Should You Use Braid for Surf Fishing?

A question for the ages, “should you use braid for surf fishing?”. Given the multitude of different styles of surf fishing, there really isn’t any definitive yes or no for the all-encompassing term, “surf fishing”. Rather, there are certain instances and styles in which you might benefit from using braid for surf fishing, and others where you should certainly avoid it. If you need a refresher on the difference between braid vs mono, click the link. See the latest fishing report and forecast at the bottom of this page.

Should you use braid for surf fishing? Let’s break this down section by section:

1. Braid with a Carolina Rig or Similar Rigs?
2. Using Braid with Lures?
3. Braid for Shark Fishing?

Recommended Braid:

Recommended Mono:

When Should You Use Braid with a Carolina Rig or Similar Rig?

Answer: Almost never. Remember, this is 100% my opinion. Some anglers love using braid for their Carolina rigs and that’s fine. But, here are my thoughts:

The bottom line here is that braid tends to twist, tangle and accumulate knots very quickly when a swivel is involved. Especially when that swivel is attached to mono or fluoro (like it would be with a Carolina rig). Using a swivel to a leader for a lure is a little different and can be beneficial without many tangles due to the lack of weight in between the connection and constant tension.

I’ve fished with a few anglers who used braid for their mainline while using a Carolina rig and almost every time, the result is line twists and tangles that take time away from fishing. I can’t suggest any proper time or instance to use braid with a Carolina rig. I say “almost never” because everyone has their own opinions and preferences and if it works for someone, then it works.

Mono is a much better option for a Carolina rig because even when your line does twist, tangle, or get stuck in a knot, more often than not, it’s very minor. With twists and tangles, usually pulling the line taught fixes it all. With a knot, usually, it’s one or two knots and then everything unfolds itself due to the memory of mono.

When Should You Use Braid with Lures?

Answer: Sometimes

Using braid for surf fishing with lures can be beneficial. Braid usually allows you to cast farther so if you’re looking to get a lure into a deep, far hole, braid could help. Also, it allows you to fit more line on the spool, still while keeping a heavier pound-test than mono. If you’re fishing kelpy areas, braid’s minimal stretch and thin diameter might aid in setting the hook through the vegetation as well as cutting through that vegetation once the fish is already on.

In many situations though, mono is just fine for fishing with lures. If you aren’t fishing kelpy or reefy areas, or you don’t need a couple extra feet of distance, mono will do the job just fine. Another benefit to mono is its price. You can go through a few spools of mono if not more before you exceed the price of braid. If you think your braid is getting a little old and tattered, you might be a little more hesitant to switch it out due to its price. With mono, you can feel pretty good about changing your line as soon as it shows any signs of wear. This helps a lot when throwing expensive lures. You’ll be sure your line is up for the challenge if you get snagged or hook into something big.

Additionally, the lack of stretch that braid has can help with getting your lures unstuck from barnacle-covered rocks and similar structure. Sometimes if you try to apply quick pressure to dislodge a lure, mono allows for too much stretch and it doesn’t dislodge the lure as braid would. Obviously, this has nothing to do with the actual act of catching fish, but it’s one thing that I’ve noticed.

Should You Use Braid for Sharking?

Answer: Yes but with mono too… and wire

The main reason you’d want to use braid for sharking is the extra line capacity. These things can go on some serious runs. Especially when you start hooking into big soupfin sharks, big bat ray, and whatever else you might get lucky with… maybe a world record yellowtail. Bottom line, you’ll need a good amount of line for land-based shark fishing and braid provides that ability. The other thing braid does is allow for better hook sets with long lengths of line. Whether you’re using circle hooks, J-hooks, or whatever else, the hook (one way or another) will require good tension to be set properly. Braid’s lack of stretch allows for that.

I fill about 2/3 to 3/4 of my spool with braid and then I fill the rest with mono and finish with a wire leader. The wire is used for obvious reasons (teeth). But, the mono is used for abrasion resistance. Mono is said to have much better abrasion resistance and it makes sense given that it’s thicker.

Below, you’ll find my exact setup for land-based shark fishing. Click the following link to see an in-depth explanation of why I use every piece of gear and tackle that I use.

• Rod: Fiblink Moonsniper (12 or 13 feet)
• Reel: Penn Battle 6000 or 8000 (II or III)
• Mainline: 50-pound braid
• Top shot: 100-pound nylon coated mono
• Shark Rig: (Buy Here)
  • Wire: AFW 90 lb Nylon Coated Wire Leader Line
  • Hooks: 7/0 Circles
  • Swivel: 3-Way Barrel Swivel
  • Crimps: AFW #6 Crimps
  • Weight: 8-ounce pyramid or 6-ounce sputnik

Surf Fishing Report and Forecast

The water temp has fully recovered and we’re back up into the 67-70 degree range. San Diego never experienced any sort of drop in productivity with that significant drop. In fact, the bite picked up throughout the dip as well as in the recovery. I hear Orange County, LA County and Ventura have had mixed bites.

As far as peak season goes, we’re in it. The bite right now is the best it’s been all summer long. I’d say it came a little late and lesser in comparison to seasons past, but it’s here and it’s time to make the most of it. Big corbina are still biting, big spotfin are on the prowl, soupfin and leopard sharks are definitely biting and overall, quality fish haven’t been tough to come by.

Look for the surf height to get a little rougher in the week ahead as Tuesday through Saturday are forecasted to be pretty rough with Wednesday and Thursday being the worst of the span. The best days for fishing should be Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Next Sunday is the beginning of the last predicted grunion run for 2021. If you haven’t already seen the grunion run, I’d take advantage of it and mark it on your calendar.