am hung up on the bottom, I can jerk the rod (while holding the spool) just right to get the knot to break and not the line. Consider all the yardage of line this saves me.
Now think about those yards and how much LSU's Jordan Jefferson would have loved to have them when he played Alabama!
I can always reel in the remaining line and tie on a new lure. With monofilament, I was always pulling just to have the line stretch and break off somewhere in the middle, causing me to lose line, trash the environment with the lost line and achieve degraded casting performance from my spinning reel.
Power Pro has saved me a lot of money.
The Cons of Power Pro
Now, there are some cons to Power Pro. I wouldn't necessarily call them drawbacks, but they are things you should know about so you get the most out of your Power Pro purchase.
Large ladyfish like these can hit so hard they will pop a knot made of braided line, especially if it doesn't have a shock leader. PowerPro doesn't stretch, so adjust accordingly.
Power Pro doesn't really crimp or retain memory like most monofilaments do. But it is very flimsy. It doesn't tangle often, especially if you untwist the line on your spool, but when it does tangle it tangles.
I have found that, with experience, it can be untangled in under a minute, but I swear it's like solving a Rubix Cube made out of fishing line.
There are some things I do to stave this issue. Before my next fishing trip, I will leave the end of the line bare and unspool it behind my boat as I am trolling. I will let out the entire spool of line and slowly reel it back in so that the line is tightly wound and untwisted. This improves casting and minimizes surprise tangles in the form of wind knots.
In the worst case scenario, you can take advantage of Power Pro's low profile and cut the line to reattach it with a Uni-to-Uni Knot. Using a monofilament leader will help you identify which line is what and untangle it easier.
Remember, monofilament is stiffer than Power Pro and that makes it easier to untangle.
Power Pro fishing line is very prone to wind knots, or knots that form as a stiff wind blows on the line as you cast. I have found that due to Power Pro's flimsiness it can wrap around the tip of the rod, which is very annoying.
Power Pro has a tendency to fade and lose its color. This has not stopped me from fishing and it has not stopped fish from biting.
If it makes you feel better, get a permanent marker in your favorite color and dye the first 12 inches of Power Pro above your lure. There, no more issues!
You can also reel your fishing line backwards onto another reel, so the old line is on the bottom of the spool and the fresh line is on the top at the business end.
Having a good-casting line like PowerPro allows one to cover more water. This helps with technqiues like wade fishing.
Because Power Pro doesn't stretch, there are scenarios I will use a monofilament leader, usually 20-30lb test. I use this leader for Inshore Rigs and Double Rigs.
Do not spool Power Pro onto your reel without a monofilament backing. It can and will eventually slip. Use a mono backer because it will stretch and grip the spool.
For this, I prefer to use a smaller diameter monofilament, like 12-14lb test. I do this so the Uni-to-Uni Knot joining the mono to the Power Pro isn't so big. This keeps the Power Pro from snagging on that knot while it is unspooling during a cast. What's great about using a monofilament backing is that it is much easier to re-spool new Power Pro.
One small annoyance of Power Pro fishing line is its tendency to "screech" when a large fish is pulling drag through the rod guides. I have found that FINS Windtamer does not have this problem, but retains all of the other desirable characteristics of Power Pro.
Power Pro Braided Fishing Line Review: Conclusion
I still use Power Pro braided fishing line as the all-purpose fishing line when spooling reels for anyone new to fishing. It does everything I need and more without breaking the bank.
I recommend buying the 300 yard spools to save money and putting 75 yards of line on your reel. (I have found this to be plenty for bull reds and jack crevalle) Do the math and a 300 yard spool covers 4 reels.
Thanks for the 411. I am looking for a quality line to put on my new Shimano rig. I see that Shimano makes this PowerPro line as well. I wasn’t sure which one: PowerPro, Hollow Ace, or the Super Slick.
I fish all three fishing line types according to their strengths. No single one is better than the other.
What color line do you use most often?
While I was in the Navy and stationed down in Ingleside, TX. I used Power Pro moss green when fishing for specs and reds and had terrible luck. I wouldn’t get a bite but a buddy next to me would get a bite in the same exact area using monofilament.
Yes and no, but every company has quality control issues at some point in time or another.
My guess is that your spool was made on a Friday.
I really don’t use PowerPro, I use J-Braid or Seaguar, they seem to have a higher standard.
Otherwise, just respool what you’ve got and you’ll be fine.
Thanks for commenting, and tight lines!
I like power pro but I have had real issues lately with it just breaking in the middle for no reason I was wondering if anyone else has had the same issues?