DRENNAN DACRON

[nicky]

I saw some drennan dacron in my tackle shop, it was cheaper than most of the other braids at ?3.25 and twice the amount with 20 metres on the spool compared with 10 metres on some of the other braid spools

It claimed on the packet that it was limper and heavier than most other braids and would hug the bottom like a stone.

I remember John Wilson using it on some of his programmes.

If it's so good why do you hardly ever see it for sale or hear of people using it.

 

[John Ricktus]

Quality

 

[Mark Hodson]

Fashion

 

[marcus ballam]

its the only braid i use, fantastic stuff!!!

 

[Phil Hackett disability bad speller with Pride]

There is one manufacturer I rate for producing quality tackle consistently over many, many years and that's Peter Drennan. The rest in my view couldn?t hold a candle to his products. I use many of his braids mainly for barbel fishing and never have or had a problem with any.

Pay for the name if you must, but PDs will be cheaper and better in my view.

And he?s old school, honourable, straight talking with tact and diplomacy, and that for me marks out any man who I wish to buy from.

 

[Evan]

I've never tried this particular line but I had to add my tuppenny worth of support for what Phil says, Drennan is a quality name through and through. Never bought a Drennan product that didn't do what it promised, or that I regretted paying the money for. And never needlessly expensive either, no milking the cow of public goodwill. Brilliant.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Nicky, like you I've never used it but I too would like to know what the difference is between using 'conventional braids' and dacron. I've noticed a lot of the older books talk about dacron rather than braid so maybe its an age thing. Interesting. Come on you carp boys you should know surely.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Dacron is a conventional polyester fibre used in clothing and ropes. It is supple, relatively strong, sinks, but is a little thicker than modern super fibres. It is a little unreliable in knot strength unless you use non-strangling knots such as the grinner.

Modern super braids are made from polyethylene fibre or Kevlar. Most people know what polyethylene (or polythene) is, but Kevlar is actually part of the aramid family of polymers and as such is related to nylon. The problem with super braid fibres is that they are white and don't take dye very easily. They also float. Sinking superbraids are made by combining heavier fibres (such as dacron) into the weave.

Personally I'd always use a modern super braid, such as Drennan sinking microbraid as they are thinner and almost as supple. Note that breaking strain on super braids is very approximate and I've yet to snap 10lb Drennan Microbraid in normal fishing. The knot on the main line (12lb Berkley XT) has always gone first or I've straightened the hook.

Development of polymers, particularly fibres, is very rapid and much research is going on. A Google search can give some interesting reading for the more technically minded (or saddos as we call them where I come from).

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Sean, do I understand what you are saying correctly, it is slightly thicker, the knot strength you mention I discount because all line materials are severely weakened by strangulation knots, its more supple, its cheaper by about 50%, its slightly old hat. So what is wrong with it that you prefer a more modern braid?

The only downside I can see is that it will cause problems when casting because it is so supple but so do most braids in my experience. I actually prefer braids to fluorocarbon for barbel but I am somewhat put off by more experienced guys than me saying that braid spooks fish during daylight hours and that fluorocarbon will catch more fish.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Hi Graham I prefer a super braid because my aim is to make everything as near 100% reliable as possible. I have NEVER had a knot go on a super braid. As to the cost, when using 4 to 6 inch hook lengths a 5 or 10 metre spool goes an awful long way!

The idea that braid spooks fish is absolute cobblers. Once fluorocarbon has got a few scratches, dirt and algae in the surface it is just a visible as any other mono. In fact a mate of mine prefers fluorocarbon to braid becaus he thinks the fluorocarbon spooks fish when they pick up the bait due to its stiffness and generates more hook-ups.

Try dacron by all means and if it suits you then fine. I just feel that it has no real advantage over a super braid.

 

[nicky]

I'm definately going to give the 12lb dacron a go, paired with some drennan super specialist size 6 hooks which i think i'm going to spray black first.

I bought some 8lb drennan micro braid last time and found the diameter too low, it didn't inspire any confidence as it looks faded and weak after using a few times, i maybe wrong but thats just the impression i got.

Mind you the Dacron didn't appear excessively thick in diameter.

 

[Phil Heaton]

An advantage of dacron is that its a tightly woven braid that is more servicable than the un-coated super-braids when continuously baiting knotless knots. It also does not get a 'scuffed' look to it when used in harsh conditions such as turbulent water over gravel / stones.
One problem I have with the super-braids is that they tend to snag and pull on the rough skin around my finger ends, especially during colder weather.

 

[Fred Blake]

I use the Drennan Carp Dacron in preference to the modern braids for three reasons - cost (I am thus more inclined to replace suspect traces); density (it sinks - as has been noted) and the fact that it's stretchy. Not as much as conventional nylon, but there's some give in it. This, combined with its thicker diameter, makes it less prone to causing mouth damage. It also takes on colour better than some of the more modern synthetics.

It is certainly not as resistant to abrasion as some types, so this should be born in mind.

Knots are not a problem; I use the Domhof knot for whipping on hooks, and either use the Palomar to attach a swivel or such-like, or form a plain loop using the jammed hangman's knot (see Falkus & Buller's Freshwater Fishing for details. This loop is tricky to tie but I have never had one fail. The loop can be fed through the eye of a swivel and back over itself.

 

[Neneman Nick]

i used to use nothing but the original drennan dacron for all my big boy carp fishing,then people persuaded me to give the kryston range of braids a try.i can honestly say my results didnt improve and i switched back to old faithfull.
drennan started replacing the older,thicker stuff with a thinner type which i thought was crap but i used it and still caught.i was lucky enough last year to find a tackle dealer at a car boot sale who had oodles of the original stuff and i brought a load from him.....its still the best i think and i wouldn`t hesitate reccomending it!!!

 

[Christian Tyroll]

I love the stuff, used it in the 12lb strain lots and had no problems, go for it.

 

[nicky]

Just resurecting an old thread but i have found that it is impossible to cast out a bolt rig using this dacron as a hoohlink without it tangeling either round the lead or the line, i have got around this by moulding vitalin around the lead and burrying the hooklink inside that to cast but i must admit this isn't very practical does anyone have any advice?

 

[Cakey]

still use it for cats.................................

 

[webo]

nicky hook a little pva stocking bag on it will keep the hooklink straight on the cast.