Need braid advice

[donholton]

After using only mono for a million years I am trying braid on my white bass rigs. I'm going to try Sufix 832 and PP SS8 , both 10 lb. Will I be better off using a leader or just tying directly to the jig? If a leader will be best, what's good and what lb test? One more question, when I get hung up using the leader can I expect the break offs to be at the braid-leader knot or at the jig. I will be using bait casters throwing 1/4 and 5/16 oz ball head jigs. All advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Hogsticker2]

I would recommend using a fluoro leader. I wouldn't worry so much about what pound test, rather making sure the line diameter of the braid matches the leader. I have used two connection knots. A surgeons knot, expect the break off to occur at the connection. 2nd an albright knot, expect the break off to to occur at the lure.

[facelessnewsouth]

I would recommend using a fluoro leader. I wouldn't worry so much about what pound test, rather making sure the line diameter of the braid matches the leader.

This. Also, don't be afraid to up your pound test on the braid. A ten pound test braid is ultra thin in diameter, and will give you more problems than a 20 or 30 pound test, if you aren't used to casting with braid.

[matthewj52001]

i would go with 30lb braid and i would tie direct to lure. I know alot of people use leaders i dont
most of the time you will bend the hook long before breakin the line

[Toadslayer72]

Braid with leaders is an excellent set up IMO. Don't be afraid of the small diameter braid either, I think there is something to always going as low as you can in line diameters. Fluoro is the leader of choice for most I think and the albright or albright special are both great knots that you can expect break offs to happen at the lure. If you can learn to live with the very few cons of braid, I think you'll appreciate the pros a lot more. Sensitivity being number one but also when you use leaders, your braid will last a long time since you are always just retying with the leader material. Good luck.

Also, I just started using the super 8 slick and I'm loving it. The biggest thing I like about it over the 832 is how quiet it is coming through the guides. I know it's a small thing but I really like that.

[donholton]

Thanks for all the info. I may try sizes larger than 10, but the small size of braid is why I am trying it. With mono I fish 4 or 6 99 per cent of the time and occasionally will even throw 2 lb. The only time I go above 6 mono is in the spring spawn and the section of river Im fishing has a lot of woody snags. 8 lb mono will straighten my jig hook without breaking off, the small size/breaking strength of braid should be a real plus in this area, I'll probably try 15lb braid if I like the 10 lb I've bought.

[Jean Scurtu]

I was catching many nice white bass from the bank using FIRELINE ORIGINAL (SMOKE) 4LB. +fluorocarbon leader 4lb.with soft bait,pet spoon,rod runner,rooster tail.

For white bass you don't need 10lb. braid.Fishing for withe bass below the LIVINGSTON DAM on TRINITY RIVER,TEXAS i was catching on jigs 1/320z. and 15lb. flathead catfish and 15lb.buffalo carp with FIRELINE 4LB.+FLOUROCARBON LEADER 4LB.(seaguar carbon pro)








Click on the pictures to see better.

[Toadslayer72]

I was catching many nice white bass from the bank using FIRELINE ORIGINAL (SMOKE) 4LB. +fluorocarbon leader 4lb.with soft bait,pet spoon,rod runner,rooster tail.

For white bass you don't need 10lb. braid.Fishing for withe bass below the LIVINGSTON DAM on TRINITY RIVER,TEXAS i was catching on jigs 1/320z. and 15lb. flathead catfish and 15lb.buffalo carp with FIRELINE 4LB.+FLOUROCARBON LEADER 4LB.(seaguar carbon pro)








Click on the pictures to see better.

Damn, too bad you didn't get a couple more in that first pic

[WoodT]

Thanks for all the info. I may try sizes larger than 10, but the small size of braid is why I am trying it. With mono I fish 4 or 6 99 per cent of the time and occasionally will even throw 2 lb. The only time I go above 6 mono is in the spring spawn and the section of river Im fishing has a lot of woody snags. 8 lb mono will straighten my jig hook without breaking off, the small size/breaking strength of braid should be a real plus in this area, I'll probably try 15lb braid if I like the 10 lb I've bought.

Highly recommend using the Alberto knot if you are ever going to join leader and main line...it's really easy, super strong, and much slimmer in profile for an easier time casting, etc.

[Toadslayer72]

Yeah when I wrote Albright Special, I meant modified Albright which is the Alberto. That's the one I've settled on and it's a great knot, especially when you can draw it real tight making even more compact.

[phiten]

i always use FC leader to my braids. (sometimes mono if topwater application)
6lbs to 10lbs
10lbs to 14lbs
15lbs to 20lbs
20lbs to 30lbs
for abrasion resistance.
The knot I use is called a GT knot. You could use a FG knot. So far i have yet been broken at the joints it is always at the terminal.

[Dabluz]

When using ultra thin braids or fusion lines, I don't use a leader. When I first started to use these lines, I thought that the question of visibility would be an issue but now I know that even though they are visible, they do not in the least bother the fish. I've found no difference in catch rates for brook trout or walleye when I switched from 4 lb mono to 6 lb test Fireline for brook trout or 8 and 10 lb test Fireline or braid for walleye.

I often fish with my son who uses ultra thin braid or Fireline or Nanofil and our catch rates are the same even though I still use 2 to 4 lb test mono for brook trout and 6 lb test mono for walleye.

For brook trout in clear water, my son often outfishes me with his 6 lb test Fireline without a leader.

The only time that I drastically outfished my son when walleye fishing was when he was using a small snap when jig fishing. We were fishing with the same jigs and he had almost no bites. I told him to remove the snap and he then caught as many walleye as I did. So if a small Berkley snap can affect the walleye bites, why do they not notice the difference in lines?

What fish do notice is the fact that large diameter lines do cause more disturbance in the water and this disturbance is picked up by the lateral line on the fish.

If a person does want to use 30 lb test braid, probably the use of a thin leader could improve the number of bites but for 10 lb braid or fusion lines, I see no reason to add a leader.....especially a thin fluorocarbon leader which has a very weak knot strength. Why use a larger diameter leader than the main line?

If you want to catch more fish and bigger fish, finesse is the way to go. Everyone who goes fishing with me learn real quick that using thinner lines, no matter what they are made of, does most definately increase the number of bites.

[Toadslayer72]

When using ultra thin braids or fusion lines, I don't use a leader. When I first started to use these lines, I thought that the question of visibility would be an issue but now I know that even though they are visible, they do not in the least bother the fish. I've found no difference in catch rates for brook trout or walleye when I switched from 4 lb mono to 6 lb test Fireline for brook trout or 8 and 10 lb test Fireline or braid for walleye.

I often fish with my son who uses ultra thin braid or Fireline or Nanofil and our catch rates are the same even though I still use 2 to 4 lb test mono for brook trout and 6 lb test mono for walleye.

For brook trout in clear water, my son often outfishes me with his 6 lb test Fireline without a leader.

The only time that I drastically outfished my son when walleye fishing was when he was using a small snap when jig fishing. We were fishing with the same jigs and he had almost no bites. I told him to remove the snap and he then caught as many walleye as I did. So if a small Berkley snap can affect the walleye bites, why do they not notice the difference in lines?

What fish do notice is the fact that large diameter lines do cause more disturbance in the water and this disturbance is picked up by the lateral line on the fish.

If a person does want to use 30 lb test braid, probably the use of a thin leader could improve the number of bites but for 10 lb braid or fusion lines, I see no reason to add a leader.....especially a thin fluorocarbon leader which has a very weak knot strength. Why use a larger diameter leader than the main line?

If you want to catch more fish and bigger fish, finesse is the way to go. Everyone who goes fishing with me learn real quick that using thinner lines, no matter what they are made of, does most definately increase the number of bites.

I'm really with you on using the thin diameter lines for the reason of less disturbance in the water. I've been strictly big bait fishing over a year now and I can't go that low with my lines due to the simple physics of big bait fishing but I am bucking the trend by using braids with mono leaders.

I can see why line visibility wouldn't be as much of an issue when dealing with those small lines you are using. I mean that stuff is like thread in those single digit lb. tests and it's easy to understand why visibility wouldn't be as big of an issue.

As far as your claims to what to use for "more and bigger fish" I know that finesse is legit but the big bait, big fish method offers a strong case. Trust me though, I'm trying to go as low as I can without having break off on the cast of some high dollar baits.