Daiwa BG6500, which braid to spool?

Good morning ladies and gents.

So I have decided to get the BG6500 which I will be using on a 12ft 6oz rod for the time being until I get my 13/14ft 7oz rod in June. Perhaps a little on the large/heavy side for the 12ft but I can live with that for a couple months.

I have narrowed my braid choices down to 2. HMP or Daiwa J-braid. Both in 8 strand obviously.

I would like to know what sort of comparrisons can be made from the two braids in the 40lb range.

Im not terribly interested in stated braid diameters, as from what I have heard and seen so far there tend to be inaccuracies in given diameters.

I found that the felt thinness of Hmp is quite impressive compared to how thick my Boss Skinny braid is even when the HMP is of a higher breaking strain ( inaccuracies there too I know). The Hmp is also very smooth.

I have not seen or felt Daiwa J-braid as yet and would like to know how it compares in thinness and smoothness.

How do these brands compare when it comes to abrasion resistance?

The reason I have chosen these 2 brands is I quite like the HMP from what I saw and felt and I am able to get the J-braid through work.

Suffix 832 is another option through work but it is quite pricey and from I have read slightly thicker, less smooth and doesnt cast as nicely, but tough as nails.

I will mainly be using this setup on the surf for targeting large eds as well as some in eds.

Thanks in advance. ::tight:

For those of you that recall my last post, I will be logging out for now so others cannot post dodgy comments on my behalf::rofl:

Hi BigJimmy


I cant comment on the J-Braid or the HMP but can say that the suffix 832 is worth every cent!

I use the 40lb on my BG6500 and it has been going strong now for over 2 years without issue.
It is a bit thicker than the other braids but that leaves you with piece of mind when abrasion resistance is important.
You can buy a 600yd (550m) spool of 40lb suffix and every last meter fits perfectly on the spool of the 6500.


Hope this helps

::tight:

Thanks for the input Foose, much appreciated::tight:

J braid 40lb has actual BS of around 60lb, actual dia of 0.38mm.
J braid 30lb has actual BS of around 50lb, actual dia of 0.32mm

Sufix 832 40lb has actual BS of around 60lb and actual dia of 0.41mm
Sufix 832 30lb has actual BS of around 50lb and actual dia of 0.37mm

HMP 50lb is a genuine 50lb line and has dia of around 0.32mm

J braid is very soft as it is un-coated and handling takes getting used to. Good casting, but tends to knot and weave can open up unexpectedly.

Sufix is ropy in BS's above (stated) 20lb, still very good though. The heavier BS's are not the best casting lines. When it breaks the Gore fibre can snap back a bit and cause some rather odd unraveling of the weave.

HMP has more body, due to the resin processing. Great casting. Easy handling. Good knot strength. Superb value.

Thanks Tackle-holic

I think I might just do 300m or so HMP topshot with a 4 strand backing.

I am looking at 300m of gator braid 4 strand backing, either 48lb or 64lb??

Would I manage to get 300m of gator braid and 300m of Hmp on top?

I am not entirely sure of what BS the HMP spools come in but I am looking at somewhere between the 35lb and 50lb.

It was mentioned in an earlier post that you shouldnt spool line that has a higher BS than your reel drag pressure. However I'm not a lockdown drag cowboy that tries to hook and land every fish without easing on the drag.

That extra BS especially on a thin braid translates into a little, tiny bit extra security when the fish pulls me over a rougher patch of ground, just my logic anyways.

Will I be able to have confidence in the 48lb gator braid not parting on me if the HMP gets spooled off by a beastie?

Thanks for the help so far, hopefully starting to see the light:SSS

HMP do make a 50lb 4 strand backing line.
Rough cost is R350 for backing and R400 for top shot say R750
If it were me I would just buy a 600m spool of 8 strand HMP 50lb for about R750.
It MIGHT need a bit of backing up to properly fill the spool.
Use mono to back it up if required, unless you are specifically fishing for big sharks, the knot will never see the light of day.

I ended up getting 30lb sufix 832 for the time being for edible fishing. It will go on to my 15/30 once I get the HMP at a later stage.

Thanks for the input_seal1_

Any idea who sells the MP 8 strand 50lb online or in Cape Town, it doesn't seem to be freely available?

Ask craig aka enigma..
Commercial marine and the smaller tackle shops in the Eastern cape seem to stock it, they must know whats up!?
HMP my favourite affordable braid brand after a few (edit:seasons!) without a doubt..I've used only one premium japanese brand but the HMP i'd say is on par, the premium stuff silkier but wind knots easier, much over muchness..bit late but... not used the daiwa j braid, used the daiwa boat braid and it is of very good quality, the 832 as stated not my favourite, used it from 20lb to 65lb?, tough but rough, casts k@k but with not much windknots though, they understate their breaking strength and goretex fibre does not last last as long as the rest of the HDPE strands so the line had to be taken off after one or two seasons depending and replaced with HMP. HMP the winner and their breaking strains are accurate enough..Smooth and casts like a dream..does not like to fray or degrade or break randomly (at least the spools I bought), keeps on pulling fish after fish 3 seasons in on the same line. My boat spinner has the 8 strand 50lb HMP and still standing up to the tail and leeries that jump on. I'll have to buy a multiplier to spin of the boat with before having to respool the line..No BS line. Glad that we are close to the source and don't have to pay more for the stuff. Wholly recommend it.

Another tip for braid..learn the braid to braid stitch, search on here there is a tutorial somewhere. I use this for braid leaders when I rarely use then and use the stitch for joining my topshot of braid. The underbraid never really gets used or sees the light or UV, rinse your spool after every fish and the underline will last the life of the reel..Once your top braid is getting vrot or you are casting too much of the underline out after loosing braid, then cut it off and replace only the top 120m or so.. That way you can stretch a spool of your replacement line to last for a few respools, have the tough stuff underneath incase a big fish takes a big run and have the nice smooth stuff on top for casting. The stitch is a 100% join, I reckon over 100%, stronger than each of the lines being stitched and so reliable that I have never gotten one to fail on me, I've injured myself trying to break off stitched leaders before, it is that strong and for that reason I hardly use it for leaders these days unless offshore, it is too strong for leaders where you might get stuck.

thanks Halibut, it is apparently popular amongst the Namibians as well. I got a spool for backing ages ago and was very impressed with it, but the shop closed and I haven't seen it in Cape Town shops again. I do use the stitch to join braids, it works very well, I stitch loops as well to make cats paw joins with mono

Here's Doc's own tut on the stitch....
http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=107216&forum_id=44&highlight=braid+stitch

Only used the 832 30lb once so far and very happy with it.

Knots snug down nice and evenly and casts pretty well for me throwing 6oz and a variety of baits from whole pilly to chokka blob and prawn combos.

Trophy Tackle Den in PE stocks HMP and is my go to tackle shop 99% of the time. Last I checked it was R399 for a 300m spool of 8strand. Give them a shout and I am sure they could sort you out.

On a side note I am very happy with the felt performance of the BG6500 so far. Biggest catch was a +-8kg Pyjama shark which obviously didnt stand a chance in among a few elf and the odd barbel on its maiden trip. Still weird for me as I am used to feeling a bit of play in my other grinders handles etc and none in the BG. Next I want to go for a couple of bus spotted gullies to get a better feel for the reel.

::tight: