Braided Line Without A Leader....amazed At Results...

[primetime]

Thanks foor all the tips and answers to my question (Confusion). I also have a confidence thing with having a leader on the business end of my braid & I have to use braid because I love the small Diameter for longer casts as well as the non stretch and sheer Power. I can't bring myself to using swivels unless I am casting a weightless fluke for line twist in the summer in some stained water full of weeds. My big Take away is......I need to work on my knots and practice the Alberto and uni and maybe abandon the "10ft Fluoro Leaders with bright Braid & even the Darker stuff."

 

I agree that making a comparison after only a few trips is silly when drawing conclusions as we have all had days when Fish want "Odd" Presentations......

 

I think I am going to work on the knots suggested, keep going directly to Braid on Flipping applications in stained water, but I agree that the Benefits of Mono and Fluoro vs. Properties of Braid are necessary in getting the best action out of your presentation.

 

I work a few days at a tackle shop in Tampa Florida and I was discussing this question with a good customer who is one of the best Snook and Redfish Anglerr's I have ever met. He introduced me to a version of the Bimini twist that is super thin yet long, and protects the fluoro from breaking off. I have been working on knots while watching tv at night and I am starting to see the little mistake I am making....

 

and when the knot fails on a nice Bass.....I don't consider it a small thing since it is "user erro" and My Error.....

 

 

Thanks for all the advice...Alot of great responses and I will keep trying to figure out a system that works for me.

 

[primetime]

Another 100% of the time leader-user here.

 

Agree with many here, and primarily because braid is expensive to retie numerous times in a fishing outing. It makes the mainline dwindle faster. Adding a leader slows this down tremendously.

 

Albright, uni-to-uni leader knots have proven themselves to me over and over. I have 100% confidence in them. I learned to tie them (over and over) and test them which helped in my confidence of them.

 

And like Oregon Native, I use hi-vis yellow, so prefer a leader for greater stealth - whether it matters or not, it's what I choose to do.

I like your answer and I truly want to use leaders as I am a line watcher as well especially during the Spring when Bass will Pick up a worm and spit it out in just a few seconds to either move it or simply check it out....I am working on the knots that you suggessted and have been practicing doing a better job and taking my time....

 

If you are using 20lb braid for example.....what lb test Fluoro would you recommend? 10lb...15lb? 20lb?

 I would love to hear what you would suggest. I am finding that using 20lb test braid with an 8lb leader is almost silly as I should just go 8lb fluro the entire way at that point since Fluoro will fail at 8lbs....Do you match diameters? Thanks for your detailed response

[BassinLou]

I like your answer and I truly want to use leaders as I am a line watcher as well especially during the Spring when Bass will Pick up a worm and spit it out in just a few seconds to either move it or simply check it out....I am working on the knots that you suggessted and have been practicing doing a better job and taking my time....

 

If you are using 20lb braid for example.....what lb test Fluoro would you recommend? 10lb...15lb? 20lb?

 I would love to hear what you would suggest. I am finding that using 20lb test braid with an 8lb leader is almost silly as I should just go 8lb fluro the entire way at that point since Fluoro will fail at 8lbs....Do you match diameters? Thanks for your detailed response

 

If you are using 20lb braid, that has the diameter of 8lb mono. So 10lb leader should be the minimum to use. Primetime, based on some of your responses there two things you should improve on. 1. Practice and practice some more on your leader knots. Alberto is my go to. I wrap 7 up and 4 down before I really lubricate with saliva and then cinch down tight. 2. Even if you are using 20lb braid and you have light leaders, for example less than 10lbs , if your hooksets are really hard you are going to snap the leader. 

[bigfishbk86]

I fish green bay A LOT and will not use anything but straight braid.  And on a calm sunny day you can EASILY see bottom in 12-14ft of water.  I watch the guys around me futz with flouro and just break off too often.  90% of the water i fish besides green bay has at least 3 feet of visibility and there too i never use anything but braid and copoly, never with a leader.  No one will ever convince me fish are line shy  As others have stated, there might be some reasons for using a leader with braid, but i for one will never use one.

[Raul]

Can you tie braided line direct to your bait/hook ? yes you can, the fluoro /nylon leader does serve a purpose, braided doesn´t do well when rubbed against sharp objects like chunk rock or zebra mussels, if you don´t fish under those conditions there´s truely no point in tying a leader.

[Insanity]

I've always used straight braid since changing over to it when Berkley came out with Fireline how ever long that's been. I thought the black would blend in fine in the grass filled lake I fish most often. Figured I'd use the xl when the water was clear. But the fish didn't seem to notice.

First fluro I tried was the last. The breaking strength was two pounds less then the rating.

[RoLo]

To my mind, line visibility is a non-issue with braid, and unless there's a good reason,

I'm not going to run a junction knot through my line guides.

Abrasion-resistance is a good reason for using a leader (rocks, quagga mussels, zebra mussels ~ ~).

When we're on vacation where abrasion-resistance is important, I'll use a leader with a heavier diameter

than the braided main line, because 'line diameter' is a major contributor to abrasion-resistance. 

 

I prefer a copolymer leader over fluorocarbon, such as P-line CXX or Maxima, but never as a main line.

Fluoro is very stiff, in fact some brands are about as wiry as the titanium leaders I use for northern pike.

In addition, fluorocarbon streeeeetches just like nylon, even high-grade fluorocarbon.

I tried Seaguar Tatsu as a main line and had to take 2 backwards before setting the hook (if you know what I mean).

I'm not saying that I hate fluorocarbon.....................................Yes I am.    

 

Roger

[Darren.]

I like your answer and I truly want to use leaders as I am a line watcher as well especially during the Spring when Bass will Pick up a worm and spit it out in just a few seconds to either move it or simply check it out....I am working on the knots that you suggessted and have been practicing doing a better job and taking my time....

 

If you are using 20lb braid for example.....what lb test Fluoro would you recommend? 10lb...15lb? 20lb?

 I would love to hear what you would suggest. I am finding that using 20lb test braid with an 8lb leader is almost silly as I should just go 8lb fluro the entire way at that point since Fluoro will fail at 8lbs....Do you match diameters? Thanks for your detailed response

 

As for knots, yeah, practice, practice, practice, and plenty of spit to moisten!!

 

I use both Fluoro and copolymer lines all the way from 6 lb test up to (currently) 15 lb test.

 

I do not match diameters. I think of braid as a mainline and with yellow, a watchable mainline.

 

The leader I tie has nothing to do with what pound test braid I'm using.

 

Example, on some of my spinning rigs I've got 10lb test PowerPro yellow but I tie on a 15 lb Fluoro/Copoly leader. Doesn't matter what size braid, the leader is my contact with the fish, and most often, what type of area I'm fishing determines leader. I.e., lots of logs/sticks - heavier fluoro/copoly. Lighter stuff, lighter line if necessary.

 

A 10 or 20lb braid can bring in monsters if you know how to play the fish properly (which takes practice, or desperation ).

 

Hope this helps.