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When they first came on the market, hi-tech braided lines were heralded as the answer to all our prayers. Their low diameter and low stretch promised us longer casts, a better hit rate and economy over the longer term.

But braid has its limitations like anything else. And if you don’t bear them in mind, tooling up with the stuff can prove an expensive mistake - or worse still leave lost fish towing yards of the stuff around with them.

The first question is which one to buy. I’ve tried several over the last few seasons and learned some painful - not to mention costly - lessons along the way.

Whatever you do, avoid lines which are made of a twin core construction - ie an inner and outer layer. Any nick or damage to the coating can seriously weaken these lines so they break under a very light load.

Ultra-low diameter braids may well seem the best bet to many tempted to try one for the first time, especially for boosting casting distance. Berkeley Whiplash is the same diameter as 6lbs bs mono in 30lbs breaking strain, for example.

Despite their obvious advantages I’m convinced the ultra-low diameter lines are more prone to tangling and sudden breakage syndrome, which I’ll come onto in a minute.

Thicker braids are generally stiffer, which can also cause problems with narrow spools. On the other hand they’re far more robust and will withstand a lot more abuse than their ultra-low diameter counterparts.

Modern monos spoil us in many ways. You just wind them on your reels, load them right up to the brim and off you go. Braids, on the other hand, need to be put on right in the first place.

Your best bet is to start with two empty, identical spools. Wind on the 100 or 300 yards of braid, which probably won’t be enough to fill one. Join some 15 or 20lb mono to the braid with a uni-knot and keep winding until the spool’s slightly over-filled.

Now all you have to do is spool it back onto the other empty spool to reverse it, so the braid comes out on top. Simple or what? Well, not quite as simple as that.

Once you reach the braid, you need to ensure it goes on under constant tension. Do this and you’re well on your way to avoiding those infuriating tangles. Winding on the mono toight helps it grip the spool and avoid the braid spinning on the spool under extreme pressure.

Using thicker braids, like Fireline, you may find you can fill a spool without needing backing. Even so, it's wirth those few turns of mon to stop it spinning.

You can try winding it on between your fingers but they’ll soon get hot. Try using a towel or cloth.

Avoiding twist is the other key to trouble-free fishing, so it helps to use a reel with a big, wide spool and line roller.

So does checking the braid goes on without twisting in the first place, by letting it spill off the side of the spool in the same direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise) as the reel’s flyer rotates as you wind it on.

So, it’s all on there and you’re bursting to get out there and see if you can drift 250 yards and still set the hooks, or cast to the far bank of the Relief Channel in a Force Six headwind.

Before you do you’d be well advised to make sure you’re rig’s abrasion free. Braid is far less abrasion tolerant that mono. Anything which slides on the line like bombs, bullets etc needs to be attached via a low-res plastic bead, or over a silicone sleeve, to stop it fraying the braid.

For float fishing, stop knots are a poor second to the ribber rig stops you can now buy in most tackle shops. Slide two or three of these on before bead, float etc, for a braid-friendly stop. Make sure you always wet them before you move them to make doubly-sure.

Now to knots. Braid will slip if tied with the basic blood knot used to attach mono to trace swivels and end rigs since time immemorial.

The best way to attach it the end rig is via a strong snap link, secured with a grinner knot. Always wet the braid and tighten the knot slowly via the tag end.

So to using the stuff. The golden rule is to always make sure the line is under even tension before you reel your gear in. Reel on a couple of slack turns and these will almost certainly cause an annoying knot or bird’s nest on the next cast. Some of these can be undone with care, but if you’ve got any suspicion the braid’s been damaged, better cut the lot off and start again.

Another dodge is wet the spool before you start. This helps stop the wind knots which can form.

Sudden breakages occur when braid is either knotted poorly, or becomes weakened through tangling, or becoming nicked or frayed.

It's worth checking it frequently, to ensure it's sound. I'd also think twice about using the thinner braids over exposed gravel bars, on on rivers and drains with mussel beds, hard snags or pronounced drop-offs the line can grate on if you hit a biggy.