How many of you all use a leader when fishing braid?  Does it depend on what baits you're fishing?  Also, what material and length of leader do you use?  Thanks.

I don't use braid, actualy I do on my C-rig, but I often wondered why people use a leader .  I always thought braid was used to help horse the fish out of cover like through matted grass, such as when flipping.  The line will cut throught he grass easier than mono.  If this is the case, then why use a mono leader?  My friend uses a 4-5' mono leader with his braid.  I think it defeats the purpose.  The last 5' of line is what usualy gets hung up, which will be the mono.  99% of the time when you're flipping in heavy cover, the fish hit out of reaction and don't even see the line, if that's why people use a leader.

I use a fluorocarbon leader with braid for only one purpose. I use it for weight since the braid floats. 80-90% of my fishing time is spent using Trick and Finese worms rigged wacky style. The fluorocarbon is my weight for depths down to about 5'. I use 3'-5' of 20#.

Thanks Wayne.  I also fish a lot of wacky rigged senkos, and will try a floro leader this spring.  

I don't use braid, actualy I do on my C-rig, but I often wondered why people use a leader .  I always thought braid was used to help horse the fish out of cover like through matted grass, such as when flipping.  The line will cut throught he grass easier than mono.  If this is the case, then why use a mono leader?  My friend uses a 4-5' mono leader with his braid.  I think it defeats the purpose.  The last 5' of line is what usualy gets hung up, which will be the mono.  99% of the time when you're flipping in heavy cover, the fish hit out of reaction and don't even see the line, if that's why people use a leader.

Just a few points that might make sense of it, though I bet some instances won't apply to your waters.  

Sometimes I use braid for its sensitivity or smaller diameter, but also need to have some serious abrasion resistance.  Drop shot or dragging tubes in deep zebra or quagga mussel infested waters is one time.  The fluorocarbon leader reduces breakoffs dramatically.  

I know quite a few guys that like to use braid and a fast action rod for cranking (not my preference) and use a mono leader as a shock absorber.  

Anytime I'm hitting docks with unweighted plastics, I like to use a high vis braid, but I also want the bait to sink, so fluoro works here as well.  Often the docks around here are built on steel pylons, and they usually have some zebes growing on them, so the leader helps out there too.  

I also think some guys are just lazy, an like to use a mono leader to make it easier to retie.  Not my preference either.  

Some others are afraid that the fish are line shy.  I just use black marker.  

Tossing stuff into heavy grass type cover is a match made in heaven for braid, same with froggin'.  No need for a leader at all there.  Now tossing into heavy wooded cover where you might get hung up, its much easier to break off with a leader than risk breaking your rod.  Personally, I carry a small piece of dowel with a cross post through the side, and make a few wraps of the braid and pull.  no leader necessary there, either.

Like I said, some of these might not be applicable to your fishing, and most of the time I tie direct, but there are a few applications where using a leader is superior.  Oh - and braid on a C-rig would get destroyed on the first cast up here in most lakes.

Nice response J. Francho