To leader or not to leader

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

For what presentations do you add a flouro leader to your Fireline or other braid/superline? For example, I/ve been warned about braid fouling the trebels on a Zara Spook.

[Chris W]

I use a leader on braid for everything except a frog.

[Lucky Craft Man]

I use a leader on braid for everything except a frog.

x 2

[Bronzefly]

Depends on the water color for me.  I don't use braid for most of my fishing, but my favorite use, aside from frogs and toads, is for skipping senkos under overhangs and docks.  I use 30lb braid and a 17lb FC leader.  If the water is fairly clear, and I happen to have braid on the spool, I'll sometimes add a leader when pitching to cover as well.

[RoLo]

I don't ever remember a time when largemouth bass were actually spooked by the sight of line

After all, bass are bold predators and if they can be alarmed by the sight of a fine underwater thread,

then you had better remove that gaudy weedguard and both of those awe-inspiring treble hooks.

On the other hand, predatory fish are turned off by unnatural lure action caused by line drag.

This is especially true of keen-eyed trout, who understand current and know a natural drift from an imposter.

Line drag is caused by heavy diameter line and/or excess line in the water, but polyethylene braid is a thin diameter line.

All that said, I always tie direct.

Roger

[esoxangler]

It's more of a confidence thing with me. I always put a leader on any "slow" presentation or anytime a presentation allows a bass to get a good look at it's potential meal. Anything moving at a fast speed, that they can't get a good look at, I don't bother with a leader.

[Long Mike]

I fish with braid on all my rods and I always use a flouro leader.  Whether the bass care or not, the leader gives me a break-off point if I get hung up.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Never, no need for it!

[A.Parris]

strait to the braid on topwater, leader for everything else. I do this for abrasion resistance and so I can break it if I need to.

[Cigarlover 1]

I don't ever remember a time when largemouth bass were actually spooked by the sight of line

After all, bass are bold predators and if they can be alarmed by the sight of a fine underwater thread,

then you had better remove that gaudy weedguard and both of those awe-inspiring treble hooks.

On the other hand, predatory fish are turned off by unnatural lure action caused by line drag.

This is especially true of keen-eyed trout, who understand current and know a natural drift from an imposter.

Line drag is caused by heavy diameter line and/or excess line in the water, but polyethylene braid is a thin diameter line.

All that said, I always tie direct.

Roger

I'm right there with ya Rolo. The way I see it if a bass isn't spooked by the wire of a spinnerbait or the weedgaurd on a jig or tube I can't see why they'd get spooked by braided line.

I've never used a leader and don't feel that my catch rate has been hindered because I didn't have a leader tied on so I don't plan to start using one anytime soon.

When it comes to your question about the line getting in the way of treble hooks on a topwater, I don't ever use braid on a bait with trebles for fear of accidentally pulling the hook through the skin. I like a line with a little give when fishing treble hooks.

[BenoBreath]

I use a leader on braid for everything except a frog.

X3. I'll also use a spro #8 power swivel, between the braid and

the leader.

    BB  

[southwestoh]

I would think that a leader would make you loose sensitivity.

[Bassn Blvd]

I don't ever remember a time when largemouth bass were actually spooked by the sight of line

After all, bass are bold predators and if they can be alarmed by the sight of a fine underwater thread,

then you had better remove that gaudy weedguard and both of those awe-inspiring treble hooks.

On the other hand, predatory fish are turned off by unnatural lure action caused by line drag.

This is especially true of keen-eyed trout, who understand current and know a natural drift from an imposter.

Line drag is caused by heavy diameter line and/or excess line in the water, but polyethylene braid is a thin diameter line.

All that said, I always tie direct.

Roger

X3

[sweet daddy]

I have never used a leader, if the bass you are after are that cautious nothing will work.

[TheHammer84]

I used to use a fluoro leader on braid, thoughts? Well, let's just say I only tie the braid directly to the lure anymore and if I want to use fluorocarbon, I use a reel spooled with fluorocarbon.

[rubba bubba]

My thoughts are that it is not that the line will scare the fish, per se, but the bigger/smarter/more pressured fish have learned to leave potential prey alone if they see the line.  It's an intelligence issue for the fish, not a fear issue.

I have caught fish with and without leaders, but I prefer to use one whenever I can.

[RoLo]

My thoughts are that it is not that the line will scare the fish, per se, but the bigger/smarter/more pressured fish have learned to leave potential prey alone if they see the line. It's an intelligence issue for the fish, not a fear issue.

I have caught fish with and without leaders, but I prefer to use one whenever I can.

Assuming that fish had the intelligence to associate an attached filament with trouble,

why wouldn't they attach that same suspicion to bullet sinkers, weedguards, rattleboxes and treble hooks?

Roger

[rubba bubba]

Assuming that fish had the intelligence to associate an attached filament with trouble,

why wouldn't they attach that same suspicion to bullet sinkers, weedguards, rattleboxes and treble hooks?

Your point is very valid.  I can only suggest that the frequency would be less (all lures have lines, but not all lures have bullet weights or weedguards or trebles), and it may be harder to see a bullet weight that is black on top of a black soft plastic, or a brown weedguard on a brown jig/soft plastic, etc...

An example I can give is when fishing a VERY clear river a couple of months ago, I used a brown football jig, brown weedguard, brown Baby Paca Craw with good success.  I lost the jig on a snag and didn't have anymore browns.  I switched to a black football/black weedguard with the brown Paca and did not get another bite.

However all of the above are theories/subjective thoughts.  They could very well be bunk.  By no means do I recommend anyone believe what I'm saying.