Pressure is a big deal. Also you have to think of a reaction bite versus a something they're looking at for a while. Also, line size and type affects the action of a lure. A 4in worm with a 1/8th oz weight will fall a lot different on 8lb test than on 20lb test or with 50lb braid.

I catch fish in clear water with a jig and straight 50lb braid. When the jig is sitting still on the bottom with the skirt flared out there is no way they can tell the difference between the silicone skirt strands and the braided line attached to it.

The noise of a Rat-L-Trap doesn't scare them off????...why would braid..lol

I'm convinced, no more leaders for me. If fish don't mind me pulling up over them in my 20 foot boat it would be silly to think some 65 lb braid would bother them.

Thanks for the enlightenment.

Yeah I've always wondered that too. How can people fish with huge A-rigs with all kinds of contraptions hanging from it, yet people always recommend to use a flouro leader to conceal the braid. I'll just have to do some experimenting for myself to see if it really makes a difference.

Just like everything else in bass fishing their are many opinions. In my brief 40 odd years of fishing I have thrown it all. So here is my 2 cents.

Fish can be spooked, or put off a bait by seeing line in certain situations. Slow moving baits that the fish have time to look at or, clear water, shallow water (deeper water has less visibility) are examples of when braid can be an issue. Basically anytime a fish can see it can reduce the number of bites. If I am fishing heavy vegetation, it doe not matter how clear the water is. If you are fishing reaction baits visibility is normally not an issue. All three types of line have a place in fishing, there is no one type I rely on all the time. I mainly use braid in heavy cover where I have to get possible BIG fish out FAST "Never bring a knife to a gunfight" in which case a leader would be a big NO NO. Or if I am trying to key in on a certain type of lake bottom like gravel or shell beds. In this case braid transmits bottom compositions extremely well and helps identify what type of bottom the fish are preferring. It can also transmit bites extremly well if you are having trouble detecting light strikes.

Just keep in mind the properties of each line, stretch, memory, buoyancy, visibility, strength , and diameter. Weigh this compared to the type of water, depth, color, cover, structure, technique, species and possible size of fish the body of water/lake is know for and make an educated decision.

One of the exceptions to the rule. The umbrella rig is designed to trigger a natural reponse from school type fish. Bass in schools become very competitive when this reation is triggered. They fight over prey trying to steal an easy meal from other in the school feeding in a frenzy of activity when this occurs paying little attention to things that don't look or act like food. In the fall its common to catch 2 fish at a time on cranks, or see a fish or multiple fish trying to take a spinner bait or buzz bait from another one that is already hooked. These do not need to be large schools out deep but can be smaller "wolf Packs" prowling the grass edges and brush piles in shallow locations primarily during the Fall feeding periods.

Good info James Henderson! Makes sense.

Very sensible James -- I changed my mind, I will use a leader when the situation seems right.

I agree that James' remarks make a lot of sense. I fish braid, mono and flouro. Just depends on the situation as to what I use. I do not use a leader on the braid. The main reason is that is just one more thing to mess up.

I have gone both ways. Right now I have 20lb Power Pro on a spinning reel, I took a magic marker, cut a slot in it and drug my line through it to black it out. Have only fished it a couple of times this fall, but caught a decent one on a wacky worm last trip. Yet to be seen, but I sure like the yellow line, makes it easy to see the small movements.

I don't fish with braid, but every time I take out someone with braid my pline clear always catches more.

We worry about line visibility but don't hesitate to throw a wacky worm with an exposed hook that is a larger diameter than the line - I'm just sayin'.

I started using braid a couple years ago and love it. Last spring I decided to fix a flouro leader to it because so many reccommended to do so. Then I had two huge fish fish break the leader at the knot on timber and I won't ever use it again. My personal best is 7.5 and I lost two chances to improve it.

I use braid with a leader most of the time, I like braid because you do not have to change line out but maybe once a year, also with a leader i can fish line anywhere from 15 pound to 40 pound if i want. Braid likes to dig into wood so I usually use a heavy flouro leader when pitching to wood.