Yellow Braid Without Leader ?

[ChrisD46]

For those who use yellow colored braid in smaller sizes (i.e. < #30 lb.) how many of you have success without using a leader ? Do you find coloring the first couple of feet of yellow braid makes a difference OR it doesn't matter ?

[DCales84]

I have been using both straight braid and braid with a fluoro leader the last 2 seasons and honestly haven't noticed much difference between the two. I will also say the braid I've used is heavily faded from use as well so it's all but white at this point. I have used yellow Berkley fire line with good results as you can cast a senko a mile with ease and the light line weight helps them skip under docks and trees much easier. I'd say give it a go and see if it works for you. 

 

[junyer357]

I use slick8 yellow 15# on senkos and only use a flouro leader in clear, heavy pressure water. I have used it with no leader in a spring fed gin clear pond after breaking off leader with no noticable change in bites.  In the stained big water lakes i fish i have not noticed much diffrence. One of my buddies uses flouro and we dont notice much diffrence. I just prefer the yellow for easier line watching. 

[Team9nine]

I think I've thrown every color of braid made at this point, both with and without leaders. Even though I personally prefer to use a leader, I can honestly say that it has been a rare day where I thought I got any less bites tying direct to braid. Perfect example was just this past weekend with yellow braid. A dozen bass landed in ice-out conditions with a jig, and 9 of the 12 came on a straight tie using yellow braid.

-T9

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Of all the reasons to use a leader line shyness is at the bottom of my list. Coloring the line is easy if it gives you confidence won't hurt anything. 

[Paul Roberts]

38 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Of all the reasons to use a leader line shyness is at the bottom of my list. 

Ditto.

[Raul]

Braided line is NOT the Jack of all Trades, even though the line has lots of pros it still has numerous cons and one of those is that braided line has poor abrasion resistance specially when rubbed against "sharp" objects ( ex rocks ), the leader of a more abrasion resistant material ( like FC/copoly/nylon ) is used to move away the area where the line is going to rub which is closest to the lure. So, if you want to tie direct, regardless of what color is the line, don´t be surprised when that line breaks. The problem of line breakage magnifies with line diameter, thinner line breaks more.

[fishwizzard]

I fish with a lot of thin (6-15lb) braid and keep going back and forth about leaders.  I would love to not use them, as it is one more thing to carry and I don't like how the knot hitting the guides seems to throw off soft casts to close cover.  But at the same time, I feel like I have been catching more fish when I use a leader. 

I am going to spool up some white braid this spring on my UL rod and see how it goes. 

[Scott F]

41 minutes ago, Raul said:

Braided line is NOT the Jack of all Trades, even though the line has lots of pros it still has numerous cons and one of those is that braided line has poor abrasion resistance specially when rubbed against "sharp" objects ( ex rocks ), the leader of a more abrasion resistant material ( like FC/copoly/nylon ) is used to move away the area where the line is going to rub which is closest to the lure. So, if you want to tie direct, regardless of what color is the line, don´t be surprised when that line breaks. The problem of line breakage magnifies with line diameter, thinner line breaks more.

I fish clear, rocky, shallow rivers with 8 and 10 pound test braid and never use a leader. In the last 15 years, I can honestly say I have never broken off because my line got weak due to abrasion. I'm sure some guys who fish in zebra muscle infested waters or guys who fish in heavy timber might have abrasion issues but I never have, at least not in the waters I fish.

[offsidewing]

I don't notice any difference tying straight to braid with green/moss braided line.  Anecdotally, Last summer I couldn't catch a thing on hi-viz yellow braid fishing next to the exact same baits on fluror/copoly.

[Raul]

35 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I fish clear, rocky, shallow rivers with 8 and 10 pound test braid and never use a leader. In the last 15 years, I can honestly say I have never broken off because my line got weak due to abrasion. I'm sure some guys who fish in zebra muscle infested waters or guys who fish in heavy timber might have abrasion issues but I never have, at least not in the waters I fish.

Come and fish this area in my home lake anytime, 65 lb braid brakes like if it were 2 lb test.

[long island basser]

Ive caught tons of bass over the years with yellow pp and no leader.

This line is on all but one of my  reels. (The one without yellow pp has 16 lb sniper fluoro, just for *** and giggles).

i  always color the first 8 ft or so with a dark sharpie, and occasionally I'll tie on a leader, but this is just  because I'm mental.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

 

[Darren.]

I've fished yellow PP w/o a leader and yes, it certainly
catches fish. That said, I always tie on a leader now.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, a leader is great
if for nothing else, to save money on expensive braid.

I can retie hooks/lures on a 6' leader numerous times
before I even cut into the braid to tie on a new leader.
So there's cost savings in the mix, abrasion resistance,
and probably a few other things.

Whatever you decide, enjoy it. Life is too short to worry
about braid + leader vs. braid + no leader  Some of us
love a leader, some of us don't.

[smallie.mike]

5 hours ago, Scott F said:

I fish clear, rocky, shallow rivers with 8 and 10 pound test braid and never use a leader. In the last 15 years, I can honestly say I have never broken off because my line got weak due to abrasion. I'm sure some guys who fish in zebra muscle infested waters or guys who fish in heavy timber might have abrasion issues but I never have, at least not in the waters I fish.

Same here. I have more abrasion problems with mono or copolymer than I do with light braid. 

[MRG]

Back in the early 80's my brother borrowed my trusty Mitchell 300 and had it spooled up with some yellow Stren. Shortly after that, I was up north fishing with a couple of friends on a clear water lake. They were fishing clear line and were catching all sorts of bass and walleye. I couldn't catch a thing. I changed my line the next day to clear and started catching fish, just like them. Because of this, I'll never fish yellow line again.

Granted we were fishing with live bait, and perhaps yellow line is ok for fast retrieve lures; nonetheless, after this painful traumatic experience from my youth, I want nothing to do with yellow fishing line again.

[ChrisD46]

Abrasion resistance of using a leader is of course a key reason to not use straight braid (if the situation calls for it) . I have a new ML spinning outfit I'm going to try #8 lb. Gliss in yellow on for a Ned Rig with and without a leader (the Gliss is a VERY small diameter -line color below the water line can't possibly matter).

[bassinbrian]

I usually use 70lb braid, only reason I tie a leader on when fishing heavy timber, etc is so when I get snagged I can just pull and break the leader.  Instead of having to cut my line and losing a bunch of braid.  That's the only occasion I use a leader.