Photo by Louis Cahill

By Louis Cahill

Airflo Miracle Braid is an exceptional choice for your spey and shooting head setups.

I recently had the chance to try out the Airflo Miracle Braid running line. I have to admit that I never really understood why you would want a braided running line, but once I used it no explanation was necessary. I love it and I will be using a lot more Miracle Braid in the future.

There is one drawback to braided running line and I’m going to address it right up front because of the timing of this review. Braided running line is, by design, intended for warm weather. In temperatures below freezing it will freeze and become a nightmare, so don’t run out and stock up for your winter steelheading. It will not be a pleasant experience. When used under proper conditions, it’s awesome.

Choosing the right running line is always a compromise. I like mono running line for it’s low friction and shooting ability but there are some drawbacks. It’s slippery and no matter how much you use it, you will sometimes still lose your grip and blow a cast. It also has a fair amount of stretch and that’s not always great for hooking and fighting fish. 

Coated running lines are easier to hold onto and they float well but they don’t shoot line nearly as freely as mono, and they can stick to the water and be hard to manage sometimes during long swings in uneven currents. I use coated lines for some of my scandi heads, especially on lighter rods. 

The Airflo Miracle Braid offers the best of both worlds. As a choice for summer scandi style fishing, I don’t think you can beat it.

Here are a few reasons I love the Airflo Miracle Braid.

Hand

Miracle Braid gives you the best grip of any running line I have used. Even better than coated lines. The braid creates a natural texture that fingers can really hold onto, even when wet. It almost has the feel of oilcloth or an old silk line that’s freshly dressed. It’s warm and inviting to the touch. I never lost my hand casting with it.

Shootability

Miracle Braid shoots as well as mono, in part thanks to it’s ability to pick up water. This is what makes it unusable in freezing weather, but the water lubricates the line as it goes through the guides, and go through the guides it does.

Zero Memory

Miracle Braid has the least memory of any running line I have used. That means fewer tangles and knots jammed into your guides. If there was nothing else I liked about it, that would still be enough to use it.

Low Stretch

Braid, by nature, is a low stretch material. That means you have a more positive connection to the fish. Better hookups and more control during the fight means you land more fish.

Durability

Miracle Braid is tough stuff. It won’t kink or coil like mono, and it has no coating to crack or separate like coated line. It will last and fish just as well as it did the day you spooled it up.

Spliced Loops

The braid allows you to create spliced loops, which have no knots to catch in your guides as they pass through. It is the only running line I know of that can pull that off. A smoother connection is always better. See the video below.

If you are choosing running line for your two hander, or single hand shooting head setups, I highly recommend you try Airflo Miracle Braid. I think you’ll be very happy with it. It comes in 50 yard spools of 30 pound for $40 and is available at your airflo dealer.

Here are 2 helpful videos.