Why Use a Leader with Braided Line
It's easy to get confused when we hear anglers talk about several types of fishing lines and when to use them. Many anglers have heard of or used braided lines, while others aren’t too sure where to start with line selection. Keeping that in mind, the next few paragraphs will give you a decent starting point and a few things to consider when selecting and using braided line.
Considerations for Choosing a Fishing Leader
The first consideration is what's your style of fishing? Do you prefer to cast horizontal lures like swimbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwaters, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, bladed jigs and so forth? Maybe you prefer bottom baits, football jigs, a tube, Carolina Rig, Texas Rigged worm, or Creature style bait?
Do you like fishing with Forward Facing Sonar (FFS), casting a jerkbait, jig head minnow, wacky worm, or a dropshot to fish you see on the screen? Once you determine your preferred style, it can help you select the best fishing leader and line for that presentation, including possible crossover applications.
When and Why to Use a Leader Line
Most horizontal presentations allow the braid tied directly to the lure without the use of a leader. Meanwhile other presentations could require a leader depending on water clarity and the lure. A general rule of thumb with moving lures is, most often whenever a game fish commits to a moving lure they aren't looking to see if there's line attached to lure, they just want to catch and eat it before it escapes. However, on heavily pressured fish or after a weather front blows through, oftentimes using a fluorocarbon leader will help generate bites from otherwise reluctant followers. Meanwhile, slow moving or bottom presentations with lures, live or cut bait, also requires a fluorocarbon leader because the fish has plenty of time to inspect the lure before they decide to strike it.
However, there are exceptions to this general rule, such as pitchin and punchin in heavy vegetation, with 3/4- to 2-ounce Texas rigged weights, or casting hollow body frog lures over top of matted vegetation. With pitchin and punchin presentations the lure is cast into thicker vegetation, yo-yoed up and down once or twice, and retrieved for another cast doing the same exact thing. The heavy vegetation prevents sunlight penetration, and the heavier weight used provides a faster decent. So, they aren't focused on the line, as much as the meal that just passed by them at a high rate of speed which triggers the strike. When casting a hollow body frog, the fish can't see the line, because it's hidden by the matted vegetation, so there's no benefit from a fluorocarbon leader.
Fish Species and Target Size
We also need to think about what size fish you are trying to catch, panfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, catfish, carp, musky, northern pike, walleye, salmon, or trout? Each species has specific requirements depending on how and where you desire to catch them.
Braided Line Stretch
A final consideration is braided line has no stretch as compared to monofilament that has approximately 3/4- to 1-inch of stretch for every 36-inches. This simply means the rod and reel you select when using braided lines is particularly important to avoid breaking the rod on the hookset or tearing the hook out of the fish's mouth when it does strike.
The content below provides recommendations on, line strength, leader material, fluorocarbon or mono, and what power rod is recommended based on the artificial lures listed.
Braided Line, Leader and Rod Recommendations by Technique
Horizontal Baits
Topwater
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Application / Rod: Medium to Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 1/4 to 1/2 oz.
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Braided Line: 8 to 20 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36" mono 14 to 16 lb. test
Jerkbait
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Application / Rod: Light to Medium Power
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Lure Weight: 3/8 to 1/2 oz.
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Braided Line: 6 to 15 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36" mono or fluorocarbon 10 to 12 lb. test
Bottom Baits
Tubes
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Application / Rod: Light to Medium Power
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Lure Weight: 1/8 to 1/2 oz.
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Braided Line: 6 to 15 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36" fluorocarbon 8 to 12 lb. test
Texas Rig Worms & Creature Baits, Carolina Rig
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Application / Rod: Medium-Heavy to Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 1/4 to 3/4 oz.
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Braided Line: 8 to 20 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36" fluorocarbon 10 to 16 lb. test
Football Jig
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Application / Rod: Medium-Heavy to Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 3/8 to 1 oz.
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Braided Line: 8 to 25 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36” fluorocarbon 12 to 20 lb. test
Jigging Spoons & Blade Baits
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Application / Rod: Medium-Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 1/4 to 3/4 oz.
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Braided Line: 10 to 20 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36" fluorocarbon 14 to 16 lb. test
Pitchin, Punchin Baits and Frogs
Texas Rigged Plastics, Jigs
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Application / Rod: Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 1/2 to 2 oz.
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Braided Line: 20 to 50 lb. test
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Leader: Not necessary
Hollow Body Frog
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Application / Rod: Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 3/8 to 1 oz.
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Braided Line: 30 to 65 lb. test
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Leader: Not necessary
Forward Facing Sonar Baits
Jig Head, Wacky Worm, Dropshot
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Application / Rod: Light to Medium-Heavy Power
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Lure Weight: 1/8 to 3/8 oz.
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Braided Line: 6 to 10 lb. test
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Leader: Yes, 36" fluorocarbon 8 to 14 lb. test
How to Tie a Leader Line
When using braids with moving lures you can tie the line directly to the lure with a palomar knot or a modified uni knot. YouTube provides endless videos showing how to tie various knots; here are few of my favorites.
Tying fluorocarbon to braid is recommended when working baits that maintain bottom contact throughout the retrieve and when fishing most FFS baits including the dropshot rig. The fluorocarbon offers better abrasion resistance than straight braid for the bottom baits and it provides a stealthy approach for FFS baits due to the increased invisibility of the line.
To attach a fluorocarbon leader, I use the Lefty Kreh knot for lines up to 12 lb. break strength. It's a super easy knot to tie and it works great.
When tying fluorocarbon or mono to braid above the 12 lb. break strength I use either the Alberto knot or the Yucatan knot.
Adjusting Rod Power for Braided Lines
As you develop your angling skills the possibilities are endless when we discuss rod & reel combos and multiple presentations. And remember, when fishing with braided lines, there’s no stretch, so you’ll want to downsize the power of your rod to prevent tearing the fish’s mouth on the hookset. If you’re used to fishing with 25 to 30 lb. test mono with an extra heavy (EH) or heavy (H) power rod as you switch to braid, consider a heavy (H) or medium heavy (MH) power rod and use a reel with a smooth drag.
Here are a few combos that provide plenty of rod power for their recommended use, while the reel provides a firm yet silky-smooth drag.
Royale Legend Pro Casting: This collection of rods provides 16 different combinations.
Royale Legend Pro Spinning: This collection of rods provides 7 different combinations.
For anglers focused on finesse fishing the Kestrel BFS Casting series offers 12 great options and the Kestrel SFS Spinning series has 4 options.
KastKing has taken the guesswork out of it, providing multiple rod & reel combos to fit every angler's budget, and this includes lines, hooks, and terminal tackle. As we close out 2025 and get ready to kick off the 2026 fishing season, be sure to check out KastKing for all your angling needs.
About the Author
Captain Burnie Haney is owner/operator of New York Fishing Adventures, Army veteran and retired Sergeant Major with a 38-year military career. A tournament bass angler since 1992, he has won five Angler of the Year titles, set the NYTBF five-fish weight record, and qualified for two National Championships. Burnie holds two International Game Fish Association (IGFA) New York State line class records (walleye and smallmouth bass) and the IGFA All Tackle Length World Record for Chain Pickerel. He is a lifetime member of B.A.S.S. and member of the New York State Outdoor Writers' Association. Haney was inducted into the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame in 2017. Today, Burnie focuses on multi-species seasonal fishing adventures.
