Braid with leader

[silverside]

I have always used braid to hook and have never seem to have an issue with it. You guys have me wanting to try braid to leader this year. I have questions though. Why do you believe a leader is useful? How long are your leaders?

[Alphahawk]

Being an UL angler I use UL braid that breaks at 5.4 pounds. I use a leader for shock purposes. I also use Ester line which is like braid in the fact that it also has zero stretch...and I use a shock leader with it to. Many who use superlines use leaders for shock purposes. I spent 21 years fishing the Persian Gulf and Red Sea....used braid up to 80 pounds and a shock leader with it also. I suppose if you are using heavy braid for your crappie fishing you might not need it.


Regards

[Micanopy]

It would be highly unusual for a saltwater fisherman to not use a leader. Years have proven that a leader will catch more fish. Tuna fishermen for example use as thin a leader as they can get away with when casting lures. Crappie have good eyes, too. I would imagine a leader would increase the number of bites. Kind of a hard thing to prove though. I suggest that you try a leader on some rods and keep the old no leader on others and try to compare how you do. Much of this crappie fishing stuff is user technique specific. What works for that guy over there may not work for that guy over there.

UNI to UNI knot is probably the most used attachment for leaders, but some prefer a more exotic approach. A swivel connection might be useful to you. Go as light and thin as you dare go with this leader.

[Ketchn]

tried it back when in this part of the world , saw no advantage to it other than making life complicated ....
as far as shock leader goes , if I am after a fish that might "chew" thru the line , it might happen ....
steel on the salty extra toothy fish is often a must ....
used to use heavy mono in the 20lb. range, when I went after kitty fish with 10 lb. test , they could chew a hook off 10 pretty easily without it .
but as far as crappie ketchn goes , if I use braid, it is straight to the jig .
not many spots have enough water clarity here for it to matter .

[Atimm693]

I use a leader because mono is easier to tie, and it's far more abrasion resistant than braid. I like braid because of the low stretch and the fact it lasts practically forever.

I usually use 10lb Fireline or Power Pro, I like white or chart color. Green is too hard to see. I'm not picky about the leader material since it's sacrificial, whatever 4-8lb mono/flouro I have on hand. I use the albright knot to join them.

I usually start with a leader that's about twice the rod length and will replace it once it's down to a few feet.

[GreenLine]

I’ve been experimenting with it for over a year crappie fishing.
I use 12 & 14 ft jig poles most of the time.
I fish stained water and pitch and vertical jig heavy cover and trees.
I just finished the spawn here in the south . I great success using 4ft long 10 lb high vis green mono tied to 65 lb test hi vis braid. I get no wind knots
Or memory kinks using this set up.
I use the Alberto knot. It feeds thru the guides and is easy to tie.
I think I only lost one jig. Had zero fish break my line. ( caught a few bass up to 5 lbs. )
This worked great for me but like I said my water is considered stained.
It may not be best in gin clear water.
But it sure performs with minimal issues.



Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

[DockShootinJack]

Straight to the jig for me. Hi vis and smallest diameter they have. I will bend out a hook before I break off a fish

[Yak Fish]

I use fluorocarbon leaders with swivel connection to braid and crosslock snaps to attach crankbaits to my line. All connections are tied with palomar knots. The snap makes changing colors, lures, and removing tangles faster and easier. I use 15 pound braid as a main line and 8, 10, 12, or 14 Lb. five foot long leaders depending on the size of the bigger fish in the lake I'm fishing. If there aren't stripers or big catfish, I'll go to the lighter leaders. If conditions require smaller crankbaits, I also drop down in line diameter to give the crankbaits better action and more depth. I've lost too many cranks to big cats in snags not to go to heavier leaders, Since braid has minimal stretch, there is just enough give in the leader to help keep hooks from pulling loose. I keep the drag backed off and use medium action 6'8" to 7' rods to handle the fight of almost anything that hits. I've had a few huge cats on that I couldn't turn and ended up skiing behind them in my kayak. They always head to rocks or snags and break me off. It's quite a fight and a fun ride though.

I haven't kept records, but I'm certain that my hook up ratio with braid is much greater than with mono alone. I use Hi-Vis 6# mono for vertical jigging.

Jim

[Jamesdean]

After reading several threads on here this ole man finally tried some braided line. I have fished mono my whole life. I use a mono leader to attach my jig with, though. I will say with the braid, I feel the bite a lot clearer. To me it's like the fish is chewing on the end of my pole clear, no matter how deep my jig is. I think I am missing fish because I'm reacting to fast with it, don't know. Oh yea, almost forgot, the lightest braid I could find locally is 10lb, but 2lb diameter.

[Atimm693]

After reading several threads on here this ole man finally tried some braided line. I have fished mono my whole life. I use a mono leader to attach my jig with, though. I will say with the braid, I feel the bite a lot clearer. To me it's like the fish is chewing on the end of my pole clear, no matter how deep my jig is. I think I am missing fish because I'm reacting to fast with it, don't know. Oh yea, almost forgot, the lightest braid I could find locally is 10lb, but 2lb diameter.

I think braid is pretty much a requirement if you're going to be fishing heavy cover. Makes the difference between coming across a limb and an actual bite much more distinct.

If jerk and set the hook into a limb you'll likely not get the jig back, if you gently pull and can feel it's a limb, 90% of the time you can drop the jig back down and work it up through at a different angle without losing it.