To Leader or Knot To Leader

I've gone over to the dark side where fishing line is concerned. I think I have one rig set up with flourocarbon line. The rest I have spooled with braid. My particular favorite is Sufix for both types of line but that's just a personal preference. I think I've tried Spiderwire once and didn't care for it so I've really only learned to use one brand. And I'm an old effer, that probably also explains the brand loyalty to what brung me.

I'd always tied on about a seven foot leader of 6-8 pound flouro, mainly as a 'shock' leader but also because I think the flouro is harder to see. And again, probably mainly because that's the way I learned to do it. And a big reason has been because braid is a little tougher to tie and trim and so on and you can just bite the tag end off of a flouro knot (yet another bad habit).

Fishing wish Larke this past December taught me a couple things. He fishes with no leader and seems to do just fine. No broke rods. No missed hookups. Fish are still dumber'n hell.
One other thing is BPS makes some handy little clippers that are handy as a pocket on a shirt and they also cut braid like its butter. So I've been tying direct lately with no leader. Parts of it I like and other parts I'm not sure of. I definitley fish smaller and lighter lures than Dufus so a smaller diameter leader helps sometimes. So now though I have another division amongst my fishing rigs, leaders and no leaders. Frack!

So there's five minutes you won't get back but it is kind of a quandary. Or maybe I just need a couple more rigs.

BKb

Youse dufes try to get too danged scientific. Tie on a hook, stick a dough-ball on the pointy part and go fishin'! Sheesh, how simple can that be? I need to grab my Snoopy Zebco rig and teach some o'youse boys how to catch fish!

We really do need a fishing forum around this joint for silly posts like this! ;)

Only time I use a leader is on my fly rod. Of course, that might be why I don't catch a lot of fish. When I'm bassing, I usually take two rigs, one spooled with 14/17 lb test and one with 10/12 lb. only braided line I use is on my jig pole for white perch and bream

The only time I've used leader is on a fly rod or with toothy critters like blue fish.

Count me among those who use leaders.. Biggest percentage of my rods run braid. I happen to be a Power Pro fan but I think there are a lot of good ones out there. Spiderwire was the first braid I ever used and I liked it (braid) from the first day. Problem with the early SW was, after use it would deteriorate and literally fall apart. I'm sure it's better now. I also run Suffix floro.. I used to run Vanish, but it is bad about going "bad" with age. If it gets over about a year old it will break at the knot - repeatedly. In stained or dirty water.. I'm with Cap'n.. leader not necessary.. In clear water - I'm a firm believer.

I only use a leader cause you told me to. Now you're admitting you;'re full of crap. This is BS!

With trout I use a leader if I'm running braid (PowerPro Yellow). For bass I really don't think it matters unless they are really heavily pressured. Bass are so aggressive I don't think they pay all that much attention to what they want to kill is attached. I could say the same for northern pike. Some fish are just too mean and aggressive for their own good. Now with that said the biggest trout I've ever personally seen caught in Montana were caught by a buy that runs straight braid, no leader. He consistently catches HUGE FRIGGEN rainbow trout between 25" to 30+" long. He's got a few of them on video like the lone below. All caught on straight braid. I can't wait to fish with this trout guru this summer. Just for the record Barry I go back and forth on the leader thing a lot myownself. There is that viable argument that one more knot is one more weak link between you and the fish.
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We never arrived at a scientific consensus in the river boat. Usually, we;re throwing similar enough baits so that a scientific hypothesis can be proven or disproved. In the case of flouro leaders I think the only scientific conclusion we reached is that I lose more fish than everyone else and cuss a lot.

I will continue to use a leader in clearer water and especially for trolling. But the way I do leaders is I'll start with about a ten foot one and tie on a new one when I've bit off all but about a foot changing lures.

BKB

Two situations I consider a leader:
1) When the prey has teeth beyond what I think my PowerPro can handle.
2) Jigging for Stripers (check out the eyes on those sombitches).

Otherwise it seems BS and I are of a similar thought - I don't think it makes much difference for large or smallmouth bass.

I used a leader once

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9xyBLZmpP0

Gawd dang it Airbud!!!!!!That scared the crap out of me!! Wasn't expecting that.

I vote leader.