1. Is there a "rule of thumb" for top shot?
For example: Adding a top shot to 80lb braid should you stay with 80 lb mono/floro or step it up to 100lb mono/floro or heavier?
2. Is there another reason besides top shot capacity that you would add a lighter top shot than braid strength?
For example: Adding a 50 to 60 lb mono/floro top shot to 80 lb braid so you fish with the mono/floro but have a large capacity of line (braid) in case you need it.
Thank you for any advice.
Your top shot is just what you want to fish with, can be whatever you want.
Are you using hollowcore or solid braid? If using hollow you have to take diameters into account.
Solid core.
With solid you can use whatever you want.
Okay. I am going to give it a shot.
Thank you
What reel and what are you looking to do with it? We can offer recommendations on kinda of what is typical or best fit for your application.
I will say that unless you have an electric spooler, it is hard to get braid tight enough by spooling manually.
I just made the move to hollow core. I bought some 80 lb hollow core and a needle and 80 lb fluoro leader. Threaded the mono into the hollow core, a few half hitches, one clinch know and a dab of gorilla glue and I can't wait to see how it behaves.
wavescrash
What reel and what are you looking to do with it? We can offer recommendations on kinda of what is typical or best fit for your application.
I will say that unless you have an electric spooler, it is hard to get braid tight enough by spooling manually.
I have an Avet EXW30 to be used as my Shotgun set up. Since I posted this, I have spooled it 600 yards of 80lb Power Pro. Now I am planning to add approximately 100yards of 80 lb mono topshot or whatever it will hold unless I get any other suggestions or options.
Most braid will break at a higher tension force than mono of the same rating. Some people feel that you can go up a line class or two with your mono and the strengths between the two lines are closer. The weakest link in the system is the knot used to join the two lines. So if you have 80 lb braid that will test out higher (say 100 lb) and 100 lb mono you don't have a 100 lb system because the knot strength is controlling as it may only be good for 80-90 lbs of tension. The knot tends to be better the closer the diameters of the lines are.
More importantly if this is your shotgun line then you may very well often have at least 100yds of line out which means that your joining knot between the two lines will always be in the fight not on the spool. With the knot being the weakest link this is not a great plan. It would be a better plan to have at least several hundred yards of mono at you disposal and the braid is just there as insurance if there is an issue with the fish taking a ton of line.
If you have a short run of mono then you would be considering it be be more of a shock leader than your mainline. Most guys/gals will tell you that trolling with braid can be a nightmare if it gets into your other lines. It will cut them and tangle worse than you could believe. Cutting off a ton of line and re-rigging on the water is no fun.
IMHO I would put on 50-80 lb mono to get as much mono on the spool as I could. You'd be amazed at what 50-80 lb Mono can happily handle.
I would've used 65 lb braid and 50 mono on a 30W, but what you have done and plan will work fine.
Your top shot is just what you want to fish with, can be whatever you want.