Question for guys who fish straight floro/mono, why do you?

[Ogandrews]

I have been fishing strictly braid to a leader for 4-5 years now and love it. I know a lot of guys fish straight floro or mono, including a lot of pros. I believe that braid to a leader has so many benefits that I just don’t see the point of using anything else. I don’t want this post to come off as me telling you guys that if you don’t fish like me that your wrong, I’m just honestly wondering what benefits you guys see of fishing floro or mono. I’m curious to see what you guys have to say because it seems like the majority of guys aren’t using braid/leader. Probably not going to change the way I fish but always interested to see some other perspectives.

[kayaking_kev]

I have setups with braid to a leader, and setups with str8 floro and str8 mono.

 

Sometimes I prefer the sensitivity of braid for bottom contact applications, and sometimes I want the stretch of mono for topwater, and sometimes I want floro to get a bait down deep faster, or a rod might have microwave guides that don't like leader knots, and I sometimes I just don't like tying an extra knot.

 

 

[WRB]

1 knot.

I learned to fish using braid in the early 50's and changed to monofilament line in the late 50's to early 60's when it became availble because it was transparent and easier to cast. 

Adding a leader to braid was the 1st logical step because mono was first available as leader line before larger size spools were availble. 

Braid died out during the 70's when bass tournament pro's promoted various brands of mono until "super braid" Spider wire line made from Spectra high strength fibers. Super braid was smaller in diameter then Dacron braid and because the new kid on the block. 

Super braid destroyed rod guides, reel level winds and bass were lost at the boat do to rods not being flexible enough. Super braid fell off in popularity and coploymer lines became popular like Maxima And P-Line CXX until Fluorocarbon line started becoming popular with bass anglers around 2000. Fluorocarbon was marketed as being invisiable to fish under water and anglers bought into the hype. 

Fluorocarbon has lots of memory with line twist and knot strength issues. 

Along cones newer Teflon or polyuerathane coated super braid resolving the abrasion issues and FC leaders resolve the line twist issues, the combination receives approval by the pros and they promote it. 

Along comes FC nemeses knot strength and to resolve that problem dozens of new knots are introduced. Nothing can overcome the knot strength issue. 2 knots are twice as likely to fail as 1 knot.

Knowledgeable bass anglers know bass are not line shy fish so FC offers little advantage over mono with superior knot strength. Braid offers no advantage other then being smaller in diameter per lb test.

1 knot is 100% more reliable then 2 knots.

Tom

 

[jimmyjoe]

   Braid doesn't feed well off the reel spool on baitcasters if you're trying for distance.

   Braid digs into the spool under heavy load (a heavy pull).

   Braid has lousy abrasion resistance.

   Braid has lousy knot strength. The sudden slam on the knot when you have a backlash sends some very expensive lures sailing into the next county.

   Braid has no stretch. You can tear the hook right out of the fish's mouth on an imperfect hookset.

   The braid-to-leader knot can catch on guides, giving you a backlash.

   The Braid-to-leader knot can catch on guides, cracking an insert or popping it out.

   Braid can absorb silt in muddy or silty water, making it far more abrasive than mono.

   Braid costs too much. The advertisements about using braid for multiple seasons are b.s. if you have an abrasive environment.

   Braid on spinning reels twists worse than a tornado, giving rise to sudden "wind" knots. And they're worse than a backlash on a baitcaster; you often need to cut them out.

 

   So in a nutshell ..... mono is inexpensive, predictable and forgiving. Braid is none of those things.      jj

  

[Ogandrews]

12 minutes ago, WRB said:

1 knot.

I learned to fish using braid in the early 50's and changed to monofilament line in the late 50's to early 60's when it became availble because it was transparent and easier to cast. 

Padding a leader to braid was the 1st logical step because mono was first available as leader line before larger size spools were availble. 

Braid died out during the 70's when bass tournament pro's promoted various brands of mono until "super braid" Spider wire line made from Spectra high strength fibers. Super braid was smaller in diameter then Dacron braid and because the new kid on the block. 

Super braid destroyed rod guides, reel level winds and bass were lost at the boat do to rods not being flexible enough. Super braid fell off in popularity and coploymer lines became popular like Maxima And P-Line CXX until Fluorocarbon line started becoming popular with bass anglers around 2000. Fluorocarbon was marketed as being invisiable to fish under water and anglers bought into the hype. 

Fluorocarbon has lots of memory with line twist and knot strength issues. 

Along cones newer Teflon or polyuerathane coated super braid resolving the abrasion issues and FC leaders resolve the line twist issues, the combination receives approval by the pros and they promote it. 

Along comes FC nemeses knot strength and to resolve that problem dozens of new knots are introduced. Nothing can overcome the knot strength issue. 2 knots are twice as likely to fail as 1 knot.

Knowledgeable bass anglers know bass are not line shy fish so FC offers little advantage over mono with superior knot strength. Braid offers no advantage other then being smaller in diameter per lb test.

1 knot is 100% more reliable then 2 knots.

Tom

 

I have never once broken a properly tied leader knot while fighting a fish so I don’t even consider that 2 knots as being an issue. I would argue that some of the benefits of braid are increased casting distance, better sensitivity, better hook sets, in my opinion better depth when fishing a crank because of the smaller diameter, being able to change out your leader line on the fly for different presentations without respooling an entire reel. I use mono for almost all of my leaders and have them usually 10-15 ft long so I still get the benefit of the stretch. There are some techniques I can somewhat get why guys wouldn’t like braid, but for stuff like jigs, flipping, punching, or finesse presentations where sensitivity is a big deal I really don’t get why you wouldn’t be using braid to a leader. Thanks for the input 

[WRB]

When the bass exceed the line lb test of the line knots become an issue. Braid offers nothing in sensitivety and mono doesn't strecth under fishing pressure loads. Set your drag and trust your rod and reel to perform.

I have caught hundreds of DD bass using mono with jigs casting over 100' in water over 15' deep.

Bottom line is what you have confidence using.

Tom

[Ogandrews]

7 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Braid doesn't feed well off the reel spool on baitcasters if you're trying for distance.

   Braid digs into the spool under heavy load (a heavy pull).

   Braid has lousy abrasion resistance.

   Braid has lousy knot strength. The sudden slam on the knot when you have a backlash sends some very expensive lures sailing into the next county.

   Braid has no stretch. You can tear the hook right out of the fish's mouth on an imperfect hookset.

   The braid-to-leader knot can catch on guides, giving you a backlash.

   The Braid-to-leader knot can catch on guides, cracking an insert or popping it out.

   Braid can absorb silt in muddy or silty water, making it far more abrasive than mono.

   Braid costs too much. The advertisements about using braid for multiple seasons are b.s. if you have an abrasive environment.

   Braid on spinning reels twists worse than a tornado, giving rise to sudden "wind" knots. And they're worse than a backlash on a baitcaster; you often need to cut them out.

 

   So in a nutshell ..... mono is inexpensive, predictable and forgiving. Braid is none of those things.      jj

  

I do agree with you that wind knots suck but it’s not a super common issue for me, but most of your other points are things that I really don’t deal with. If the braid is spooled correctly (pretty much as tight as you can) than I never have it dig in even while musky and pike fishing. I get significantly better casting distance with braid. If tied correctly I do not break knots in braid, you just can’t tie it like your tieing mono. Braid having very little stretch is great in some applications, and when I need stretch a longer mono leader and correct rod takes care of that. Never had issues with knots damaging guides, most of the time the knot is not noticeably much bigger than the line. Yea good braid is expensive, but I’ve used the same spool of 40lbs maxcuatro for 2 years without issue and the same spool of 80lbs courtland masterbraid for 3 years and it is still working great. Not trying to say your wrong it’s just in my experience theres a way around most of these issues

[Finessegenics]

Braid is only sensitive on a tight line. Fluoro is the way to go on techniques where you’ll have lots of slack line out at once. 
 

On the other hand, braid twists a lot less and even when it does twist, it is much more manageable than mono or fluoro. I only find this to be an issue on my spinning reels.
I only use braid on my spinning gear, where thin and soft line can really fling your presentation out there when needed. I find braid too thin and soft to throw on casting reels, just seems like mono and fluoro works better. 
 

it’s crazy to think that not too long ago, people fished frogs on mono and lots still do. They did just fine so I say use whatever you want. 

[kayaking_kev]

What mono do you guys like using? I haven't tried a bunch, but so far what I have tried, Trilene Sensation seems to be pretty good.

[Finessegenics]

2 minutes ago, kayaking_kev said:

What mono do you guys like using? I haven't tried a bunch, but so far what I have tried, Trilene Sensation seems to be pretty good.

Good old Trilene XL. I use Stren Original too and I see just a slight difference between that and the Trilene XL. Seems like the Trilene is almost double coated or something, it’s much smoother when you run it through your fingers. It’s less “wiry” than the stren but I haven’t had issues with either.   
 

A lot of guys on here also swear by Big Game. I’ve used it in very heavy sizes for catfish and sturgeon so I can’t comment on it for bass fishing. 

[PhishLI]

I fish lots of spots that are loaded with pads, so when they're up I'm fishing straight braid. Even where there's open water near pads there's a chance that a fish will run me into them. I haven't lost a fish to a broken knot using 30lb braid or greater while fishing in or near pads. I have with 20lb though, so I don't bother with it.

 

Right now I'm running 8lb Advance copoly, 10lb Advance copoly, 12lb Big Game, 15lb High Seas Copoly, 15lb Trilene Fluoro, 17lb Seige, and 20 Lb Big Game. My thumb, brake settings, and awareness need to be on point as a kink after a fluff up or a backlash means re-spooling. Besides that, I like fishing with plastic lines for their different properties. They're all strong enough for bass fishing.

 

One thing I like about plastic lines is this: I end up bomb casting alot because much my fishing is done by wading lakes right off the bank. Regardless of the fact that 99% of the fish I hook are within 50 ft of where I'm standing, I can't help it. When I'm not getting bites close I need to cover water. I tell myself that I might get followed in from 150 out. Maybe I do. In this scenario, bomb casting, I find plastic lines are more forgiving than braid. I can put more mustard on the cast at lower brake settings and get fantastic distance, especially with lighter lures. 

 

Several factors are in play here including these: Wet plastic is slick and doesn't key into itself like wet braid does. It also doesn't fight as hard through the level wind, especially on reels where the level wind's aperture is oriented closer to the spool, or not dead center. Plastic might fluff in the middle of a hard cast, but will usually correct quickly. At the same point braid will often wrap around the spool causing a hard backlash. This happens less with 50lb braid and up, but it's still more frequent than mono. I haven't had a single fatal backlash since I re-spooled with plastic lines in November, and I'm constantly shooting for the moon, so it's not much of an issue for me.

 

So I'll use plastic lines until I can't, then switch to braid when I must. In either case it will be full spools. I hate a leader knot going through my guides on casting gear, but I'll tolerate it for spinning setups.

[DanielG]

Strange to say but I gave up mono/floro just to get rid of the annoying coiling aspect of it that always seems to build up over time and I have to straighten it out.

That being said, I was weened on mono and really like it for fishing. The stretchiness feels right to me.

[Sam]

As Tom pens, "1 knot is 100% more reliable then 2 knots."

 

That is a correct statement.

 

A pro told me to tie your braid line directly to the bait, hook or snap.

 

You have to know your water as braid and rocks do not seem to agree with each other and you want some stretch for treble hook baits so there are times when fluorocarbon and mono are still the best.

 

 

[Catt]

Ya hear that noise braid makes going through your guides?

 

If you're fishing brush, timber, laydowns, (wood) it makes that same noise coming over it.

 

Wood that has been underwater for years the braid will actually cut into the wood causing you to hang up.

 

With straight braid when you get hung up ya gonna have to cut it off. Now ya got a big ol piece of line floating around waiting to wrap someone's prop.

 

Fluorocarbon is to expensive for poor of abrasion resistance & shock absorption. 

 

If I gotta walk around with a bottle of line conditioner in my back pocket just to use Fluorocarbon then that's the wrong line for me.

[Jig Man]

I fish a lot of clear highland reservoirs.  They are rocky so there are lots of hang ups with bottom baits.  I tried the braid with leader for a couple of years and got tired of retying leaders in the wind.  One trip I got beat like a read headed step child by a guy in the back of my boat using fluorocarbon line while I was using mono.  After 2 trips of that I bought some fluorocarbon.  I now run it on most of my setups.  I use 10# and under on spinning set ups.

[Spankey]

The only thing I fish braid on is my frogging, flipping and pitching set up. 
 

I just can’t seem to make the change over. I’m probably too old and too much a creature of habit. 
 

I’m pretty much a diehard Berkley XT, XL, Big Game and Fluoro guy.  But this past season have used some McCoy and SUNLINE. I like them. 
 

I’m working on another set up just for pitching and flipping. I think I’ll stick to braid there. My lighter fishing I think I’d better leave well enough alone. 

[TBAG]

Main reason for me is I hate tying knots so one knot for me.

 

Other main reason is most of my bottom contact rods have micro guides and I hate the feel and sound of slapping leader knots.

[Ogandrews]

Thanks for the reply’s, opens my eyes up a good amount as to why you guys do it. One point I didn’t mention is that pretty much every rod I own I also use for pike/musky/walleye fishing. For pike and musky there is no reason to use anything besides braid to 60-120+lbs floro leader, titanium, or straight piano wire, with as bony as their mouths are you need every advantage to get the hooks set well into them. They also fight a lot differently than a bass, but when they want to make a real run you need serious line strength unless your finesse fishing with a really light drag. For walleye it’s not as big of a deal, but a few situations it makes a difference. Most of my eye fishing is done in rivers with strong current down to depths over 40ft, and trying to keep the bait as vertical as possible. 10lbs braid is going to get dragged way less my the current than 10lbs mono which makes it way easier to present the bait how you want. Also when I’m fishing live bait in a lake situation, most of the time your fishing a tight line and the only thing you feel of the bite is a tiny tap, in my experience it’s a lot easier to feel that on braid with a lot of line out. I’m going to keep fishing braid to a leader because that’s what I’m confident in, but i can understand why if I was strictly bass fishing the advantage of the other 2.

[greentrout]

i like braid on my spinning reels for finesse soft plastic presentations ... can throw it a mile ... very sensitive ... strong hooksets ...

 

make sure you don't put too much line on the spool and always close the bail with your hand ...

 

use spiderwire stealth and berkley fire line 20 and 14 lbs ...

 

good fishing ... 

[WRB]

9 hours ago, kayaking_kev said:

What mono do you guys like using? I haven't tried a bunch, but so far what I have tried, Trilene Sensation seems to be pretty good.

.010D / 11 lb to 016D / 25 lb I use Sunline Defier Armillo Nylon mono and .008D / 5 lb Maxima Ultra Green Copoly, .009 D/ 7 lb Sunline Sniper Fluorocarbon lines.

Braid 60 lb original FINS for heavy cover with no leader.

Tom

[Mobasser]

I still like and use mono line for all my fishing. Baitcast reels 12 to 15lb Trilene Big Game. Spin reels 6 to 8lb Stren or Trilene XL. I like the way it handles and cast. Any fish I've lost in almost 40yrs has been my own fault, not any fault of the mono line. I see no need to change now

[Catt]

All 3 line types have their place ?

 

Braid; frigging & punching 

Monofilament; everything else 

Fluorocarbon; trash can

 

Berkley Big Game 15# 

 

[Mobasser]

I have tried flourocarbon but didn't care for the poor knot strength, and the kink it always seemed to have

2 minutes ago, Catt said:

All 3 line types have there place ?

 

Braid; frigging & punching 

Monofilament; everything else 

Fluorocarbon; trash can

 

Berkley Big Game 15# 

 

Catt, I am going to spool some braid this year for a frog setup I've put together, but that's it for me. Everything else I'll go with mono. I can't see what the big deal is with flourocarbon. I havnt tried that many brands, but the ones I tried acted the same. Poor knot retention, tends to jump off the spool, and kink up too. When I'm fishing I want to be casting, not fooling with my line. I never have these problems with monfilament

[king fisher]

I use all three types of line.  Mono is my standard default go to line.  If I am using a technique that a feel It would be better to use braid or floro I will use it.  I use straight braid for punching and flipping, because I need the strength of heavy braid and anytime line capacity is an issue.  I use straight floro for some crank bait fishing because it sinks and has smaller diameter per lbs. test.  I use braid to floro on finesse spinning outfits because I want the sensitivity, and for most live bait fishing because fish have the opportunity to look live bait over for a long time before deciding to strike so visibility could be a factor.  All other applications I prefer mono, and if I could only use one line it would be mono.  Braid to leader knots are a weak, link this is a fact.  I'm not saying that you can't land thousands of fish, and never have one fail.  I'm sure many have.  I have done many knot tests, and there is no braid to leader knot that is any where close to 100 percent.  I used double uni knot for years and swore by it, but when testing knots I found double uni is only a 60 percent knot at best.  I know there are people that will swear that the double uni is 100 percent knot, never fails and have landed thousands of fish using it.  I'm sure they have and will continue to another site.  I was in the same club for years, but  now use Alberto for light braid to leader, and FG for leader 30lbs and up.  I rarely have the line break,( almost always on a snag), when using braid to leader, but when I do it will be within one inch of the braid to leader knot.  Some times I just like my fishing to be  less complicated, by Filling a reel with cost effective mono, and tying one strong knot.     

[Tizi]

I use mono, flouro, and braid.  Never with leaders. Reason:  simplicity.  I like to keep it as simple as possible.