Braid to leader questions

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

Bass opener here is in a couple weeks and I’m re-spooling all my rods. I’m considering going to all braid and using a mono or fluoro leader. I considered all the pros of doing this like cost, versatility which is very important because I normally only bring 4 rods in the kayak, casting distance, how often I would have to change line,  etc. What I’m wondering is what are the disadvantages of this? ( I can easily tie an FG knot so that’s not a problem). 
what techniques are not ideal for braid to a leader? And do the cons outweigh the pros? 
 

Thanks in advance 

[MediumMouthBass]

I would advise against doing every reel braid to leader, just like i would advise doing every reel all mono or all fluoro. Having a mix is generally a good idea for various types of bass fishing.

For braid to leader (whether mono or fluoro) or just braid it would do very well for bottom fishing where you need that extra sensitivity and a quick hookset. Also when fishing areas with lots of vegetation/lily pads. And some topwater fishing too.

 

But id run mono or hybrid line on the whole spool for reels i want to use moving baits for, example

jerkbaits, crankbaits, etc.... While braid to leader may work for that it wont be ideal and can result in some lost fish, ive fished lures with braided line and it didnt make a huge difference but it was enough for me to cut the lure off and tie it on a rod/reel that had mono or hybrid.

When im fishing say a lipless crank which is my #1 lure, almost always have 1 or 3 tied on any time i go out, i want that line to have that stretch the whole way down to the end of my spool. Keeps the fish pinned since im not using a cranking rod but just a regular MH. There have been a few times where if i were using braid i wouldve lost countless big bass just from the hooks being ripped out, even if i had loose drag. For single hook lures tho i think braid does phenomal.

If you fish moving baits probably just even 1 reel having mono for mainline would be enough.

 

And theres also a downside to think about, after spending tons of time using braid to fluoro leaders for ned rigs on the rivers/lakes for smallmouth it usually just ends up being annoying after awhile if you break off enough or have to keep retying pulling out the spool of fluoro/mono, getting the right length and then tying it to the braid mainline just takes too much time.

From a boat its no problem, but in my kayak by the time im only half way done im already getting blown 30 feet from where i was.

 

And changing line on the spool shoudnt be much of a cost difference, ive had the same Berkley Big Game/Suffix mono, Yo Zuri Hybrid, and Power Pro/Suffix braid on the same reels for about 1-3 years now. Havent had to change the lines except to go to a different lb test, none of the lines have failed yet, abrasion resistance still great, strength is on par with the new line sitting in my fishing room still in the box. As long as you keep your reels in a darker room out of sunlight when not using them they will last a long time.

Now if you are fishing very rocky rivers where break offs happen several times an hour than braid to leader would probably be more cost effective, or just buy cheap mono thats like $8 for 1,000 yards.

 

You mentioned you take 4 rods on the kayak and want to be very versatile, if you like braid to leader id recommend 2-3 rods with that and maybe 1 or 2 with all mono for moving baits, if you fish moving baits.

4 hours ago, August said:

casting distance,

Braid and mono are easier to cast than fluorocarbon, braids easiest to cast with atleast for me.

I can usually turn the brakes down a little lower too, but for me i cast farther with hybrid/mono but only about 10-20'. But i think thats more the rod and reel im using and not the line.

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

So for most of your moving baits you use mono? Do you ever use straight fluoro? 

[Standard]

I run all my setups braid to flouro, both casting and spinning.  Mainly Suffix 832 to Seaquar blue label flouro leader anywhere from 20-40lb on casting setups that I'm throwing bigger / more expensive lures and 10-15lbs on spinners throwing jigs and such.  I'll use an FG knot if I'm at home, but if I need to retie on the water it's an alberto.  I normally throw bigger topwaters and crankbaits and haven't had an issue using braid.

 

River smallies aren't leader shy, and running heavier flouro means you won't get bit off by pike/musky quite so often.

 

You in the Metro area?  Always looking for other folks to kayak fish with.

[LrgmouthShad]

First, line choice is always selected based on how you want the overall system (rod, line, hook, drag) to perform. 

To speak generally, I used braid to leader on my baitcasting rigs for a couple years. I switched to straight mono or fluoro on most of my baitcasting rigs to reduce a potential weak point in my line, to cast more smoothly through smaller guides, to allow more stretch/give in my overall system, to allow me to cut off frayed line more regularly, and to skip easier. 
 

The advantages of braid to leader are a more direct pull, more sensitivity on tight line, and the ability to cast higher lb test line easier.

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

13 minutes ago, Standard said:

I run all my setups braid to flouro, both casting and spinning.  Mainly Suffix 832 to Seaquar blue label flouro leader anywhere from 20-40lb on casting setups that I'm throwing bigger / more expensive lures and 10-15lbs on spinners throwing jigs and such.  I'll use an FG knot if I'm at home, but if I need to retie on the water it's an alberto.  I normally throw bigger topwaters and crankbaits and haven't had an issue using braid.

 

River smallies aren't leader shy, and running heavier flouro means you won't get bit off by pike/musky quite so often.

 

You in the Metro area?  Always looking for other folks to kayak fish with.

No im not in the metro area, im about 4 hours north from there. 

[gim]

I also use a lot of braid to fluoro connections and much of my fluoro is Seaguar blue label which helps mitigate bite offs from northern pike, which are a constant problem here.

 

If you are fishing smallmouth on rocks, there’s likely some zebra mussels around too which wreak havoc on the line just above the lure. Check your line regularly for nicks, cuts, and other damage. Replace as necessary.

[RRocket]

I've recently started using braid after using exclusively mono line. Bear in mind I fish ultralight/finesse spinning exclusively, so my experience might not mirror others.

 

At this point, I personally see no benefit to using braid. And it was rather difficult to find a braid that could cast similar distance to mono throwing lightweight presentations. Most braids didn't feel "slick" and I also wonder if the micro eyes in my rods were partially to blame for disappointing distance.

 

I finally settled on Spro Finesse Braid. It's very "slick" and casts very well. Sadly, it's hideously expensive. And those same micro eyes proved problematic for leader knots. I settled on a tiny knot favored by carp fisherman (they use 4lb test with 8-9 foot rods with micro eyes). I figured if it was good enough for 20+ pound carp, bass should be fine. And thus far that's been proved out. That being said, I prefer no leader...until I get a long distance snag at which point I wish I had a leader! 

 

As far as performance? I'm strictly in the "meh" camp. I'm just not seeing any benefits in my fishing. My rods are already fantastically sensitive so any benefit from the line is incremental at best. Sure, I can definitely feel less stretch than mono, but I don't think this has helped...or hurt.

 

So for me, I don't think braid has improved anything for me and the cost is prohibitive.

 

As with all things, YMMV.

[BrianMDTX]

Everybody has their preferences. I decided a while ago that spooling mono on my baitcasters works for me. I was using mostly Big Game but switched to Sunline Shooter Defier. Great line and smaller diameter per equal lb. test. 
 

Spinning rigs? Unless something radically new comes along, I’m a braid-to-leader angler from here on out. No twist issues. Leaders last quite a while and the braid lasts a long time. 

[waymont]

14 hours ago, August said:

Bass opener here is in a couple weeks and I’m re-spooling all my rods. I’m considering going to all braid and using a mono or fluoro leader. I considered all the pros of doing this like cost, versatility which is very important because I normally only bring 4 rods in the kayak, casting distance, how often I would have to change line,  etc. What I’m wondering is what are the disadvantages of this? ( I can easily tie an FG knot so that’s not a problem). 
what techniques are not ideal for braid to a leader? And do the cons outweigh the pros? 
 

Thanks in advance 

There are lots of advantages to using braid to leader. The only times I don't use braid to leader are when frogging/toads, swim jigs in heavy weeds (both straight braid), and occasionally starting last year with chatterbaits, I've been trying straight mono or FC with Cb and it's seems ok so far. I even prefer braid to a leader for crankbaits and jerk baits, maybe because my one crank rod is a Dobyns Champion 704 which bends really deep. I tried straight FC at first but couldn't get a good hooksets, changed to b to a leader and it fixed my problem. If you have the FG down there's no reason to not  do it!

[softwateronly]

I fish braid as a mainline on all my gear.  The rods, leader line, and drag setting help me re-introduce flex or give, back into the system.  Every decision in life has tradeoffs, for me, braid to leader works best at limiting what I don't like.  The fact that an fg knot is in your arsenal greatly increases the chance that you might like your setups like I do. 

 

But if I were doing a derby, I wouldn't want such a drastic change all at once.  And I wouldn't want to fish freshly spooled braid when the stakes are high.  I agree with @LrgmouthShad that it's a system and it takes some time on the water to refine your preferences.  Good luck!

 

scott

[DaubsNU1]

I've been fishing straight braid on all my casting rods since the 1990's. Started back in the day with 40#, have since moved to 20# PowerPro green. I really love the castability and sensitivity. All my reels are Shimano Curado's or Citcas from the 90's...they handle it just fine. Throw spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, T-rigs, C-rigs, jig-n-plastics and some power-shots. Water clarity rarely exceeds 1.5 feet, I'm not worried too much about visibility. 

 

Fished mono exclusively on all my spin rods until finding this site a few years back. Then switched to 10# PowerPro bright yellow to a fluoro leader. Love this set up, as all my spinning rods are set up this way. I run either 8# or 10# leaders with an Alberto knot. Works well for me. 

 

I used to get a lot of wind-knots in the braid. Every once and a while I cast long towards middle of the lake, and hold tension on the line as I retrieve. Has mitigated the issues for the most part. 

[WRB]

The only advantage FC has over Mono line is it heaver and sinks with less line drag coefficient drag going thru water.

If using FC as a leader to braid you loose both knot strength and abrasion resistance compared to mono/ copoly line of equal dia., suggest considering Maxims Ultra Green for leader in lieu of FC.

Tom

 

[Big Hands]

I have five spinning combos:

• Expride Light +
• Zodias ML/F
• Mojo Bass ML/XF
• Kage M/F
• Tatula M/F

All have either 2000 or 2500 size reels with 10 lb braid, and I use 6 lbs mono or 6, 7, or 8 lbs fluoro for leaders.

 

My reasons are (in no particular order):

1) virtually eliminates line twist

2) casts a mile

3) very sensitive, even on semi-slack line

4) easier for me to see, especially brightly colored braid

5) I get at least a couple years of 40-60 days/year use before even considering the need to respool, so it very economical for me.

 

I can use use/lose a 10-15 foot section of leader and need less than a foot of braid to tie on a new leader.

 

At one time, I went all in on braid on casting reels too, but have mostly returned to Big Game monofilament on most of them. I have braid on one or two reels that rarely get used because I don't have much vegetation to fish in. 

 

I am trying to make a well informed decision on some braid for a BFS casting combo, but trying to pick the fly poop out of the pepper (in the locating, selection and buying part of the equation) that I haven't committed yet. 

[bloodkitty]

I use braid to leader on almost everything. Keep in mind that it's a system that needs to work together. Rod, reel, line, leader, hookset, and bait. Even your kayak. Something needs to have some give. 

[PaulVE64]

Braid to leader and 1.5# of drag for light wire hooks.

[Zcoker]

I run mono leader on most of my rods except my worm rod and punching rod. 30lb mono into 50lb braid, power fishing. The mono is only there for a little give in the system. I've played around with strait floro and it was way stretchy for my taste. Also, the line will break if the knots aren't tied right. Too risky. The places I fish like the everglades is more combat fishing anyway. The fight is very sudden and extremely aggressive, not to mention the fish can be quite large, and there's cover all over the place. So heavy line is a must...for me, at least. I've gotten so used to it that I never deviate no matter where I go and I always catch nice fish using it. Don't loose much fish, either. If hooked good, they all comin in!

[Jig Man]

On 5/2/2024 at 4:44 AM, WRB said:

The only advantage FC has over Mono line is it heaver and sinks with less line drag coefficient drag going thru water.

If using FC as a leader to braid you loose both knot strength and abrasion resistance compared to mono/ copoly line of equal dia., suggest considering Maxims Ultra Green for leader in lieu of FC.

Tom

 

Tom around here in MO there is a big difference in the amount of bites one gets with any fluorocarbon line compared to mono.  I got some good butt waxings using mono while my partner was using fluorocarbon.   Now my mono stays on the spool in the garage.

[WRB]

 6’-8’ of leader I can’t feel any difference in strike detection. There an advantage having you line sink at the rate as the unweighted soft plastic (Senko) ROF is but strike detection is more visual with that specific presentation.

Straight FC vs Mono for weighted jigs and worms FC has better feedback, just don’t trust 2 knots using braid with leader.

Tom

 

[LionHeart]

Braid to mono for every single rod except frog.

 

FG knot for life

[JN94]

Braid to leader all day! Don't think about it just do it!

[MN Fisher]

Spinning rigs - even my panfish rigs - are all braid to leader. Three of my casting rigs have braid on them - and using a leader is technique dependent...most times it's just straight braid.

[10,000 lakes Bassin]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Spinning rigs - even my panfish rigs - are all braid to leader. Three of my casting rigs have braid on them - and using a leader is technique dependent...most times it's just straight braid.

What main techniques do you not use braid to a leader for?

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, August said:

What main techniques do you not use braid to a leader for?

Punching, Frogs and Buzzbaits are the main ones.

[Dye99]

My finesse spinning rods get braid to flouro. I usually use Suffix 832 and different leaders depending on the technic.

My casting rigs get straight flouro.

I too only fish out of a kayak and it can be a pain but I dont have much trouble with knots. I use the Alberto on the water and havent had any issues.