Braid's a problem because it floats up in the water, especially if you've got a lot of it out.
I've had several "missed" runs - alarm bleeps, line comes out of clip, pick rod up and it slowly tightens, nothing there - which I think are liners, where fish swim into the line which carries on floating back to the top after it's been pulled out of the clip.
The only way I've found to overcome wind drag is use a heavy weight, preferably a flat-sided one.
Three or four oz might be necessary but this can present problems hooking fish unless you use it semi-fixed, where it probably helps because it pricks the fish.
You could - if you wanted a free-running set-up - use one of those bouyant stem things. Contrary to popular belief, they don't stand up all the while, onbligingly waiting for a fish to come along and take your bait.
They lie flat pointing towards you when you tighten down.
When a fish pulls the line out of the clip, how ever, the stems do stand up.
I suppose Rob could also use a sinking braid but I daresay a lot of his waters are quite rocky which is why he uses Fireline.