Braid and the Texas Rig

[gunsinger]

I recently spooled one of my worm rigs with some 20 lb spiderwire in Mossy color. Currently, I’m tied directly to the bait. But, I’m wondering about line visibility. Should I be using a leader of some length that less visible?  My concern with a leader is that the knot coming through the line guides will reduce casting distance. 
 

What say you?

[MN Fisher]

I'd use a leader - 8'-10' minimum...primarily for shock absorption. Most standard worm hooks are light-wire - a hard hook-set with straight braid could straighten the hook, losing the fish.

[FishTank]

I like using straight braid for topwater only.  

 

I have been using about 10 feet of leader for most techniques when I am using braid.  For 20lb, I try to go one size in bigger in diameter when it comes to the leader.  For actual leader material, I use Seaguar Premier or whatever FC I left over on a spool.  

[HaydenS]

1 hour ago, gunsinger said:

I recently spooled one of my worm rigs with some 20 lb spiderwire in Mossy color. Currently, I’m tied directly to the bait. But, I’m wondering about line visibility. Should I be using a leader of some length that less visible?  My concern with a leader is that the knot coming through the line guides will reduce casting distance. 
 

What say you?

If you tie an FG knot you won't have a big knot.   Are you fishing heavy cover, like grass?  Is the water you're fishing stained or muddy? 

If not you might want a 15-17 pound fluorcarbon leader. 

If so you'll be fine.

[Bankc]

Unless you're fishing around wood, shells, or something that will catch and abrade braided line, or are fishing in fairly clear water, you don't need a leader.  One of my favorite things about braid is how supple it is.  It allows for better bait action, in my opinion.  Though if you're pinning your weight against the bait, that doesn't really matter.  

[jbsoonerfan]

Are you using invisible hooks and weights as well? If not, I wouldn't worry about the line.

[BrianMDTX]

No matter what, there’s one thing about a leader that I would say is indisputable. You get snagged beyond repair, it’s easier to break off 6’-8’ of leader (likely at the knot to the hook or lure) then it is braid. 

[Bluebasser86]

Fish will crush an A-rig looking like a chandelier coming through the water, but we worry about them seeing braid that's .25mm thick and being spooked. If I'm fishing braid on a baitcaster, there's no leader involved, ever, end of story.

 

20lb braid is not hard to break if it's badly snagged, and there's a better chance of getting your bait back with a strong pull than if you have a leader. So if you're using a tungsten weight you got a better shot of getting it back instead of breaking it off. 

[Drew03cmc]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Fish will crush an A-rig looking like a chandelier coming through the water, but we worry about them seeing braid that's .25mm thick and being spooked. If I'm fishing braid on a baitcaster, there's no leader involved, ever, end of story.

 

20lb braid is not hard to break if it's badly snagged, and there's a better chance of getting your bait back with a strong pull than if you have a leader. So if you're using a tungsten weight you got a better shot of getting it back instead of breaking it off. 

The more I use braid, the more I agree with this.

[gunsinger]

10 hours ago, HaydenS said:

Are you fishing heavy cover, like grass?  Is the water you're fishing stained or muddy? 

 

I would say the water, while not clear, isn't stained or muddy.  Visibility is about 1'-2'.  No really heavy cover.

9 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Are you using invisible hooks and weights as well? If not, I wouldn't worry about the line.

I've search with Dr. Google, but have been unable to find the invisible hooks and weights.  ?

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Fish will crush an A-rig looking like a chandelier coming through the water, but we worry about them seeing braid that's .25mm thick and being spooked.

Excellent point.

[DaubsNU1]

All my bait-casters have had braid since the 1990's...and never a leader. Some even have the same old Fenwick Iron Thread from way back in the day...it's faded to somewhere between moss green and white...the fish don't seem to care.

 

I have learned to adjust my hook-set when fishing straight braid.  Just a quick snap of the wrist is about all it takes. 

[the reel ess]

If I'm pitching the T-rig into heavy stuff I use straight 30# braid. If I'm trying to finesse a T-rig in more open water, I use a short leader of 15# Big Game mono. I'm not convinced fish care, but I don't want to chance it. I waffle back an forth on this topic.

[MassYak85]

I use a leader for a variety of reasons. Abrasion resistance is one of the main ones. It gives me a little more confidence personally too. 20lb braid is light stuff if this is a baitcaster were talking about. I don't go less than 30 and my jig and trig rod has 40 on it. 20 will snap like nothing on a bad backlash with a 1/2oz weight and will dig in bad on itself as well.

[Bird]

I'm also back and forth with leaders being required. 

Waters I fish are extremely clear so slow baits get Flouro leader, straight braid for everything else. 

 

I may one day explore the results with using straight braid on plastics and likely find my efforts were in vain. 

AND will admit, tying an Alberto on the boat with subpar eyes sucks. 

[J Francho]

Rarely I use a leader because I think I'm missing bites.  Often I use a leader because I'm fishing tangled wood cover, and I want to be able to break off without disturbing the wood, but still gain the mostly zero stretch benefits of braid, i.e. weird or bad hooksets still sticking fish or overall glued in feeling.  There's a tiny bonus of feeling the connection knot as you navigate branched so you know about how much further you have before the bait will hit the branch.  Sometimes the hop off a branch is the trigger.  That said, if I can go straight braid or straight fluoro, that's what I'm doing.  In fact, I prefer fishing with fluoro over all others.

[NHBull]

I was a huge believer in braid to FC.

A couple years ago, in preparation for a trip south of the border I started going straight FC on BC.  Today it is tatsu or invisx.  Spinning set ups are still braid to leader.

[Kenny Yi]

when I used to tie leaders for casting, it was for abrasion resistance, but now I've saved myself the hassle of extra knots and passing through line guides by going straight fluorocarbon or straight braid, only my spinning combos get a leader that's at least 15' so I never have to retie for awhile.

[Mike L]

Back to this again…

Ever wonder where this “I gotta use a leader because it scares the fish” stuff came from??
 

That’s one of the biggest fallacies in bass fishing. 

Other than punching or frogging there is no real reason to even use braid. 
For some top waters it can make sense but that’s personal preference. 
 

And so is using a leader. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[MassYak85]

Another benefit of braid to leader is you're not losing line because of retying, cutting off bad stretches that brushed against rocks. Braid isn't cheap but neither is quality Fluoro. I hated getting halfway through a season having to respool with sunline sniper because of losing line. And backlashes don't get me started. You get one where it kinks the line...you gotta cut that out of the reel cause that kinked loop is a weak spot and I've broken off on a hookset multiple times 25yds up the line because of it. Overall I save money with braid tbh. 

 

Really it's all what you're confident using and what works for you. I'll crank on braid to leader cause the reduced diameter of braid helps get some depth, but I also make up for the lack of stretch with my rod. It's all in how you put together your entire setup. There's no hard and fast rules.

[Bankc]

23 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

Another benefit of braid to leader is you're not losing line because of retying, cutting off bad stretches that brushed against rocks. Braid isn't cheap but neither is quality Fluoro. I hated getting halfway through a season having to respool with sunline sniper because of losing line. And backlashes don't get me started. You get one where it kinks the line...you gotta cut that out of the reel cause that kinked loop is a weak spot and I've broken off on a hookset multiple times 25yds up the line because of it. Overall I save money with braid tbh. 

 

Really it's all what you're confident using and what works for you. I'll crank on braid to leader cause the reduced diameter of braid helps get some depth, but I also make up for the lack of stretch with my rod. It's all in how you put together your entire setup. There's no hard and fast rules.

This is the main reason I use a leader, when I use a leader.  Braid will last forever on a reel and it casts better than fluorocarbon.  It the cheapest line to use, in the long term.  And using a leader keeps me from having to peel off the braid to put more backing on it, or replacing the braid.  So the braid to leader saves me money.

 

I like to use about 7-15ft of leader.  Right now, I'm using Yo-Zuri Top Knot Fluorcarbon for leader, as it's really cheap and works well enough.  A $10 spool will last me many years.  It's got some bad memory, so I wouldn't use it as a mainline, even though it's labeled as such.  But it works pretty well as a leader, in my experience.  

[crypt]

14 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Fish will crush an A-rig looking like a chandelier coming through the water, but we worry about them seeing braid that's .25mm thick and being spooked. If I'm fishing braid on a baitcaster, there's no leader involved, ever, end of story.

 

20lb braid is not hard to break if it's badly snagged, and there's a better chance of getting your bait back with a strong pull than if you have a leader. So if you're using a tungsten weight you got a better shot of getting it back instead of breaking it off. 

Amen to this....

[T-Billy]

I just became a straight braid believer this year. Several times this season I've tied the same bait on braid and mono (Quit that flouro crap a few years ago) and alternated between them. Not once did I notice a drop off in bites on the braid rod, even when visibility was around 10' and I was fishing open water chunk rock. 

 

I've had a love hate relationship with braid for years.  Wish I had the money back for all the braid I've got frustrated with and pitched. This spring it finally sunk into my thick skull to try it on a moderate taper rod. BINGO!!! No more ripping holes in fishes mouths. No more hanging up on every piece of wood my bait touched. Mod rods do a great job of keeping them buttoned. I just load it up, put the tip down to the surface, and wind on 'em. I'm losing very few, and

I love the fact that it gives me the same hook setting power at 60' as it does at 6'.

 

You can do alot with a MH crankin stick spooled with braid. Cranks, Chatterbaits, Jigs, spinnerbaits, all kinds of rigs. That soft tip is great for skipping too. My 7' 11" H Veritas winch is my favorite all around flippin/pitchin stick, with a 7'10" SLX H MF backing it up for the REALLY thick stuff.

 

As far as abrasion goes, all braids are not created equal. FAR from it. 832 is my hands down favorite that I've tried, and it's good enough that I've quit looking around. It's pretty smooth, handles well, and is plenty abraision resistant. I fish alot of rock and I seldom need to retie more than once a day dragging T-rigs on 30# or 40#. The love hate relationship has gone to pretty much just loving it. With the exception of those pesky tip wraps.

[gunsinger]

So, I’ve been thinking about all the comments y’all have posted, in particular the one who made the valid point that we throw Alabama rigs with big wires and all kinds of flash and that don’t bother the bass.  And that’s certainly true.  But, those fish are active fish that are reacting to the action.  
 

Does that necessarily mean that stationary, tight lipped bass aren’t more wary of a visible line?  And if that is the case, wouldn’t a leader that less visible than braid make sense?  Not trying to beat a dead horse here; just trying to make sense of it all. 

[the reel ess]

22 minutes ago, gunsinger said:

So, I’ve been thinking about all the comments y’all have posted, in particular the one who made the valid point that we throw Alabama rigs with big wires and all kinds of flash and that don’t bother the bass.  And that’s certainly true.  But, those fish are active fish that are reacting to the action.  
 

Does that necessarily mean that stationary, tight lipped bass aren’t more wary of a visible line?  And if that is the case, wouldn’t a leader that less visible than braid make sense?  Not trying to beat a dead horse here; just trying to make sense of it all. 

Yeah, when they're finicky everything matters. When they're chomping nothing seems to matter.

[TnRiver46]

I’d go a little higher than 20 lb braid for a texas rig