Originally Posted by
skeetbum
To some folks I would appear as dumber than most. I use braid and a mono leader, but with reason. I’m using two pound braid for a couple of reasons and the 4lb mono leader is for abrasion. No lost fish or tackle since I started doing that. It will nick and break when I’m too lazy to check the leader, and the braid will break when the drag isn’t set up right and the line is put to a task greater than its capabilities. But I’m able to set the hook at distance without the huge rod swing needed to drive a hook home and take the memory and stretch out of the mono first. Yesterday I took a friend that’s experienced but never fished like I do. He fought a 4 pound mudfish for a good while until it mercifully came off at boatside . Another was a catfish that I’m sure was over 18” long that simply came unbuttoned as I reached for the net. In both cases the #8 hook was the issue and not the line. Using heavy line that will damage brush piles also warrants heavier jigs to cast, and I use as light as possible. Elephants eat peanuts and big fish hit little jigs. Match the gear to the fish and accept the challenge, mono or braid is up to you. Both come with a personality and if it stops being fun, make the changes to make it fun again.