About Traditional Braids

A brief history of braided hooklengths

Braided lines are nothing new. Many of today’s anglers are completely unaware that way back in 1952 when Richard Walker caught his 44lb UK record carp he was using a braided hooklength. Walker was a visionary and saw the great advantages that a braid gave him over the popular common nylon line used at the time. Even though the braid was thick and heavy it was still far more supple than the horrendously stiff unwieldy nylon lines of yesteryear.

Thankfully today’s specialist anglers have the advantage of space age technology at their disposal. Wonder filaments as thin as spider gossamer and stronger than steel are now commercially available for many uses. From huge construction projects such as supports for colossal bridges to mega cables for securing super tankers right down to your favourite specialist hooklength.

Using pure Spectra or Dyneema HPPE (high performance polyethylene) or HPPE blended with man-made synthetics modern braided lines allow you to present a baited hook to extremely wary fish that mimic the real thing. With a small amount of preparation you can balance a hook-bait to the degree of your choice that perfectly imitates the natural movement of a free offering.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The majority of carp we fish for live in enclosed areas i.e. still waters. From being born or introduced within a comparatively short period of time they become completely familiar with their surroundings. Their lake is their home; it’s as familiar to them as your living room is to you.

They know where food (bait) is to be found, often on a daily basis. Because they have been weaned on it they become totally reliant on it. that bait is nutritious and quickly grow fat on it. They’re also aware that amongst the hundreds of free offerings they encounter there is the odd problem bait…the one with a hook in!

Because they learn by experience and recognition they quickly learn to avoid any suspicious bait that behaves in a different manner to the free offerings they are feasting on. Think about it, an average fish encounters thousands of baits each year, that is their staple diet. Inhaling a boilie becomes second nature to them, and because they consume so many they become expert in immediately identifying any ‘problem baits’. This is the reason why all the free offerings quickly get mopped up leaving your hookbait in glorious isolation.

Fact. If fish did not have this superb defence mechanism of identification they would undoubtedly be caught every few days. Please note we are not including overstocked commercials where fish have to feed or starve.

A correctly designed braid designed for a hook length should have an action similar to a fine chain found in jewellery shops. It should be pliant, supple and have enough free motion to effortlessly carry the bait into the carp’s mouth without hindrance. More important the weave should be perfectly symmetrical allowing the hundreds or thousands of individual filaments to open and close together as tension increases or relaxes. This ensures an accurate even breaking strain as the braid approaches maximum pressure.

When we invented the world’s first super braid back in 1991 it broke the mould and the specialist hooklength was born, the rest as they say is history.

*Richard Walker photo reproduced with kind permission from Chris Ball (Carp-Talk)