Q Can you give me any tips for fishing with braided mainline? I want to, mainly because I keep losing fish in the heavy weed on my lake, but I’m wary…

A Braided mainline is not for the faint-hearted, but it’s a must in heavily weeded waters where access to a boat isn’t possible. The main benefit of braid is its inherent lack of stretch. This ensures you’ll always be in direct contact with the fish, giving you more control.

With mono, even though you feel like you’re pulling for all you’re worth, in reality there’s not that much pressure being put on the fish simply because of all the stretch. I thoroughly reccommend that you take the plunge and spool up with braid – here are my top tips for getting the best out of it, most of them learned the hard way!

1. Try using a softer rod just to give a bit of a cushioning effect. Some anglers might say use a fluorocarbon/mono leader too, but I personally don’t like to, as I feel it creates another weak point.

2. Don’t fish with your clutch absolutely locked up solid, otherwise you may be going swimming for your rod! Bites, even at long range, are instant and savage, so set your clutch so it will release line if pulled hard. Also, use a backrest that locks the rod firmly in place.

3. Use a lead system that ejects the lead on the take. This, coupled with a tight clutch, should get the fish into the upper layers, giving you a much better chance of landing it.

4. Step up your end tackle. Use a slightly bigger and stronger hook. Small, standard wire hooks are really not advisable for braid fishing – you have been warned!

5. Finally, when you do get a bite, be that little bit softer playing the fish and always remember to set your clutch to give a little.