>>927561>>Is the 50 lb braid I bought too heavy? I'd say so, unless you're after a bunch of trophy class flatheads and blue catfish. You usually want the lightest possible line as it lets you cast further.
So if you're like most fishermen and catching channel and blue cats no larger than 10lbs, then 10-20lbs test will be more than fine.
>>>Do I really need a mono leader or can I just use the braid? Catfish don't care about seeing the line, so don't worry about that. The reasons for mono leader are usually...
1) It stretches, allowing it to absorb some of the shock when you set the hook or the fish rolls/thrashes. With non-stretchy line like braid, these acts can actually tear the hook out of the fish's mouth and make you lose it.
2) Braid ain't cheap, so if you're changing out leaders and hooks- which you should be doing regularly if something isn't working- then it can get expensive to have to lop off a foot+ of your line every time you want to change leaders. Mono is cheap.
3) Using higher test leader can actually allow you to get away with lighter main line. That means you can cast further with the lighter line, but still have some of that heavy duty stuff at the end to resist abrasion/stress/teeth.
4) Braid is really limp and thread-like and can have a bad tendency to twist itself up into knots and tangles if given up to the wind/current. A foo or two of mono is less likely to do that.
5) If you get snagged on something, the mono will often break before the braid. You may loose the hook, but you'll usually keep the weight, which is usually more expensive. And you can just tie on another leader.
