Product Review: Sufix 832 Braided Line

By: Tyler Brinks

Braided line is here to stay.  It is the perfect line for many situations and in my opinion it is a must for punchin' and frog fishing.  I have been using the same brand of braid for over ten years, the biggest reason was it worked well.  I never thought much about it, braid is braid right?  I have been using the new Sufix 832 for about a month now and have been really impressed.  It won the Best Fishing Line award at the 2010 ICAST show.  Some fisherman don't really pay much attention to the awards at ICAST because they always seems to go to the biggest companies, whether they deserved it or not, but this stuff is the real deal.  

Like I always say when I get something new "What makes this better than the rest?"  Sufix calls it "the next generation of technical fishing line".  It is braided line, but includes GORE Performance Fibers (think Goretex) to make it stronger and more durable.  My first experience with the line came while spooling it on my reels.  It was smooth, almost like it wasn't braid.  I checked my other spools of braid made by other brands and you could immediately feel the difference.  

Braid is great, but it always seems to get frayed and lose color after a few trips.  So far, so good with the 832.  It is still smooth and maintained most of it's color after some hard days of fishing thick cover.  It's also a very small diameter and has no problems with casting.

Sufix 832 is different for three major reasons:

• The first is Dyneema® fibers, which contribute to the small diameter, high strength and sensitivity of the fishing line. 
• The GORE Performance Fibers add improved abrasion resistance, noise and vibration reduction, along with improved casting length and accuracy. 
• Lastly, the R8 Precision Braiding and fiber technology add superior strength, roundness and line consistency.

These three reasons are very technical explanations for what makes the line different, but in actual testing while fishing, I can tell you this braid is in a different class.

BY: Tyler Brinks

Senco Worm Tactics

Gary Yamamoto really broke the mold when he invented the Senko Worm. It is brilliant bait and it is widely used. But are we using the Senko to its fullest ability?

There are fundamental tactics that, to me, are key when fishing the Senko Worm. Oh yes, there are many proven ways to fish the Worm, like ‘dead sticking’ or ‘wacky worming’ to name a few. All will work in fooling old Bucket and Smallmouth, but consider what a smaller hook and finessing the Senko worm can accomplish! I personally think that’s what it was meant to do. It works so well because it mesmerizes the Bass into submission with its unique patented action on its own, there is no need for jerking the rod to give it life. All the Senko Worm needs is for you to strategically place it out there and watch it work!

I rig my Senko Worm Texas with a 3/0 Owner wide gap ‘rigging’ hook with the point imbedded into the Worm. I think that “fussy” Bass will take their first bite and feel what they think is ‘fresh meat’, not steel and the next ‘chomp’ is the stinger! When they aren’t fussy though, the 3/0 Owner will hook them just the same. It has been proven over and over in my endeavors. The other advantage to a smaller hook is longer fall time, which is essential to Bass wanting to engulf the Senko Worm. The alluring fall of the Senko is what attracts the Bass’s attention. This is where Senko Worm tactics or the ABC’s, if you will, come in to play.

In order for the Senko to do its thing it requires slack line. That is the most important part of its ability to fool Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. When casting the Senko worm, I try to cast it over hand, giving it an arch shape of line so that when it hits the water it automatically has the slack it needs for the fall. If I am not able to cast over hand then I give it ample line as soon as it meets the water surface. By using Power Pro braided line with this combo one only has to watch their line for detection of Bass. When they take the bait, reel in the slack and set the hook hard!

When rigged this way your Senko Worm should fall slowly and move slightly front to back while quivering! I have taken the time to try many hook sizes and line combinations and I have found through trial and error that Owner 3/0 wide gap hook + Power Pro + Senko Worm = Bass! “Mr. Yamamoto, you are a genius”!
BY: Gordon Holman