SirSnookalot

If you are tieing line to leader then you you are using up some braid each time a new leader is put on, it will add up. To minimize that usage use a swivel and only tie a new knot when needed. This is what can be done to save some braid, doesn't make it a better or worse practice. I go both ways, saving braid is not a reason that I use swivel at times. As far as the leader which I use 100% of the time for all species, not only do I want the shock I do not like taking the time to unravel braid from a front treble, a leader is much easy and faster.

Hey the fish are already wet, if the rain doesn't bother them why should it bother me.

The bigger the fish the more a leader is needed for shock. I would never fish without a leader for any species.

I must be all set. Made my semi annual visit to Bass Pro the other day in Ft. Lauderdale. Not really in the market for a reel I half heartily perused the saltwater spinning reels, wasn't overly impressed with their inventory. May have bought a Quantum smoke 30 or 40, but not in stock. Didn't even look at any rods, I love the ones I'm using now. The main purpose of stopping in was to buy a waxwing lure and couple dozen hot lips jigs which I use a lot. Yeah, I'm all set.

If the line is breaking, something other than the line itself may be the issue. I've been using 10# SS, one of my ponds has been fairly hot (hope I didn't give myself a jinx), every day I've been catch quite a few bass from 20-24". Fishing with a light power rod, size 25 supreme, leader tied with an alberto to a lure with an ordinary clinch, haven't retied in a week, doesn't mean I haven't checked the line or knot. Have I been lucky? Absolutely not, the chain is perfect for 5-6# fish, not a darn thing wrong with the line.

I use braid for all my freshwater and inshore fishing with leader, I'm not overly fussy on brand. Only time my lines break is my own user error, that's not checking line or leader for damage. Sometimes I break off on purpose but it's the leader knot that gets broken, not the main line. As Francho stated above, check your lines and your drag, with a good hook set most fish should be landed. I don't catch too many big bass, I'm happy with fish 21-26", but I do catch fish larger than that almost daily. My heaviest braid is 20#, it does the job.

Without question this is the most used saltwater set up, whether it's pier fishing, fishing from a boat. Used the same set up 50 years when I fished certain species like sturgeon when I lived in Michigan. I would guess this is the most universal bait soaking method there is, used everywhere.

One of my standard inshore setups is 15- 20# braid with a 20 or 30# leader, used this set up with a swivel for 10 years, seldom tied line to leader. My swivel knot is an improved clinch on the braid side and an ordinary clinch on the leader. Had I not had 100% confidence in this set up I wouldn't have used it as long as I did. As of late I've gotten into the habit of tieing leader to line, the alberto is a wonderful knot, but I have found the bristol knot to be even better for my use. I will continue with the alberto for my freshwater fishing. Find a knot you like and stick with it. I make very little compromise on this issue, a fresh leader and knot for each outing.

I've deleted pics from an image hosting site, all that happened was the post remained but the picture was gone. In the place of the picture was an image or words to the affect that the image is no longer available. You can buy more space or just create a new free account. I do believe Photobucket will require a different email address for a new account (have 2 myself), or your present email add can be used for many other hosting sites other than Photobucket. Last but not least is the Bass Resource photo gallery.

Right.

I must be an old timer, I've been doing it by feel well over 60 years. Using a scale when you first start out may not be a bad idea, it won't take long to get into your comfort level. Setting your drag will become second nature without thinking about it. The OP is using a spinning reel, IMO locking a drag is not the way to fish one. At least the way I bass fish in heavy cover (my max line is 15# braid), I grab the spool and pull the fish out with the rod, in open water there is no need to do that.

I do believe once the photo is deleted from photobucket the picture posted on a forum will cease to exist, the url link no longer exists. An option would be to start another free account with other sites, IMGUR is one and there are others.

Really depends on what I'm fishing for and where I'm doing it. Offshore, never alone, just may need help with netting or gaffing a fish. My inshore and bass fishing is done alone, doing it from shore I can land most of them by myself.

My general rule of thumb is the hook matches the bait size, not the fish. Larger fish are caught on flies with small hooks all the time.

I don't see much of a reason to use anything but a f/c leader, why I would need 200 yds of it is a mystery to me. I don't use backing but I do add to my existing braid. I get a lot of wind knots in freshwater, sometimes I have to cut them out. When I get a bit low on line, like you sometimes when casting the line does get hung up on the connecting knot. I pretty much just accept it. I do believe my wind knots are caused when using lighter lures or a loop may form, heavier lures the knots don't seem to happen.

I'm from Michigan too, Bhm./Bloomfield area, we lived on Cass lake before moving down here. My pond is still hot, went yesterday and same scenario, had 4 in about an hour 20" was the smallest.

In reference to WRB said about how tight the line is spooled. When I spool up with braid I don't always get it real tight, what I do is over spool. I put on a lure that when reeling in has a lot of resistance, additional I take it to the inlet with current and let out a lot of line. When I reel back in the braid is very tight and pretty much spooled where I want it to be, sometimes I may have to peel off a little bit of line.

I'm going to make a guess, a member living in Miami with line capacity of 230/10 lb could be a Penn 4000 reel. The question is, will the reel be strictly for bass or to be used in saltwater as well? If it is to be used as double duty reel, I would not use backing and probably load it up with 15-20# braid, with a leader. If strictly for bass fishing backing is a good idea if cost is an issue, I may stay with the same 15-20# braid which is good for some of the canals with heavier vegetation, I like leaders in freshwater as well. If the reason for f/c is abrasion and stealth, braid with a f/c leader would be my ideal set up, which is what I use fishing Florida waters. Not recommending brands, as one has to find their own favorite, I use P-line floroclear for my leaders both fresh and salt, for me it's always braid on spinning gear.

Many word processors have both spell and grammar check, use one then paste your post.

Using it for bass, if so you may want to use backing. I wouldn't use F/C line, I'd use braid with a F/C leader, with a bristol knot for connection. With the bristol the leader is wrapped around the braid, that would remove the problem of the braid cutting into the leader, it's tied just like the alberto.

My freshwater is only bank fishing these days. I don't care to fish anyplace with high grass, the county hasn't done a lot of mowing yet, it's still growing season. It's more difficult to fish the high banked canals in Palm Beach county but I feel a lot safer being up high as compared to fishing at the edge of the water like in Broward. Fire ants can be a problem, they can be on you fast, I've been bit hundreds of times of the years, they know how to find flesh, lol.

Don't use it if you're afraid to lose it. Shimano waxwing may be the most expensive I use, lost them many times. I have an aversion to wire, this time of year there are lots of cut offs and lost lures of all types.

The way I like to do it, pond fishing with light power spinning 25 supreme reel. I've been seeing some good size bass schooling but haven't been able to catch one, even tired a senko to no avail. Today was the day, caught 4 in about an hour all on top lure. Using my 20" mark on my rod I estimate 3 were a shade over 20 and one was close to 23".

My first stop of the day is not bass fishing, I'm checking out a number of things to decide on my location, target species and the gear I'm taking with me. When I go bass fishing my plan is simple, weedless baits if I'm fishing canals and lures with exposed hooks if I'm pond fishing. Once I get there the plan may change, I keep enough backup in my car to fish different conditions.

Even though some baits are real fish producers I don't often use them, not a whole lot of fun for me. I prefer catching fish that give me the most amount of pleasure, I may catch less but that's ok. I have my lures petty well whittled down to what I like to use, it's a small arsenal.