Swim baits with braid question.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on May 20, 2012 at 10:09am

I feel that its very important when you use any bait with braid in clear water.  Use a uni-uni knot to attach 6-8 ft of fluoru and you should be good to go.

Permalink Reply by Dan Rice on May 20, 2012 at 10:43am

Unless I'm flipping or pitching heavy vegetation, I always have a fluoro leader tied on.

Permalink Reply by Todd Reis on May 20, 2012 at 1:15pm

I would say none! I don't think the fish give a rat's ass. Just my opinion..

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on May 20, 2012 at 8:50pm

I personally like to use a fluorocarbon leader for all of my braid mainline swimbait applications.  The reduced visibility of the fluorocarbon is a confidence thing for me, but more importantly the fluorocarbon leader provides vital shock absorbancy on the hookset and when a big fish makes a strong surge close to the boat.  I would recommend using a quality fluorocarbon leader material like Seaguar Premier.  Thanks to Tim Bartle and Chris Ferry for turning me onto the Seaguar Premier.  I love it.

I believe there is a lot of merit in Todd's statement regarding the visibility component in many situations.  However, I think a little extra stealth doesn't hurt in clear water and with finicky or pressured fish.   

Permalink Reply by Ron Gayton on May 21, 2012 at 10:18am

I believe you should NOT use braid straight to the bait.It might break on the cast.Also may break on a fish too.I threw a brand new swimbait a couple years ago and had it break off on the cast with braid.I dont think it handles the stress of the heavy bait very well.But It is awesome for heavy cover flippin or frogs.I personally dont use braid on any rods.I'm kind of old school, I love mono.And I will use flouro too.Flouro has a great feel when fishing worms or jigs.Also good for crankin.These are just my opinions.Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on May 25, 2012 at 3:07am

The only importance is how you feel about it, whatever gives you confidence is what you should do.  When guys can go out there and throw 5 swimbaits attached to a heavy wire contraption called an Alabama Rig and catch the snot out of them, In the end it probably doesn't matter.  Braid is way less visible than the musky spinner wire they use on those rigs so if it did matter you wouldn't catch a thing on them.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on May 26, 2012 at 9:55am

Don't you think that the overall commotion, vibration and profile of an umbrella rig inspires more of a reaction strike than a single swimbait?  

I see your point Ronaldo, but I've always been under the impression that swimbaits get followed alot, and inspected before being taken to the crushers. 

At what point do we decide to drop swim panic minnows with 65lb braid, and flipping 5lb smallies into the boat?  

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

The only importance is how you feel about it, whatever gives you confidence is what you should do.  When guys can go out there and throw 5 swimbaits attached to a heavy wire contraption called an Alabama Rig and catch the snot out of them, In the end it probably doesn't matter.  Braid is way less visible than the musky spinner wire they use on those rigs so if it did matter you wouldn't catch a thing on them.

Permalink Reply by Logan Little on May 26, 2012 at 10:32am

I've tried using 65 lb braid with a 25 lb Seaguar leader and have trouble with the knot size and occasional backlashes. It just cast so much better without the leader. I still haven't caught a fish either way though.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on May 26, 2012 at 11:14am

Right on.  Guys fish for Musky with swimbaits and they use thick titanium leader, doesnt bother the fish.

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

The only importance is how you feel about it, whatever gives you confidence is what you should do.  When guys can go out there and throw 5 swimbaits attached to a heavy wire contraption called an Alabama Rig and catch the snot out of them, In the end it probably doesn't matter.  Braid is way less visible than the musky spinner wire they use on those rigs so if it did matter you wouldn't catch a thing on them.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on May 26, 2012 at 1:05pm

Ryan,

 

Do you think Musky guys would fish fluro leaders instead of wire if it weren't for those pesky teeth?   The reason I ask is because Largemouth and smallmouth don't have those pesky teeth. ;-)

 

I think musky anglers would get bit more if they used fluro.  the reason they don't is because it doesn't do any good to get bit twice as often, if you are losing 3 times as many fish....see what I did there :-) 

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on May 26, 2012 at 3:49pm

They do use floro leaders, 200lb test floro leaders to be exact.  The issue is its so damn stiff it kills all the action in the lure.  So then you weigh the odds.  Do you fish a lifeless bait with invisible line or an action filled bait with visible line?  Tell ya what, the Tigers at Curlew sure dont seem to mind my Titanium leader ;-)

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on May 26, 2012 at 5:22pm

I think comparing Muskie to Bass is about as apples to oranges as you can get.  How many bass you catch doing a figure 8 next to the boat.  They just react way different to whats going on in their environment.  At leats from what I've seen.  This may be a good place for Mike Floyd to chime in, seeing he catches a lot of both.

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