I love to jig and t-rig fish and was wondering if it's always recommended that I have a flouro or mono leader since I have braid on my reel. Does the water clarity determine to us a leader or not?

I use braid for three applications. Frogs - no leader. Buzz baits - no leader. Carolina rig - leader.

If the water is stained and you're not fishing chunk rock go ahead and fish straight braid, especially in grass, brush, tulees and wood for those two applications. If you're fishing chunk rock or clear water, use the leader.

Chunk rock? Please explain.

Worm

I've used it for years without a leader even at amistad an had no problems. Especially okay if the water is stained or if your fishing cover or frogs etc.

C-rig is the only time I use a leader. Any other time you're using a leader you might as well just use flouro.

If you think (because nobody really knows if bass are bothered by braid or not) bass can see braid then you should use a leader. It's all about your confidence. If you don't think bass are bothered by braid you shouldn't use a leader.

This ^

Braid cuts or will frays easily on sharp rock edges. Especially, lighter weight braid. I will use a fluoro leader if I am fishing a football head jig or shakyhead around rocks.

I like a leader most of the time, braid tends to hang or dig into wood, seems like the 3 to 4 feet of leader line slides through it better, jmo.

I think the alabama rig kinda just blew this theory of bass seeing the line completely out of the water.

Again it is what gives you confidence.

I think that now one has to consider how one is fishing, meaning fast or slow. Slow giving the fish more time to view the bait and have to think about it then leader or straight flouro.

I fish braid on nearly every reel I have. I almost always tie a minimum 3' Flouro leader. It gives you the best of both worlds... The sensitivity and strength of braid, and the stealthly advantages of flouro. Plus if you get hung up really deep it's a lot easier to break off a the leader than straight braid. If the water is pretty stained, and I'm fishing something weedless (like TX rig), that extra sensativity from using all braid can be a nice bonus. Everyone else is right tho... Use whatever makes you feel confident.

Tip: If you're fishing topwater and want to use a leader... Use Mono, bc it floats

Thx for all the feedback!!

Excellent point. So fish won't bite a lure that is tied onto the end of 50 lb braid with 10 lb equivalent diameter, but they'll chomp a lure that is attached to a hunk of wire?

I agree but there is a difference between a reaction strike and worm or jig bite.