Need help: Straight Fluoro or Braid to fluoro leader...pros and cons of each

[clemsondds]

I switched several of my rods to straight fluoro lately and am wondering if that was necessary.  I switched my cranking rods and spinnerbait/underspin rods to straight fluoro since several had suggested that you get another foot or two with deep diving cranks with fluoro and also because I was fishing an extremely clear lake.  But I've noticed significantly more issues with backlash and coiling with having straight fluoro.  How many use straight fluoro?  Is it better just to use braid on all rods and just switch up the fluoro leader length as needed? Thanks everyone! 

[Bird]

This will draw a variety of opinions. 

 

Just about every body of water I fish is gin clear, I like the many benefits of braid, strength per diameter, no stretch, sensitivity and long lasting. 

 

Braid to fluorocarbon leader is the way I do it.

 

Using cheaper Flouro like Vanish in smaller spinning reels just invites issue with un-coiling. 

 

I've not experienced many issues with casting gear but don't like the stretch that Flouro has, especially on long cast trying to set a hook.

 

We all like what we like.

[Tywithay]

Backlash is usually because fluorocarbon is much more dense than mono and braid. That extra weight requires a little extra braking.

[Mike L]

I don’t use leaders or spinning gear..ever

Except for 2 presentations, I use flouro for everything (14# to 20#) and have for years. 
Use a quality product and a lot of the problems and negative attitudes you’re about to hear will go away.

 

I also use KVD line and lure when filling and a quick spray once in a while and I’m good. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[WRB]

FC backlashes because it's dry and high memory line. Use a good line conditioner with FC line to help manage it staying on the reel spool, it will reduce backlashes.

I use braid rarely because don't fish heavy cover often. I never use braid with FC leader, no advantage only poor knot strength compared to mono. 

Use 7lb FC for a few finesse spinning presentations like nail weight and drop shot worms, 14 lb for jigs and weighted T-rigs...that it! Everything thing else I use premium mono Sunline Armillo 11, 25 lb baitcasting and Maxima 5 lb for finesse spinning.

Braid, 60 lb Fins. Keep it simple.

Tom

[Stephen B]

7 hours ago, WRB said:

 

I use braid rarely because don't fish heavy cover often. I never use braid with FC leader, no advantage only poor knot strength compared to mono. 

 

I disagree. There are many advantages. Braided line to leader on a spinning reel allows for more line capacity than straight mono. Braided line to fluorocarbon leader is also more sensitive than mono. Braid on a spinning reel also casts further than straight mono or flourocarbon. Braided line to leader also allows easy, quick changes regarding situations. Lets say you have a 20 lb main line braid to a 8 lb fluorocarbon leader and want to go to 10 lb for a certain situation I can have that done it 1 minute, whereas a straight mono or fluorocarbon would result in having to pick up a different rod/reel or respooling. Braided line also last longer than monofilament. 

 

However, there is an additional knot for the leader if you know how to tie a proper leader knot, you'll have no issue. I have never had a leader fail on a fish. 

[Scott F]

8 hours ago, clemsondds said:

 I switched my cranking rods and spinnerbait/underspin rods to straight fluoro since several had suggested that you get another foot or two with deep diving cranks with fluoro and also because I was fishing an extremely clear lake. 

Fluoro is not heavy enough to sink a floating crank bait or cause it to run deeper, just as braid is not buoyant enough to prevent a lure from reaching its maximum diving depth. In truth, the thicker fluoro line will not let the lure run as deep as the much thinner braided line. Clear water in my opinion, doesn’t matter as fluoro line is not invisible and even if a bass can see it, the fish does not have enough brain power to reason out that line is bad. As far as a leader, if things like zebra mussels are cutting your line and you think fluoro will help from getting cut off, you might consider using it as a leader.

[WRB]

33 minutes ago, Stephen B said:

I disagree. There are many advantages. Braided line to leader on a spinning reel allows for more line capacity than straight mono. Braided line to fluorocarbon leader is also more sensitive than mono. Braid on a spinning reel also casts further than straight mono or flourocarbon. Braided line to leader also allows easy, quick changes regarding situations. Lets say you have a 20 lb main line braid to a 8 lb fluorocarbon leader and want to go to 10 lb for a certain situation I can have that done it 1 minute, whereas a straight mono or fluorocarbon would result in having to pick up a different rod/reel or respooling. Braided line also last longer than monofilament. 

 

However, there is an additional knot for the leader if you know how to tie a proper leader knot, you'll have no issue. I have never had a leader fail on a fish. 

If you want a leader use mono, better knot strength and bass are not line shy fish.

Sensitivity is misunderstood, it's about your ability to detect line movement that indicate strikes. Arguably Georgia has the biggest bass in the world ( false argument ) with the Perry WR bass. 2 of my 5 PB bass exceed Geogia bass caught caught since the Perry bass, all caught using 10 & 12 lb monofilament line using jigs.

If braid with FC line is superior so me the proof.

Tom 

[FrogMann]

18 minutes ago, WRB said:

Arguably Georgia has the biggest bass in the world ( false argument ) with the Perry WR bass. 2 of my 5 PB bass exceed Geogia bass caught caught since the Perry bass, all caught using 10 & 12 lb monofilament line using jigs.

If braid with FC line is superior so me the proof.

Tom 

Not sure why this information is at all relevant to the question at hand. I guess this an attempt to gloat?? 

[Efishin]

21 minutes ago, WRB said:

If you want a leader use mono, better knot strength and bass are not line shy fish.

Sensitivity is misunderstood, it's about your ability to detect line movement that indicate strikes. Arguably Georgia has the biggest bass in the world ( false argument ) with the Perry WR bass. 2 of my 5 PB bass exceed Geogia bass caught caught since the Perry bass, all caught using 10 & 12 lb monofilament line using jigs.

If braid with FC line is superior so me the proof.

Tom 

Mono vs FC. FC everytime. No issues with my double san diego jam. 

[Stephen B]

26 minutes ago, WRB said:

If you want a leader use mono, better knot strength and bass are not line shy fish.

Sensitivity is misunderstood, it's about your ability to detect line movement that indicate strikes. Arguably Georgia has the biggest bass in the world ( false argument ) with the Perry WR bass. 2 of my 5 PB bass exceed Geogia bass caught caught since the Perry bass, all caught using 10 & 12 lb monofilament line using jigs.

If braid with FC line is superior so me the proof.

Tom 

I'll stay with my FC line. No issues. If it isn't broke, don't fix it mentality. Can't convince me but thanks for your time and effort.

[clemsondds]

For those of you who use straight fluoro...how often do you apply L&L?

[Team9nine]

36 minutes ago, clemsondds said:

For those of you who use straight fluoro...how often do you apply L&L?

Straight fluoro here, and never use L&L. Do whatever works best for you.

[STBen1215]

 

11 hours ago, WRB said:

If you want a leader use mono, better knot strength and bass are not line shy fish.

Sensitivity is misunderstood, it's about your ability to detect line movement that indicate strikes. Arguably Georgia has the biggest bass in the world ( false argument ) with the Perry WR bass. 2 of my 5 PB bass exceed Geogia bass caught caught since the Perry bass, all caught using 10 & 12 lb monofilament line using jigs.

If braid with FC line is superior so me the proof.

Tom 

FC does have better sensitivity. That's been a known fact. 

 

FC line transmit more energy than monofilament due to its molecular structure. It's also a much denser line thus it will sink. For example, on a cast, mono filament has additional slack in the line due to the bow created in the line. So unless WRB fishes with cane poles, that's 100% incorrect. 

 

Go try it for me, go try it and put a big bow in your line and have someone flick it. Repeat the process on a semi slack or tight line holding  the rod and let me know if you can feel a difference. This is basic stuff... 

 

 

[WRB]

Less bow in the line is correct not from it higher density but it's low coeffient of drag going through water. Vibrations do not travel up the line through water because the water dampens them. What you feel a s sensitivity is the line physically moving or the lure/weight increasing or decreasing, it's not sine waves moving up or down the line.

It's the bow that anglers interpreted as stretch using mono lines sometimes referred to as controlled slack.

Good point, the shorter the distance between your rod tip and your lure the easier it is to detect line movement variations. So tell me how a 6' to 7' leader takes advantage of lower coeffient of drag vs poor knot strength using 2 knots?

I have only been using FC Sunline Shooter since the early 90's or over 25 years and have some experience using it vs mono line. For me FC line is like playing with a rattle snake, it's going to bite you when you least expect it.

Tom

[fishwizzard]

I never use a leader for baitcasting reels and only grudgingly use it on spinning reels when I have to.

 

The reason for this is that the sound of the knot passing through the guides annoys the hell out of me, any performance concerns usually take a back seat.  Only time I will mess with a the leader is on one of my ML spinning combos with a 1000 sized reel or occasionally an UL casting combo.  

[STBen1215]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Less bow in the line is correct not from it higher density but it's low coeffient of drag going through water. Vibrations do not travel up the line through water because the water dampens them. What you feel a s sensitivity is the line physically moving or the lure/weight increasing or decreasing, it's not sine waves moving up or down the line.

It's the bow that anglers interpreted as stretch using mono lines sometimes referred to as controlled slack.

Good point, the shorter the distance between your rod tip and your lure the easier it is to detect line movement variations. So tell me how a 6' to 7' leader takes advantage of lower coeffient of drag vs poor knot strength using 2 knots?

I have only been using FC Sunline Shooter since the early 90's or over 25 years and have some experience using it vs mono line. For me FC line is like playing with a rattle snake, it's going to bite you when you least expect it.

Tom

If you say so. 

 

[jbsoonerfan]

Geez guys, it is Spring time, the spawn is happening. Go out and fish. Shouldn't this argument be saved for December LOL

 

Btw, I would be out fishing but there are 20-30 mph winds with tornado warnings in the area for this afternoon.

[STBen1215]

7 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Geez guys, it is Spring time, the spawn is happening. Go out and fish. Shouldn't this argument be saved for December LOL

 

Btw, I would be out fishing but there are 20-30 mph winds with tornado warnings in the area for this afternoon.

Where do you live with that type of winds lol. Brutal weather. Be safe buddy

[Hook2Jaw]

Don't let this heated discussion distract you guys from the fact that in the late 80s, Al Bundy scored three touchdowns for the Polk High School Panthers in the Regional Championship against Lincoln County High School, including the game winning touchdown against his old nemesis, "Spare Tire" Dixon.

[jbsoonerfan]

Oklahoma, wind is just a way of life here. Forecast for tomorrow is 6-10, so that will be one of the calmest days this spring if it holds true.

[king fisher]

Straight braid advantages.

 

Extremely strong for diameter, largest capacity for line strength.

Last forever ( Cheap in the long run)

No stretch, big plus for some applications ( very sensitive)

Floats.  advantage for some applications.

Casts well from spinning reals less tangles.( does not tangle do to line twist).

No Memory

 

Straight braid disadvantages.

 

More visible

Expensive ( original purchase) 

Noisy

Difficult to break off of snags, can cause line cuts in hands

More difficult to untangle, ( my opinion)

No line stretch. ( Disadvantage in many situations).

Poor abrasion resistance to rocks

Can not be cut with teeth or pliers. ( Big disadvantage when in a hurry or helping other anglers)

 

Straight floro advantage

 

Good sensitivity

Less visibility

Sinks( advantage in many applications)

Thinner diameter for lbs. test compared to mono

 

Straight floro disadvantages

 

Expensive

Stiff ( does not cast well off of spinning reals, many recommend line conditioner)

Will break if previously kinked, or back lashed. (  when you least expect it)

Sinks. ( disadvantage depending on technique used)

Poor knot strength.

 

Braid to leader advantages.

 

Can get benefits of both line types.

Only have to change the last couple of feet when wanting to switch to different line.

 

Braid to leader disadvantages

 

Extra knot ( leading to one more thing to go wrong)

Extra knot ( catching in line guide or level wind)

Can combine disadvantages of both instead of advantages of both in some situations.

 

I use braid to leader on spinning reels. Straight braid on bait casters when flipping pitching or fishing some top water lures. Straight mono or floro on bait casters most of the time.  .  Will use mono over floro most of the time with both leaders and main line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WRB]

Heated conversation? It isn't any skin off my nose if everyone uses FC line, it's a choice.

Talking about heat it's going to be a 90 today with 50-70 mph winds forecasted, just another day in paradise. We also have COVID 90 closing our lakes when the Santa Ana wind isn't howling. 

Peace,

Tom

[fishwizzard]

38 minutes ago, WRB said:

Heated conversation? It isn't any skin off my nose if everyone uses FC line, it's a choice.

Talking about heat it's going to be a 90 today with 50-70 mph winds forecasted, just another day in paradise. We also have COVID 90 closing our lakes when the Santa Ana wind isn't howling. 

Peace,

Tom

Yep, I am also stuck in the house, nothing to better to do over coffee then argue about fishing! 

[Fishingmickey]

5 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Straight fluoro here, and never use L&L. Do whatever works best for you.

i'm in this camp.