Use a leader with braided line? I'm gonna try braided line for the first time ever. For instance when fising a worm in off colored water, would I need a leader or can I use the braid straight to hook?
Is it best to :
Use a leader with braided line? I'm gonna try braided line for the first time ever. For instance when fising a worm in off colored water, would I need a leader or can I use the braid straight to hook?
2014 Ranger RT188
115 Merc 4s, laser II 20p
humminbirds
It’s all personal preference and confidence. I’m a firm believer in a leader. I have braid on every single set up I own and the only time I don’t use a leader is the rare occasion I’m using a frog. The leader will help protect against abrasion caused by rocks, zebra mussels, dock posts etc. in clear water I personally think a leader makes all the difference. It also helps save the mainline so you can get more use out of the braid. (I haven’t changed braid on a few of my baitcasters in 4years).
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
How long of a leader, fluro or mono?
2014 Ranger RT188
115 Merc 4s, laser II 20p
humminbirds
For topwater I like12-16 inches. Most of my fishing is at night, so my worm/jig outfits have 10 feet of leader. That way, with the blacklight I can pretty much tell where my bait is in the water column by how much leader shows up. Assuming of course water is 10 feet or less on the bank.
I use floro for everything but topwater. Then I use mono. For leader length I like longer than most, typically 8-10’. I don’t necessarily measure it off, just do two arm pulls and tie away.
for knots I use Alberto. It quick to tie, strong, and very small.
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
If you are flippin' and pitching, and do moderate to hard hook sets; I recommend using 25# fluro for leader and not some 12-15# stuff because it will not do the job. Thats a lesson I learned in a FLW tour event on the Potomac as a coangler and had a 17# leader that broke when I set the hook on a LM that was bigger (by feel) that the 5#03 that I caught a few minutes before and it cost me $700. Berkely makes 25# fluro and it does work with a uni to uni knot, whereas some of those small spools of 30# fluro were not very easy to tie.
I do about a 6' leader. Reason, I don't want the knot in / on the reel spool
I use a short 2 to 3 foot leader of p line cxx xtra strong most times because i fish a lot of rock, but this summer at night on jigs & tubes i've been going straight 40 lb diawa j braid x 4 in flourescent hi viz yellow . I haven't had the least bit of line twist all summer using this set up fishing texas rigged tubes on a bait caster.
Reply With Quote