Braid Question

[DF]

 Do you guys always use leader with braid? What about in murky water?

[andrewlamberson]

For bass fishing I normally use straight braid...unless the water is really clear. But, I use the smallest diameter braid that I can (usually 8lb test diameter...you can't break that stuff!).

When I fish for crappie and bluegills,  I normally use only super small diameter braid.

I really like the super sensitivity of braid so I don't want diminish it. 

After seeing everyone catching bass on the multi-bait wire rigs ...I'm not as worried about it anymore!!!

[jl3140]

I fish waters that aren't very clear at all and I use 20lb braid without a leader nearly every time, the only time I do is when I use a steel leader for pike. I've only lost 1 fish on that stuff and that was because I didn't use a steel leader in a lake known for having lots of pike.

[DF]

 Thanks guys, your telling me what I want to hear. The less knots I have to tie on the water the better

[MonteSS]

I use 20# Power Pro with no leader for bass and 8# Power Pro on the Ultralite.

[pjmcla]

I used braid for it's sensitivity, but didn't particularly like some of braid's characteristics.  When the big kinks were worked out of flurocarbon I moved to it and haven't fished braid since.  But; I don't fish heavy grass or wood.  For either of these applications I would use braid and not add a leader.

[andrewlamberson]

I only use PowerPro...tried all the rest...keep coming back to it. I use a Palomar knot 95% of the time. No slip and a 100% knot strength.

[Lamar]

The only braid I use is Power Pro. I use it all the time when I go to Canada for pike. The only time I use it for bass is for frogs and buzz baits. Never for anything else.

[t-billy]

 Power pro here too. I've tried a bunch of them. Original power pro is still the best I've used. I do all my flipping and pitching with 65# power pro after breaking off 3 hogs in two years on 20# flouro. Fish aren't as line shy as many think, especially around cover. I fish weightless sticks in pretty clear water on 30# power pro with great results. The limberness of the braid gives it a better action than flouro or mono. ------Tim.

[ctom]

For crappies: I use 4 pound nanofil and six pound Suffix 832 for casting without floats being used. The nano gets tied directly, a two foot 4 pound fluorocarbon clear leader gets tied to the Suffix.

For vertical jigging walleyes I use 6 pound nanofil and tie directly. For rigging walleyes I like power pro 2/10 and run a fluorocarbon leader of four feet when one applies.

I only top-water [popper] and frog for bass and I use 20 pound power pro tying directly to the hooks/eyes.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I'm similar to Mr. Tom.  On my Sacalait rod there is a Penn Battle 2000 loaded with 6 lb. Sufix 832 Green...but I go a bit heavier on my leader.  I keep a filler spool of 8 lb. Seaguar AbrazX for leaders, and make my leaders about 36" or so.

A few of my rods have Power Pro, but for the lighter 6 lb. and 10 lb. braid I use Sufix 832 Green.  I tried that Seaguar Braid...stay away from that stuff Podna!  Weak, weak, weak.

[Botanophilia]

Leader on my braid for cranks, spinners, etc. as pretty much any lake I'm using those for bass also will have pike.  Not a fan of losing pricey hardware.  For plastics I direct tie.  Tried some fluoro 2 years ago and absolutely hated it.  Back to braid.  I've been using 20# spiderwire stealth, but I guess I'll have to give power pro a try.  6# stealth braid on my UL.

[kevin]

i use braid on 97% of my rods// only rod i really have braid without a leader is my froggin or top water rods.. i use suffix performance braid.. i get great deals on ebay.i bought several 300 yd spools for less than  the 150yd spools in stores. i used alot of different braids. i have 1 rod with power pro on it and 1 rod with power pro slick 8 i like the slick 8 better than the original. but suffix performance braid is so soft an cast awesome.. i use the crazy alberto knot to tie my leader on.. tried the polomar knot.. it works yeah.. but every now an then it would fail.(unexplained break) . an the crazy alberto slides through guides great. an never had a issue with it.  I don't own any micro guide rods as of yet.. i would think using a leader with 1 of them rods would give you headaches?

[MO QWACK]

Micros..... Knots bad bad bad! Stoping the spool in mid "I'm trying to cast 3/4 mile" mode not good! I use 10/2 power pro and love it. If you break 10/2 your boat wasn't big enough for the fish anyway

[chase102798]

I use 832 in ghost white 30# for jigs t-rigs etc, 40# for hollow frogs all with no leader as long as the water isnt gin clear. I use a spike it marker in black or a green marker to color the last two or three feet for lo-vis. The white is amazing for watching your line. It also helps with long casts on the frogs so that I can visually see that the wind hasnt blown a loop into the line and wrapped around a pad stalk or stick up log which can ruin a good walk the dog. Another benefit of the white is that the green line dye doesnt bleed all over you reel. Without the dye, I actually feel that the line softens easier and doesn't start out so stiff and kinky which is usually a product of the dye and slick coatings they add. I like that the white maintains more of a consistent feel. The black marker actually fades to a nice rusty brown in a couple casts which is really good in stained or brackish water. FYI, white braid is the ultimate night fishing line also. On a moon lit night, I can see the braid cast out and determine relative accuracy of the bait by watching the line in the moonlight. in this situation I use alot of low to the water roll casts to track the line. I cant see the black jigs or frogs but I can see the line shooting out...kind of reminds me of Spiderman shooting webs. 

For spinning I use either 10# 832 or more often 15# tuff-line (again in white for both, but 832 only comes in 10 and 20#) and then I use a fluoro leader of sunline sniper in 8 or 10# test. The tuff-line in white is an amazing value in the 600 yard bulk spools. This is my main smallmouth rig for clearer river conditions. I like the fluoro leader in the moving current of the river cause the fluoro sinks which helps lighter rigs get down quicker when you are drift casting to holes and rocks and such. It is insane how much farther you can cast effortlessly with braid compared to straight mono or fluoro especially with light river jigs and split shot rigs.

Also, most of my leader rods are Kistlers with their macro guides which are bigger than micros but smaller than conventional. These are ideal for leader throwing. Knots move through easily and the smaller size still keeps the rod from being front heavy. Check out the KLX series if you are thinking about getting serious with a leader rig. The leader rig serves a very important role for me in certain situations.