Another Braid Question

[BassinHomer]

I know this question has probably been asked a millions times and I've probably asked it myself but I'm thinking of switching to braid for my wormin'/jiggin' and I'm wondering how important leader is. I'd prefer to tie straight to the braid but I fish Cherokee alot and I know it's pretty clear. I don't think it would make that big of difference on Loudon but I'm unsure about clearer waters, maybe a flouro leader? What do ya'll think?

[MtCarmelBugMan]

I really could have picked all three of the choices. I use a leader based on several different factors. water color, bait you are using, structure you are fishing, and speed you are fishing all have influence on whether I use a leader or not. You need an all the above selection.

[bronzebackhuntr]

In my opinion I believe it's very important. I fish a lot of clear water though. But with that being said, that's just my opinion. How important can it really be with people crushing them throwing a bama rig where your bait is directly connected to wire?

[MtCarmelBugMan]

In my opinion I believe it's very important. I fish a lot of clear water though. But with that being said, that's just my opinion. How important can it really be with people crushing them throwing a bama rig where your bait is directly connected to wire?

I think this is kind of what I am talking about. If it is a bait you are finesse fishing like a shakey head or a small jig that is moving slow it is important but if it is a moving bait or a reaction strike bait it isn't that important. I mean say you are trolling trout minnows I don't think the braid would hurt but BBH would probably be able to answer that one better. :lol: :poke: :potstir:

[Guest]

i like using power pro 15lb and i tie directly to the jig or T Rig......but each person as a favorite way of doing it....

[SilverFox]

If you're fishing braid for the strength, it defeats the purpose of it to tie a leader in my opinion. If you're doing it so you can save money on line or casting then I can see using it. Braid with a leader can be fished a long time just by changing a few feet of line. I know people who fish the same braided line all year.

[BulletDeuce]

When throwing a finesse type bait, very important. When power fishing with an A-Rig or Flippin, I don't think it makes a big difference-I think it may increase your chances of breaking off when using a leader.

[Guest]

i have never liked using Braided Line...i like Mono....and thats all i ever use. , i like 10 pd for T Rigs and Jigs....... maybe its that i dont like change....if it isnt broken then why fix it JMO

[basslover79]

I had a bad experience with braid so I quit using it too. I am with you momma, I stick to mono and fluro anymore...

[Guest]

If you're fishing braid for the strength, it defeats the purpose of it to tie a leader in my opinion. If you're doing it so you can save money on line or casting then I can see using it. Braid with a leader can be fished a long time just by changing a few feet of line. I know people who fish the same braided line all year.

i agree KP......i use it straight up....

[SilverFox]

I like braid for the feel... I hate it when I hang up. In SC I used 20-25 pound mono for bass. Anything smaller and they would break you off in the cover on Santee Cooper. Brwnbass thought I was crazy... And I thought he was for fishing light line.

Fishing here the biggest advantage to hanging up is it's usually deep. The water most of the time slows the weight down before it gets back to you. In SC when you hang up it's usually shallow. Image having a 1/2 oz piece of lead coming back at you at 100 MPH. That's not fun. I hung up a Carolina Rig one time with 3/4 oz and when it broke loose it hit the boat and dented my all welded 100 thickness aluminum. If it had hit me I might not be here.

I'm to the point now where the A Rig and a flipping rod are all I want braid on. I would much rather loose a jig or T Rig then spend 10 minutes trying to break the dang line or straighten the hook.

[trackertxw175]

i mostly use braid on spinner in the winter to help with feel for lighter bites. using the floro leader depends on water clarity. i use braid on baitcaster throwing the tn-rig, which i seldom do because it wears me out and in the summer when throwing a frog

[BassinHomer]

Thanks all, I've been using mono but I feel like I'm losing deeper bites due to stretch and honestly floru is rather exspensive for me to use staright that is why I was wondering. I've used braid before and like the sensitivity of it but that's been years ago. Now with eavier mono, say 20lb test, does that reduce stretch thus increasing hook ups?

[JoeP]

There is no right answer to this question. I throw a lot of braid and if I'm on Soho then I use a long fouro leader. If I'm on Guntersville I tie direct. If I use a flouro leader it's 20lb Seaguar.

[GlitterRocket]

if were talking strictly worms and jigs,then go strait flrou w/ a mono backing. heavier mono wont stretch as much as lighter mono will, but it will still stretch alot more than the flrou will. flrou is also good for crankbaits, rattle traps and even spinnerbaits. i only use braid for the frog, and it's great for strong, quick hooksets, but absolute heII when you hang it up! mono on all other topwaters and carolina rig. TN/AL rig.........who cares, F.L.A.M.........fish like a man!

[Stratos260]

I'm experimenting this year with using braid with a fluoro leader on my jig rod. I'm wanting to let this rod double as my frog rod too. My thinking is tie straight to the braid when I'm frog fishing and use a fluoro leader when I'm jig fishing. I guess the fluoro leader will make it easier to break off when your hung really bad but setting the hook with a jig with an extra knot in the line kind of scares me. I'm going to try it and I'll let you all know how it works.

[BassinHomer]

I'll probably try the flouro with mono backing and see what happens, thanks again for the input guys keep it coming

[JoeP]

I know people who fish the same braided line all year.

You know at least one person (me) that fishes the same braid for 2 and 3 years before replacing it. I use 50 lb power pro slick and never replace it because it gets old, I just replace it when I've retied and broke off enough that my casting distance exceeds my spool capacity. I have to replace the braid on my frog rod this year after getting 2 full years out of it only because I'm looking at the spool on a full cast. This is the same rod I use to throw Doug's big swimbaits so it gets used a lot.

I bought a spool of power pro yesterday to refill and dropped from 50lb to 40 just so I can get more on the spool. I might be able to get 3 years out of this fill up.

[trackertxw175]

I'll probably try the flouro with mono backing and see what happens, thanks again for the input guys keep it coming

my older abu reel i have backing and fluoro but my newer abu revo stx i have straight fluoro because the heavier fluoro i use on it is larger diameter and it probably only holds 75-80 yards. my older abu would probably hold 300 yards of it