braided line with Fluorocarbon leader

[Mindspread]

Sorry if this has already been covered

Does anyone use braid with fluorocarbon leaders.I have been trying this out. the sensitivity is awesome but the zero stretch with a fish on makes them feel like everyone of them weigh 10 pounds. It feels like it puts a lot if stress on the rod witch it probably is.

To also be truthful the leader length is excessive.

[Beetlebz]

I used to. Honestly braid with flouro doesn't do anything that straight flouro won't do and without the annoying zip through the guides. It's just my opinion but I couldn't stand it. I just switched to straight hybrid which I'm also not a big fan of (on my flipping rig) and I just ordered abrazx.

[WRB]

Braid with FC leader is hands down the most popular line combination on this site and amoung pro's using finesse spinning presentations.

The belief is FC is invisiable to bass that might shy away from straight Braid or mono and the majority of anglers believe FC stretches less and has greater abrasion resistance then mono line.

The fact is FC has weaker knot strength, less abrasion resistance and equal stretch to mono.

It's my opinion that anglers pay more for FC and get little for there investment.

Popularity trumps logic.

Tom

[Darren.]

I do. I use Gamma Edge FC in 6, 8, and 10# tests.

 

Also use, and a little more often, Yo-Zuri Hybrid line

in 6, 8, 10 and sometimes 15# test.

[Bluebasser86]

I do use a leader with braid at times, although it's not often fluoro. The only time I use it is with spinning gear. I only use straight braid with casting gear. Loosen your drag with this combination, that will reduce the strain on your rod and reel, and also on the line and your knot. I always want my drag to slip a little when running a braid/leader combo. 

 

I'm a little confused by the leader length is excessive comment. Do you not add your own leader? I tie my own leaders on and will do them anywhere from the standard 2-4 feet, up to 10' or more if I'm fishing deep and need the sink rate. 

[rippin-lips]

All I use anymore unless I’m fishing heavy cover and then it’s straight braid. Your leader length can be as little as 6-12” up to 6-12’ if you want to. A longer leader will have more stretch and I usually stick to about 4-5’ and for me it works well. I want the stretch for treble hooks. Leaders are usually 8-15# test and are a mix of mono,copoly, and fc. Depends on the situation. I’d say 80% of the time it’s 12# big game mono though. 

[Graham]

I started using braid to floro this year and I’ve really been enjoying the way it performs. I use 50lb strike pro braid to a 12lb seaguar blue label leader material. My leader usually starts at around 8-12 feet to allow for plenty of re-ties before it needs switching. I make the connection with an Alberto knot (super easy to tie, and has never failed on me). I use this primarily for jig/worm techniques, but I will throw a moving bait like a bladed jig or a spinnerbait on it too. As for the stress on the rod goes, maybe the rod you are using is not the correct tool for the job, what are the specs on it (power, action)?

[Dens228]

Last summer I used straight braid and had no problems catching fish.  Mostly 30 lb with 50 or 65 for my frogging.  I never had a line snap.

 

This year on a whim I started using 14 pound test flouro leader on my plastics and on my jig rods.  A couple weeks ago I was in my kayak and caught a monster that put of a great fight.  As it was nearing the boat the leader snapped right in the middle.  I took the leaders off all my rods and am back to straight braid. 

[TOXIC]

As Tom stated it is very popular.  Also as Tom stated, it's a good way to squeeze a little more $$ out of us anglers.  I'm sorry but I'm old school.  When I need braid, I throw braid.  Straight braid, no leader.  And 35lb braid is the highest test I throw.  I don't buy into fish being line shy.  When I don't need braid I throw good mono and in a few cases fluro.  As I have said, I am a finesse guy through and through and adding additional knots to achieve....??????  More sensitivity?  Not really.  Strength?  Not needed.  IMHO, it gives more failure points without a lot of added value.  You put braid on for it's lack of stretch and then add a leader so that it will stretch????  I'll stick to my straight lines......But that is just me.  

[WRangler506]

If you run a leader, is a better option to run the cheaper a stiffer FC that has more resistance to abrasion? I was going to try Tatsu or sniper full spool, but if only using a leader then the sniper would be better right?

 

Does anyone ever have a knot issue when casting the knot through the guides?

[blckshirt98]

I've had the same braid on some of my spinning reels for the past 5 years.  Other than some fading color and the occasional cutback because of fraying, no need to change the line out.

[Mike L]

This comes up often on here and my opinion never changes.

I don't use a leader or use mono for anything.

 

Straight flouro for everything except 2 techniques and do not have the list problems that some of you guys keep posting about. I did at one point but that was years ago. 

 

Granted, line conditioner helps for the less expensive brands and you must be careful taking out a backlash. But the overall advantages of it far outweigh the disadvantages both real and percieved..

 

Try them all if you can and Use what you have confidence in...Opinions are just that. 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

[Mindspread]

wow thanks guys for all the replies very helpful , to answer a question earlier I'm using this set up on multiple rods.

but the one I mostly use is a Scheels outfitters rod 6' med SPA2-601MT.I have this also on a frog rod and a flipping stick.

 

my main reasoning for using the leader is for sensitivity and presentation, I fish a lot of heavily fished man made lakes, so I figure it may give me a little bit of an advantage.

 I do get a little bit of interference with the leader knot hitting the eyelets when reeling in the line but I do not think it effects my casting distance. I need to shorten my leader length because its way to long its more like I'm using fC with a braid backing. 

 I don't think FC feels anything like mono. ( not trying to stir up anything  just my humble opinion) this is also the first year I have tried this combination & I do value the opinion of those with more experience than myself.

 

[CroakHunter]

I like the option of having both fluoro and braid readily available on my flipping combos. Just this last weekend we were out fishing and the southern part of the lake was clearer, with little to no vegetation, but had more timber, we ran to the north side and it was stained with some weeds. I left my leader on for the southern part and cut it off for the northern side because we were fishing more grass and less wood than we were earlier in the day.  Also, I Will always go heavier than normal on my leaders on my heavy cover combos. 20lb big game is on way to large for me if I was to spool up with only that. But it works great for leader material since it is hardy and rigid and help a me pull fish out away from cover. 

[LionHeart]

Took WRB' s advice and started using mono leader instead of flouro.  So far, the difference I've noticed is that my FG knot lasts forever (maybe my knot skills have improved, maybe it's the line).  And mono is way cheaper.  No complaints here.  Oh yeah, using flouro my 6 foot leader would become 7 feet long after a few good snags.  Using mono, the leader stretches but returns for the most part.

 

 

[frosty]

I use a copoly leader, I fish some really clear pits, I think it’s more in my head than anything, but it does seem to help keep the line getting wrapped up when using a treble hook bait.

[thinkingredneck]

This is one of the most vexing questions.  Lots of conflicting opinions.  Last year I tried mono, braid and fc , all straight, plus braid with leader.  Caught fish on all. I like the feel of braid with bottom baits.  I have had no knot issues with the Alberto knot when I use a leader, and a leader gives me more confidence.  I hate the knot going through the guides.  I guess I am conflicted (or maybe afflicted).

[Todd2]

23 minutes ago, thinkingredneck said:

This is one of the most vexing questions.  Lots of conflicting opinions.  Last year I tried mono, braid and fc , all straight, plus braid with leader.  Caught fish on all. I like the feel of braid with bottom baits.  I have had no knot issues with the Alberto knot when I use a leader, and a leader gives me more confidence.  I hate the knot going through the guides.  I guess I am conflicted (or maybe afflicted).

I feel the same way. I have gone to a lot of spinning gear but have broke off 2 really nice fish and 1 not so big in the last 3 weeks after being wrapped around some wood using light mono. So now I have a mixture of straight mono, straight braid, and braid with a mono leader. I haven't noticed a difference in bites in any of the 3. I'm using about a 10 turn albright knot and have tried the FG knot too but am really close to going straight braid, but most of the pros use a leader right?...so there has to be a reason.

 

On a side note, I landed two 3lbers wrapped  in timber with 20lb straight braid since so thats why I'm very close to going all braid on spinning gear. Even if it costs me a bite or two because of line visibility (which is still up in the air for me) I don't like putting a weak link in the chain anymore.

[MickD]

22 hours ago, WRangler506 said:

If you run a leader, is a better option to run the cheaper a stiffer FC that has more resistance to abrasion? I was going to try Tatsu or sniper full spool, but if only using a leader then the sniper would be better right?

 

Does anyone ever have a knot issue when casting the knot through the guides?

With micros smaller than about 5 mm the double uni knots will probably be annoying to most anglers with most line strengths that we normally use.  To get the absolute smallest knot, learn the FG.  It takes some time and practice, but if you want the smallest (and strongest) knot, it is the one.  Some use the Alberto, but I've never been able to make it reliable-comes loose with rigorous snapping of swimbaits off the bottom.  Yup, my issue, maybe not yours.  

 

What I do is use the double uni with guide and leader combos that work OK, and the FG for the others.

2 hours ago, Todd2 said:

I don't like putting a weak link in the chain anymore.

Using straight braid is a trade-off for strength.  While you don't need a line to leader knot, the knot of the braid to the lure becomes critical, and not all knots will work well with braid.  The palomar is one of the best, but unless doubled, it also has problems reported.  It also takes a lot of line when tying on a large lure, or one with more than one treble.  Doubling it makes it about twice as hard to tie.  I prefer to use a leader and the terminal knot is a piece of cake.  And reliable.

[frosty]

I broke of my whopper plopper that was killing them today on a tiny “stump” just under the water, it was maybe 1” in diameter. Broke the leader trying to get it off of it, luckily I was able to get it back, so I went straight braid and actually pulled a chunk of stump off and bent a hook on a 110 plopper. I’m done with leaders on my casting rods!

[Brad in Texas]

23 hours ago, LionHeart said:

Took WRB' s advice and started using mono leader instead of flouro.  So far, the difference I've noticed is that my FG knot lasts forever (maybe my knot skills have improved, maybe it's the line).  And mono is way cheaper.  No complaints here.  Oh yeah, using flouro my 6 foot leader would become 7 feet long after a few good snags.  Using mono, the leader stretches but returns for the most part.

 

 

You are tying better FG knots, I suspect.

 

There is one thing for certain and that is that most monofilament lines absorb water and it weakens them, knots, too. As mono absorbs water and then dries, it'll create havoc (like a pair of blue jeans washed then dried) with knots so best to re-tie often else expect some slipping and breakage. 

 

High quality fluorocarbon lines don't absorb water.

 

You are spot on regarding the different characteristics of stretch between the two. There is a difference between elasticity (what monofilaments have) and plasticity (what fluorocarbons have).

 

While I use braid to fluoro short leaders for most of my finesse stuff, for spinning tackle in general, I have often been under the impression that people try too danged hard to use fluoro maybe because the pros often do. But, a mono leader works great.

 

Brad

[MichaelCopeland]

On 5/11/2018 at 5:46 PM, Mindspread said:

wow thanks guys for all the replies very helpful , to answer a question earlier I'm using this set up on multiple rods.

but the one I mostly use is a Scheels outfitters rod 6' med SPA2-601MT.I have this also on a frog rod and a flipping stick.

 

my main reasoning for using the leader is for sensitivity and presentation, I fish a lot of heavily fished man made lakes, so I figure it may give me a little bit of an advantage.

 I do get a little bit of interference with the leader knot hitting the eyelets when reeling in the line but I do not think it effects my casting distance. I need to shorten my leader length because its way to long its more like I'm using fC with a braid backing. 

 I don't think FC feels anything like mono. ( not trying to stir up anything  just my humble opinion) this is also the first year I have tried this combination & I do value the opinion of those with more experience than myself.

 

What kind of knot do you tie your braid to the flouro leader? I use a uni to uni knot. It casts really well and doesn't give much if any resistance reeling back through the guides. It's also a pretty strong knot. The FG knot is supposed to be the strongest and maybe even thinnest main line to leader knot to use. I haven't tried it yet because it looks to be kinda hard to tie and takes some time also. The uni to uni knot is pretty simple and fairly quick to tie. Hasn't failed me yet.

[Dpaine88]

I personally do use a leader at least for very clear smallmouth fishing. Usually 3ft if AbradeX. At this point I can tie uni to uni knot in 30 seconds and it is slightly easier to tie on new lures instead of braid but not a huge deal in that regard. I have heard the fluro is more abrasion resistant as well which is nice because when I am using it I am is usually running a jig or tube through rocks for smallmouth. 

 

If I'm going for Larry's on a dingy water lake I don't bother with leader 

[MickD]

9 hours ago, MichaelCopeland said:

What kind of knot do you tie your braid to the flouro leader? I use a uni to uni knot. It casts really well and doesn't give much if any resistance reeling back through the guides. It's also a pretty strong knot. The FG knot is supposed to be the strongest and maybe even thinnest main line to leader knot to use. I haven't tried it yet because it looks to be kinda hard to tie and takes some time also. The uni to uni knot is pretty simple and fairly quick to tie. Hasn't failed me yet.

The double uni is, in my opinion, the knot to use if your guides will pass it cleanly.  Depends on the line, leader, and guide sizes.  The FG is fine if you get to where you can tie it reliably.  There are a number of ways to tie it, and I've tried a few of them.  The video link shows what I think is the best method because it is easy to keep the weaves in proper orientation, easy to get 20 of them, easy to tie the half hitches.  With some other methods I've had trouble keeping all the "stuff" together, and often my knots failed.  

 

[Mindspread]

12 hours ago, MichaelCopeland said:

What kind of knot do you tie your braid to the flouro leader? I use a uni to uni knot. It casts really well and doesn't give much if any resistance reeling back through the guides. It's also a pretty strong knot. The FG knot is supposed to be the strongest and maybe even thinnest main line to leader knot to use. I haven't tried it yet because it looks to be kinda hard to tie and takes some time also. The uni to uni knot is pretty simple and fairly quick to tie. Hasn't failed me yet.

 Double Uni knot, the FG knot looks a little complicated but I will give it a try. I don't remember the name of the knot I'm using to tie the lure to the FC you guys may know the name, you put a loop through the eye of the hook or lure then pinch in your finger to make another loop wrap it three times then thread it back through the loop at your fingers pull everything tight and trim the  three ends.