Braid to Leader on Low Gear Ratio/IPT Reels

[DEPS_250]

I am having a hard time getting very good/positive hook sets into fish when fishing large soft body weedless/jig hook style swimbaits in very deep water or on a very long cast/distance when using straight fluorocarbon on a slow gear ratio reel. I have lost a lot of fish and I can tell that my reel is too slow and is not picking up line fast enough in order to take up the slack needed for getting a good/positive hook set into the fish and getting the hook past the barb and/or in time before the fish spits the bait out. 

 

I have tried using a fast gear ratio reel and forcing myself to slow down my retrieve but they don't work for my style of fishing and the baits I am throwing. I don't have the patience to slow down a fast gear ratio reel. I need a slow gear ratio reel in order to discipline me and help make me fish the bait correctly and therefore get the right action from the bait in order to get bit. 

 

It got me thinking, can using braid with a leader on a low gear ratio/IPT reel help mitigate and/or lessen line slack and therefore improve getting good/positive hook sets when a fish bites at the end of a very long cast or in very deep water?

 

Since braid has no stretch, I would assume that it would actually 'make up' for a slow gear ratio/IPT reel and therefore help in taking up line slack in time for a positive hook set even though my reel is slow to begin with in picking up line from the start of my reel set/hook set, right? 

 

 

[rgasr63]

I would think that braid is the way to go at least for me  it would be with or without a leader.

[Ski]

What power rod are you using? Regardless, braided line would help.

[Jig Man]

6 minutes ago, Ski said:

What power rod are you using? Regardless, braided line would help.

This may be more important than the line.

[Functional]

Id say power and length. Longer rod will whip up more line on the Hookset. 

[webertime]

Longer rod is more the answer than the line/reel.  I switched to an 8fter and with a hookset the tip moves 10+' that ought to be enough to skewer 3 fish on fluorocarbon. 

[dodgeguy]

go braid to no leader

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Braid allows you to get away with lighter gear, because you dont have to pull through any stretch on the hookset.  Although braid has nearly 0 stretch you still need to get the slack out of the line before the set.  

There are a few things you can do to other then changing the line that will help.  

You should always do this, but make sure the hook is as sharp as possible and check it every dozen casts or so, by running it against your finger nail at several different angles.  The hook needs to immediately bite into the nail with very little pressure. If not, take note of the side of the point thats dull and sharpen it until it bites.

A longer rod will allow you to move more line on the hookset.  Just be aware that longer rods can be a little softer due to a longer tip section.  I like a rod that has give in the tip but transfers quickly to a midsection that has some power.  That way I have a chance at setting a hook even if I dont get all the slack out before I swing.

Some 100 and even 150 size reels, especially in lower gear ratios have short handles with small grips.  A longer handle with a bigger grip makes it easier to take up slack quickly.