Double Digit Largemouth On Braid No Leader? 2025
SGT Rico reply :
I had a conversation with my tournament buddy and he was riding me for using 100% braid with no leader 90% of the time I fish. I only use mono for cranks and jerkbaits, and I use Flouro for leaders and a couple of spinning set ups I have for finesse presentation.
So, he swears up and down that trophy size big bass will see the line and turn and burn, while others while hit it. We went back and forth till he ask me if I knew any angler that had caught a 10+ bass on braid with a bottom lure presentation, I.E., jigs, worms, and other lures that are not reactive baits.
I had no answer. The largest bass I've caught was 9.6 lbs on braid, but that day I was using a 20lb flouro leader.
Any of you know anybody that has?
I really think the question is a good one, and I am just trying to see if he has a point.
Jrob78 reply :
I think the idea that fish will see your line is way overrated. If you fish really clear water for highly pressured fish, it might make a difference but for the most part, I don't think it does. If fish will hit an A-rig with all the metal hanging off of it, they will hit a bait with braid.
iabass8 reply :
that's an easy one. asking how many anglers use a leader that punch mats or thick vegetation in florida. all that is done with straight braid. one could argue that doing so is a "reaction bite" but you will often punch the mat and the bass will follow the bait to the bottom and wait for you to shake it on the bottom until it bites.
it would depend on the water clarity as well. if the water is extremely dirty then it would be more than possible double digit bass was caught dragging large creature bait or pitching to brush. I'm sure there's more than one person on this board that has done it as well. clear water bass are obviously more "weary" of presentations that it takes perfect presentations to fool the older, larger bass that didn't get that big being fooled by fishing pressure.
Wayne P. reply :
Yes I know some anglers that have done it.
I have several times using weightless worms rigged weedless wacky like my avatar.
It's the presentation that attracts the fish. They are not scared of fishing line in any color. Fish don't know what fishing line is. A crayfish's antennas look like superline, the bass don't run off to the other end of the lake when they see that "line".
SGT Rico reply :
On 7/29/2013 at 8:42 AM, Wayne P. said:Yes I know some anglers that have done it.
I have several times using weightless worms rigged weedless wacky like my avatar.
It's the presentation that attracts the fish. They are not scared of fishing line in any color. Fish don't know what fishing line is. A crayfish's antennas look like superline, the bass don't run off to the other end of the lake when they see that "line".
On 7/29/2013 at 8:36 AM, Jrob78 said:I think the idea that fish will see your line is way overrated. If you fish really clear water for highly pressured fish, it might make a difference but for the most part, I don't think it does. If fish will hit an A-rig with all the metal hanging off of it, they will hit a bait with braid.
Great points!!
00 mod reply :
I know this is not the answer you are looking for, but I have caught 2 DD bass on straight braid. Both were reaction lures though.
Jeff
WRB reply :
It depends on where you fish, the cover density, the activity level of the bass, day or night, and the prey type the bass are targeting....lots of variables,
The question about bottom bumping lures would indicate casting and retrieving verse flipping. If you are fishing more open water zones with good water clarity, then it will make a difference if the bass are looking closely at the lure presentation.
Back when I was bait fishing with live crawdads and water dogs there were times when 8# green mono would out fish 8 lb clear mono. Fishing live shad you sometimes had to go with 6 lb to get bit.
It's been 40 years since I have bait fished, however there are days that I go down to 8 lb FC from 10 lb FC to get a jig bite where I fish. The same lake at night you can fish straight 50 lb braid and do well and most of the time I use 12 to 14 lb FC, never fish direct braid during the day.
Tom
jimmykm21 reply :
Just an opinion but I don't think it matters to the fish.
It only matters to the angler working the rod and bait ,whether it's soft plastics , cranks , jigs etc..
If you don't have or lose confidence in your equipment or how you rig them then you won't catch fish.
If it makes you feel more confident to use a mono or fluoro leader with braid then you should use one.
BuckMaxx reply :
THe fish I fish for don't read bass pro catalogs that I know of. the don't know what the line is nor do they now what the latest gimmick on the market is. the have one gear and that's eat.
Montanaro reply :
i dont know what an alien space ship is...but after being abducted once Id be much more hesitant about lights in the sky
georgeyew reply :
On 7/29/2013 at 9:13 PM, Montanaro said:i dont know what an alien space ship is...but after being abducted once Id be much more hesitant about lights in the sky
There are people that claim to have been abducted by aliens multiple times 
LgMouthGambler reply :
Come to Lake Okeechobee, you will prove your friend wrong.
J Francho reply :
Heck, even a yankee five pounder will own you in the milfoil and coontail up here. For weed fishing, I always tie direct, no leader.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
When it comes to finesse fishing I believe it's the line diameter not the material that makes a difference. I live in the north where there are no 10lbrs to be caught on any size line but have caught 5+ lbrs on straight braid.
flyfisher reply :
On 7/29/2013 at 9:13 PM, Montanaro said:i dont know what an alien space ship is...but after being abducted once Id be much more hesitant about lights in the sky
This is making the assumption that the fish are smart enough to realize that what htey saw was line and said line caused them to be caught and have a traumatic experience.
I for one don't think fish aer that smart...now in clear water fish are skittish about everything so i think DVT was dead on with diameter being the main issue and not color.
Wayne P. reply :
On 7/29/2013 at 11:46 PM, flyfisher said:This is making the assumption that the fish are smart enough to realize that what htey saw was line and said line caused them to be caught and have a traumatic experience.
I for one don't think fish aer that smart...now in clear water fish are skittish about everything so i think DVT was dead on with diameter being the main issue and not color.
Good point and one of the main reasons for using superlines--small diameter and high strength.
crw reply :
I only use Power Pro (50lb test) on all but pan fish rigs. I also use a mono (2-3 feet) of various weight leaders. A 12 20 mono leader is much easer to break off when stuck 10+ feet below the surface.
ToadTorcher reply :
My personal best came out of a small pond in Florida... fished weighed just over 12 pounds. No leader, straight 40lb pound power pro on a texas rigged zoom lizard.
Granted this was a small pound, so it didn't receive quite the fish pressure a lake like Clear Lake would, but I definitely wasn't the only one who fished it.
MarkH024 reply :
On 7/29/2013 at 11:02 PM, J Francho said:Heck, even a yankee five pounder will own you in the milfoil and coontail up here. For weed fishing, I always tie direct, no leader.
Same here. I fish in horrid amounts of Eurasian milfoil and dense lily pads. Straight braid for me 95% of the time.
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
On 7/29/2013 at 9:13 PM, Montanaro said:i dont know what an alien space ship is...but after being abducted once Id be much more hesitant about lights in the sky
On 7/29/2013 at 11:46 PM, flyfisher said:This is making the assumption that the fish are smart enough to realize that what htey saw was line and said line caused them to be caught and have a traumatic experience.
I for one don't think fish aer that smart...now in clear water fish are skittish about everything so i think DVT was dead on with diameter being the main issue and not color.
I have and Im sure others have caught a number of fish that had a hook in its mouth. So even with a hook in it the fish still can be fooled again.
And Im almost certain I have caught the same fish twice, unless there are two bass hanging in the same area without an upper lip.
Montanaro reply :
fish are capable of being conditioned.
Greeneye8181 reply :
I don't really think fish are smart animals. Think about it. Reptiles, fish, and insects were here before mammals and birds. Without getting into that too deep you should be okay.
I've fished clear water where I KNEW the bass saw me and yes they seemed a bit shy but when that lure swings into their face they can't resist. Again, I think bass have a brain developed strictly for instinct. I don't believe they possess any cognitive ability...
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
On 7/30/2013 at 10:17 PM, Greeneye8181 said:I don't really think fish are smart animals. Think about it. Reptiles, fish, and insects were here before mammals and birds. Without getting into that too deep you should be okay.
I've fished clear water where I KNEW the bass saw me and yes they seemed a bit shy but when that lure swings into their face they can't resist. Again, I think bass have a brain developed strictly for instinct. I don't believe they possess any cognitive ability...
Ive caught plenty of fish bass/catfish within a rod length of me. Im on shore wearing a bright yellow shirt even but give them what they like (juicy nightcrawler) and they will ignore me and take the worm. I will say though movement and vibration plays a bigger part in spooking the fish in this instance. Dont stomp or move fast keep movement to a minimum.
PABASS reply :
I believe it matters, not always, but it can make a difference. I have seen this happen in clear water using nanofill which is white, the fish saw the line not the lure and spooked. I wasn't able to get bit until I hit deeper water that was being muddied up by the spooked fish. In ultra clear water I think it matters or heavy pressured fish it matters but only with certain lures, jigs or shakey heads, lures that the fish get a good look at. The idea of line diameter I am curious what people believe is happening from a fishes perspective, the fish "cant see" the line but dropping line diameter makes a difference why? Smaller diameter means to me harder to see or is it less vibration, both maybe? I believe It changes the action of the lure and the fall rate more than anything else. To the people whom say the bass do not know what line is, you need to think like a bass, of course it doesn't know that its fishing line, but it does know its not a natural part of its environment and will back off.
flyfisher reply :
On 7/31/2013 at 3:21 AM, PABASS said:I believe it matters, not always, but it can make a difference. I have seen this happen in clear water using nanofill which is white, the fish saw the line not the lure and spooked. I wasn't able to get bit until I hit deeper water that was being muddied up by the spooked fish. In ultra clear water I think it matters or heavy pressured fish it matters but only with certain lures, jigs or shakey heads, lures that the fish get a good look at. The idea of line diameter I am curious what people believe is happening from a fishes perspective, the fish "cant see" the line but dropping line diameter makes a difference why? Smaller diameter means to me harder to see or is it less vibration, both maybe? I believe It changes the action of the lure and the fall rate more than anything else. To the people whom say the bass do not know what line is, you need to think like a bass, of course it doesn't know that its fishing line, but it does know its not a natural part of its environment and will back off.
So by this logic, a lake that has a lot of pressure they can and should get conditioned to seeing the line and not be spooked.
As far as the line diameter goes i don't think it is as much about visibility as it is about the sound signature the line makes when in the water which is then picked up by their lateral line.
craww reply :
Food for thought, a lot of respected salt water gurus swear up and down it is the difference between getting bit and not w/a lot of species in their enviroment. It's a different atmosphere and species obviously but it does make you think.
I used no leader for awhile and caught plenty of Bass. Now, unless I'm frogging or being lazy, it's a leader every time. I'll happily take an extra fish caught w/a leader; even if its a placebo effect on my part. I also enjoy tiring a fresh section of line via the Alberto, just feels cool lol.
PABASS reply :
On 7/31/2013 at 5:46 AM, flyfisher said:So by this logic, a lake that has a lot of pressure they can and should get conditioned to seeing the line and not be spooked.
As far as the line diameter goes i don't think it is as much about visibility as it is about the sound signature the line makes when in the water which is then picked up by their lateral line.
This does not make it natural just because they are pressured, again think like a bass, they avoid it. I am not sure if the fish feels the line's vibration, when conditions are muddy even stained, I don't focus as much on my line choice, do you?
flyfisher reply :
On 7/31/2013 at 9:33 PM, PABASS said:This does not make it natural just because they are pressured, again think like a bass, they avoid it. I am not sure if the fish feels the line's vibration, when conditions are muddy even stained, I don't focus as much on my line choice, do you?
I throw straight braid on pretty much everything so i is never a concern for me. I do color the line with a sharpie though. Now on my fly rod leaders i use either flouro or mono depending on what i have laying around.
I have used a leader in super clear conditions but i haven't noticed any difference in success.
PABASS reply :
By coloring the braid you must believe in some importance of the fish visually being able to see the line, this is key, instead of me coloring my line with a sharpie I tie a modified albright knot and use 10# Seagaur FC InvisX, so far this hasn't let me down. I fish allot of rock and timber and the occasional living tree and FC stands up to it better then Fireline/Nanofill. I don't tie leaders for every lure, mainly on the ones the fish get a good look at.
Catt reply :
I've caught 32 double digit bass & here's the break down.
20 on Mono only - 12 on braid no leader
18 on Texas Rigs
13 on Jig-N-Craws
1 on a Rat-L-Trap (12 plus), PB!
derekxec reply :
braid only...they are bass not too smart...now if they were bottle nose dolphin even they dont care for line color they will steal your bait without being hooked anyway lol(sorry for the dolphin rant i hate those pesky clowns when im fishing)
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