re: Baitcasting setup for redfish?

quote:

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A regular palomar is no where near the best direct connection for braid. If you think that's the best knot, maybe that's why you think tying direct to braid is a bad idea? I mean hell, we tie direct to braid while vertical jigging for tuna without issue. No knot issues there either.

The fish-n-fool (uni knot that is looped through the eye 2x before starting the rest of the knot) is a great knot for braid direct connections at smaller diameters.

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You touched on it towards the end there, but diameter has everything to do with that. Comparing a palomar or doubled palomar with 20/30lb braid to any knot with much thicker line is apples and oranges. The looped uni is a good knot for tying straight to an eyelet, as you said. The palomar and doubled palomar are also great. I've never seen either one of those slip on a direct braid connection. I've seen a regular uni and clinch/improved clinch knots slip more times than I can count. We're off topic now though.

I'm kind of lost as to how this turned into such a heated debate. All I can tell you is what I've learned and seen over my many years of fishing and many years of sight fishing, jigging, and burning all kinds of other baits with braided lines for redfish, which is what OP asked about. If I'm teaching someone how to redfish, I'm eliminating as many variables as possible, and I'm telling them to use a fluoro leader. It doesn't matter if I'm teaching them to flip for fish in ponds or jig fish on bridges. As I said, I couldn't begin to count how many times I've seen a straight braid connection break solely because of the connection itself, or because there was no buffer to protect against structure. Haven't seen that happen too many times with leaders.

Whether people agree or disagree, paying attention to things like that will make you a better angler, and will give you the ability to be successful in a variety of situations, conditions, and areas. But what do I know. Just trying to offer good advice.

I use a pair of concept a's, 8.1 and 7.1 ratios.... fast for spoons

I like 6.5 to 7 ft medium action on rods

30 lb power pro. 5' of 17lb flouro leader (mono sometimes)

The leader is for a variety of reasons in no particular order

Stretch - braid has none. This can be good in light/ultra light. But I need some the way I fish.

I use bright yellow braid so I can see it. I need a leader on that alone.

Saves line. From routine line changes (which add up), to busting off hangups, you are wasting good line every time.

Can also save your rig if you also tie the braid straight to the spool.

MH rod will provide backbone to get reds out of grass, cane and off rocks

30# power pro braid

Lews or Shimano reels