What do you guys prefer and why? Straight fluro or braid to fluro leader for:

 

 

- Jigs

- Chatterbaits

- Cranks

- Topwater

Usually straight braid. I recently started using a fluoro leader, so I will see how that plays out this year. I have no brand loyalty, but I have always liked Spiderwire or JBraid the best and get them when they are available. My leader material is Yo-Zuri.

Jigs and chatterbaits are 40lb braid to 25lb fluoro leader. 
Cranks are straight 12lb fluoro.

Topwater is 10lb nylon.

Straight flouro for everything including pitching/punching in light to moderate cover.
To me braid is a specialty line used only on top (30#) Frogs (50#) and pitching/punching in the heaviest of cover (65# or 80#)

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Flouro for everything except braid for topwater. 

Mono or Co-Polymer for those because I grew up using mono.  Only use braid for casting into slop.  Seldom fish a jig.  I'd have to try jigs for awhile before deciding if I thought fluoro would increase sensitivity.  Tried a leader once.  Not fond of them.

Mono for topwater 

flouro for jigs and Texas rigs

braid for frogs only

copoly for everything else

Berkley Big Game on everything except the punch rig, and the ultra light.  Punch rig has braid and the ultra light has BPS mono on it. 

Mono for all of those except swim jigs. That’s on braid. 

Jigs, chatterbaits, cranks- Invizx FC

Topwater- Big Game mono

Braid with flouro leader for everything,  spinning and casting,  except straight braid for frogs and big game mono on an old curado/all star worm combo- for old times sake!

Jigs, chatterbaits, cranks I use fluoro, topwater I use mono.

- Jigs - 17# Straight Flouro, unless I'm punching or pitching into heavy cover - then it's 50# Braid to 15# YZH

- Chatterbaits - 10# YZH

- Cranks - Straight Flouro - 8#-12# depending on the cranking rig

- Top water  - 12# YZH

5 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

Mono for all of those except swim jigs. That’s on braid. 

I use mono on everything except top water frogs and toads, including my jigs. Curious why you use braid on swim jigs if you don't mind me asking.

10 hours ago, Reel said:

Jigs, chatterbaits, cranks I use fluoro, topwater I use mono.

Same for me ^^

On most of my poles, it's usually 20-50lb braid with 20-30lb flouro leader.  I usually have to fish through a lot of hydrilla and lilies.

 

I do have an ultralight rig I run 8lb mono on.

 

For years and years I used 8-12lb mono, and it was just fine. When I switched to braid a few years, I had to relearn how to do knots, because clinch knots don't work on braid.

For years I too fished mono for everything.  I tried braid with leader for river fishing then got away from it.  Last year I used Yo Zuri hybrid for everything.  I'll probably do the same this year except for one pole I'll try braid for frogs.

Jigs- 14lb Sunline Super Flouro 

Chatterbaits- 14lb Sunline Super Flouro

Cranks- 10lb Sunline Super Flourp

Topwater- Any mono

swim jigs, weighted texas rigs, buzzbaits - 30lb braid

chatterbaits and spinnerbaits - 20lb fluoro

large top water - 30lbs braid

frog - 50lb braid

spinning finesse - 15lb braid to 10lb fluro

22 hours ago, 33oldtimer said:

I use mono on everything except top water frogs and toads, including my jigs. Curious why you use braid on swim jigs if you don't mind me asking.

I also fish braid for frogs and some other specialist stuff.

 

 Not sure why I started fishing swim jigs on braid.  I think I was watching Jason Christie fish swim jigs on this same rod and it just stuck. I fished them with mono previously to good effect and will still if I put one on my head turner since that’s a mono rod. But if I think swim jigs are going to be a thing then it goes on my swim jig rod with braid. It just feels right. I’ll also use that setup as a lighter Texas rig rod (1/8 plus a light plastic).

I have been happy using Sunline Shooter in 14lb for most of these techniques outside of topwater.  I'll typically use straight braid for that unless I feel the water is too clear, but that's pretty rare at this point.  I've found that it typically has to do with the size of the bait more than the clarity of the line.  

 

 

I'm using this line on a Lew's Pro-Ti, not sure how it'll perform with other reels, but I have been incredibly happy with it. 

Cranks/Jerkbaits get Floro from 10 to 17 depending on the bait and cover.  Floro sinks.

Small topwater baits get 12 mono. Mono doesn’t sink.

Big topwaters get braid with a short leader.  Braid floats, no stretch and casts we’ll.

Frogs get Heavy braid. No stretch, casts well and CUTS grass and pads.

Spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs get Floro from 14 to 20 lb.

Jigs and T rigs get Floro from 12 to 20lb.

 

Spinnning get 10/12 Floro with appropriate leader. Sensitive and no line twist.  Casts very very well.

Jigs I run 15-22lb test fluoro unless punching with them. If punching it’s straight braid.

 

Topwater I run 15lb big game or braid to leader with the leader once again being big game. In the case of frogs I run straight braid.

 

Crankbaits I run 12-20lb test fluoro and in rare instances 15lb test big game

Don’t throw chatterbaits enough to comment on them

 

After almost 60 years of fishing - last 15 bass almost exclusively - I can definitively say that there is no best for everyone, when it comes to bottom contact and moving baits. I can list all the pros and cons of each for every technique, but you've seen that.  You just need to get some braid...and get some flouro...and get some mono...and find what you like.  And also find out if you can tie a leader knot that you are confident with, so you can mix it up a little more, if you want.  But this becomes a personal choice and me telling you what I like is useless.

   Top water is a little simpler, IMO - mono floats (as does most braid), and sinking line with most topwater can be frustrating. 

On 2/28/2025 at 2:04 PM, rangerjockey said:

Flouro for everything except braid for topwater. 

This^^