17 hours ago, Flushdraw said:

That said, I've been curious about going straight flouro. That's a very nice offer and very kind of you!

Should be there tomorrow.

Have Fun

A-Jay

You don't mention what type of knot you used to connect the braid to the leader. If the connection knot is too big, like a double uni, sometimes it can snag on micro guides when casting. Breaking off at the lure "mid-air" happens because something abruptly stopped the line, snag or backlash, causing the leader to stretch and snap.

12 minutes ago, 4n2t0 said:

You don't mention what type of knot you used to connect the braid to the leader. If the connection knot is too big, like a double uni, sometimes it can snag on micro guides when casting. Breaking off at the lure "mid-air" happens because something abruptly stopped the line, snag or backlash, causing the leader to stretch and snap.

True,,,but not always. A leader that has been kinked (especially fluro) when tied, rash rubbed against rock, wood etc. on previous cast or even a weakly tightened knot or burnt (dry) knot can result in a break. The inertia of weight out racing the strength of the line.

It’s not always the whiplash effect causing breaks.

Here’s my two silly cents. Up the braid from 30lb to 40lb. I was breaking off my frogs on 40. Went to 50 and solved it. I think often the smaller diameter braid cuts into the leader and eventually cuts through. I also agree on the thoughts of the leader taking all the shock on casts and weakens it. Personally, I’d ditch the flouro and swap to a strong and stretchy mono….IE big game. I throw my bladed jigs(always 9/16-3/4oz) on 40lb braid to about 6’ of 20lb big game. Never had an issue and caught a lot of fish doing it. I also tie an Alberto knot for my leader.

3 hours ago, Swimbaitstud said:

throw my bladed jigs(always 9/16-3/4oz)

Why do you do it this way?

16 minutes ago, Banned User said:

Why do you do it this way?

You mean these sizes? I just like the heavier ones. They cast better. They stay down better and I like to be able to really get them near bottom around the cover and keep them there. If I’m throwing the in less than 4’ I’ll go to a 3/8-1/2oz

3 minutes ago, Swimbaitstud said:

’ I’

Ha I didnt realize the quote selection must've dropped the rest without me noticing

I was wondering why you do 40#braid to 20# mono for bladed jigs. What is your rod and reel?

9 hours ago, Banned User said:

Ha I didnt realize the quote selection must've dropped the rest without me noticing

I was wondering why you do 40#braid to 20# mono for bladed jigs. What is your rod and reel?

That makes more sense haha!

40 just feels about right for that bait. Cast well, thin enough where I can fit plenty on a reel, good around heavy cover, doesn’t dig into itself. As far as the mono, I’ve always liked big game. Very abrasion resistant, tough and stretchy. 20lb is great around the rocks and wood I fish a lot of. Slight shock absorption and less visible than the braid.

The rod is key! I had been fishing them on a Dobyns 734 xp for a while and noticed many trips I was barely

Landing my fish. Hook would fall out in the net or just barely hooked in the lip. Went to a Dobyns 746 cb and they’re sucking it wayyyyyy down. Just throwing it on a 7.3 tatula CT. But that rod is the real deal

17 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Should be there tomorrow.

Have Fun

A-Jay

THANK YOU! Of course, now I'll have to buy another reel. 😉

17 hours ago, 4n2t0 said:

You don't mention what type of knot you used to connect the braid to the leader. If the connection knot is too big, like a double uni, sometimes it can snag on micro guides when casting. Breaking off at the lure "mid-air" happens because something abruptly stopped the line, snag or backlash, causing the leader to stretch and snap.

I use an Alberto knot. The pole I was using doesn't have micro guides, though. I used to use a double uni for connecting line. That was a mistake. That's not a reliable knot.

15 hours ago, Swimbaitstud said:

Here’s my two silly cents. Up the braid from 30lb to 40lb. I was breaking off my frogs on 40. Went to 50 and solved it. I think often the smaller diameter braid cuts into the leader and eventually cuts through. I also agree on the thoughts of the leader taking all the shock on casts and weakens it. Personally, I’d ditch the flouro and swap to a strong and stretchy mono….IE big game. I throw my bladed jigs(always 9/16-3/4oz) on 40lb braid to about 6’ of 20lb big game. Never had an issue and caught a lot of fish doing it. I also tie an Alberto knot for my leader.

I was actually using 50# braid, but recently switched to 30# on two of my reels. The pond I've been fishing the most has a band of American Pond Grass close to the shore but that's it. I thought 50# was overkill. Being a bank angler, that added few feet of cast to get out deep really helps. I never considered it biting into the flouro. I guess it's possible. I'm using Diawa J Braide Grande, which is a pretty round smooth line.

The Seagur leader I use has a lot of stretch. I'd say similar stretch to mono.

12 minutes ago, Flushdraw said:

THANK YOU! Of course, now I'll have to buy another reel. 😉

You're Welcome.

As for the new reel,

That's going to be between you and the bait monkey.

Good Luck 👍

A-Jay

I never use leaders. It’s either all braid or all fluoro on all my reels for 2 reasons.

1. Exactly because of this scenario. I don’t want break offs from a weak point. I don’t wanna add another possible reason for my rod + reel + line system to fail. There’s already enough that can go wrong.

2. I’m way too lazy to learn those complicated leader to main line knots. 🤣😂 I tie all my baits with the palomar. One knot, end of story.

3 hours ago, wdp said:

I never use leaders. It’s either all braid or all fluoro on all my reels for 2 reasons.

1. Exactly because of this scenario. I don’t want break offs from a weak point. I don’t wanna add another possible reason for my rod + reel + line system to fail. There’s already enough that can go wrong.

2. I’m way too lazy to learn those complicated leader to main line knots. 🤣😂 I tie all my baits with the palomar. One knot, end of story.

I may start doing the same. I discovered the joy of bladed jigs a few months ago and that's

most of what I fish now. I run them pretty fast and bass absolutely hammer them. It puts a lot

more stress on the line than my usual Texas rigs.

Thanks to A-Jay, I'll be trying out straight flouro this coming weekend.

3 hours ago, wdp said:

I never use leaders.

Ditto. I have never used a leader and dont plan on it. I tie a trilene knot which rarely fails. The line breaks before the knot breaks. People say thats impossible but I think maybe not. Before monofilament breaks it stretches. Maybe the line forming the knot does not stetch like the main line. Thats my hypothesis .

Oops, off topic.

15 hours ago, Swimbaitstud said:

Went to a Dobyns 746 cb and they’re sucking it wayyyyyy down

I started using a hybrid rod last season, only got a chance to use it a few times, but they went from being hooked just barely on the cheek and maybe with the bladed jig hanging out of the side to having a bladed jig uvula

I respect some big game around rock and wood, I'm mostly around Matt's and pads so I'm straight braid most of the time.

14 hours ago, Banned User said:

I started using a hybrid rod last season, only got a chance to use it a few times, but they went from being hooked just barely on the cheek and maybe with the bladed jig hanging out of the side to having a bladed jig uvula

I respect some big game around rock and wood, I'm mostly around Matt's and pads so I'm straight braid most of the time.

Ya the difference was just unbelievable. The Dobyns cranking rods are graphite but built on very parabolic blanks so you still get the sensitivity. Pair that with a heavy power rod like the 746 and it’s a killer for spinnerbait and chatter. I love it for a magdraft too and some big topwaters! And of course it’s a good cranking rod for medium and deeper cranks, but the handle is a little short imo for the deep stuff

All quality advice, but for me I’ve learned it’s an opportunity to buy new baits and I enjoy how much distance I got on my “great cast” LOL.

Last one was a burrito bait right after catching a nice 4lb largemouth on Taco Tuesday.

49 minutes ago, Swimbaitstud said:

Ya the difference was just unbelievable. The Dobyns cranking rods are graphite but built on very parabolic blanks so you still get the sensitivity. Pair that with a heavy power rod like the 746 and it’s a killer for spinnerbait and chatter. I love it for a magdraft too and some big topwaters! And of course it’s a good cranking rod for medium and deeper cranks, but the handle is a little short imo for the deep stuff

I have the 706cb and you're right; it's an under rated gem. Great for crankdowns and underspins too. When I heard about the longer version, I was really hoping for something in the 7'6-7'9 range to take over my deep crank duties.

scott

2 hours ago, softwateronly said:

I have the 706cb and you're right; it's an under rated gem. Great for crankdowns and underspins too. When I heard about the longer version, I was really hoping for something in the 7'6-7'9 range to take over my deep crank duties.

scott

Over this winter I’ve picked up an 805cb and 806cb and have high expectations to take over all deep cranking duties

18 hours ago, Swimbaitstud said:

love it for a magdraft too and some big topwaters

I was thinking the same thing about this one, i very well may grab the blank and make myself a 1-2oz top water/wakebait/glidebait rod.

I seem to be an outlier. I don’t use braid-to-leader, straight braid or straight fluoro on bladed jigs. I use 10 lb. Big Game mono.

My only “issue” is I tend to not retie as often as I should. Not that I’ve lost many baits, but I know I’m tempting fate.

Does fluoro dry out like mono? I'm really not sure if it does. I remember losing lures on casts or hooksets bc I had dried out mono.

This past season I was losing fish on hookset with fluoro leader - can't remember the brand. Very frustrating losing consecutive fish and then one right at the boat. I remember going back to the house after the outing and switched my son's and my leader out to a different brand.

On 2/21/2026 at 9:56 PM, VolFan said:

@A-Jay ’s problem is clearly too many nice reels.

I think he's gone back to robbing banks. Shame. . .

1 hour ago, MickD said:

I think he's gone back to robbing banks. Shame. . .

It is a darn shame ~

And if you know who that is - you're old like me.

☹️

A-Jay

Breaking off at the lure "mid-air" happens because something abruptly stopped the line, snag or backlash, causing the leader to stretch and snap.

Flushdraw, I think this is it. My logic is based off of this. You mentioned how tight you run your drag, the "pistol shot" when the line snapped and the fact you're using 30lb braid to leader. Those clue make me think your having "dig in" issues. Your braid has dug into the spool and causes a sudden stop during your cast aka mid-cast. You had a snag earlier at that spot in your spool and with a tight drag your braid "dug into" the braid trying to get it loose or got it loose. When your 5/8 oz lure hit that spot and stopped suddenly it transmits a serious shock load from the momentum of the bomb cast. Your weakest point is the knot where your lure is tied. It wasn't a weak knot or you wouldn't have gotten the "pistol shot" from your line snapping.

So if you have to pull hard on the line to free your lure always pull some additional line off past the "snag" point to make sure there is no dig in. I at time will drag my lure behind and let out like 75 yards or more of line and reel back in to prevent dig in.

FM

2 minutes ago, Fishingmickey said:

Breaking off at the lure "mid-air" happens because something abruptly stopped the line, snag or backlash, causing the leader to stretch and snap.

Flushdraw, I think this is it. My logic is based off of this. You mentioned how tight you run your drag, the "pistol shot" when the line snapped and the fact you're using 30lb braid to leader. Those clue make me think your having "dig in" issues. Your braid has dug into the spool and causes a sudden stop during your cast aka mid-cast. You had a snag earlier at that spot in your spool and with a tight drag your braid "dug into" the braid trying to get it loose or got it loose. When your 5/8 oz lure hit that spot and stopped suddenly it transmits a serious shock load from the momentum of the bomb cast. Your weakest point is the knot where your lure is tied. It wasn't a weak knot or you wouldn't have gotten the "pistol shot" from your line snapping.

FM

Looking back, I think you may be right. If a knot at the bait was going to fail on a cast, it should likely do so at the point of the highest load on the knot, which would not (no pun intended) be while the bait is the air halfway to where you’re casting. It should be just after the bait is launched forward after loading up the rod for the cast. If it’s in the air and suddenly the spool or line abruptly stops cold, that will induce a shock load that can easily break a knot.