Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware
MeHabeeb
Posted 8/26/2003 7:29 AM (#79861)
Subject: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 492


Location: Lindenhurst, Illinois
How many of you guys are using Flourocarbon leaders? Do you think it makes a difference? What types and sizes of swivels and snaps are you using?

Tried using Flourocarbon this weekend - is it possible to get to much action on a lure?
esoxb8r
Posted 8/26/2003 7:33 AM (#79863 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware




Location: Pewaukee, WI
i used 100lbs almost exclusivly last year and didn't increase my catch rate.......i did have more follows though in the spring than normal which i chalked up to clearer water......all and all i don't say it makes that great of diff............
Ranger
Posted 8/26/2003 8:35 AM (#79866 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 3926


I've been using it all year. I'm a firm believer that flouro is an advantage in clearer water, especially with pressured fish. Also, the stuff is incredibly tough, and it doesn't kink like solid or braided wire. I've used 80# Climax I buy from Rollie and Helens, with small Stringease Stay-Loc snaps and, if I can get them, 130# Spro PowerSwivels. Otherwise, I use rosco swivels in the 80# range.

80# flouro is fine for all hair baits, bigger crankbaits, I use it with Undertakers, Suicks and Jackpots, too, but it's kind of stiff for 6" and smaller crankbaits. I'm going to try 50# in the spring for small baits.

I've been selling a few on the side, people seem to love them. Tell me what lengths you want and I can whip a few out to you. How about $3 each plus a doller for postage?
esoxjunkie
Posted 8/26/2003 9:20 AM (#79870 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 364


Location: in the white boat
I've been using the 100# Smitty Flouro leaders for cranks for a couple years now. I only use the ones with the Sampo swivels though. It could be just me, but when using smaller cranks I swear I get more action out of them using the Flouro.
ToddM
Posted 8/26/2003 5:23 PM (#79912 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 20281


Location: oswego, il
I make my own flouro leaders out of 80 and 60lb for small stuff. I use good snaps and ball bearing swivels. If i have a nick in it, i can retie it a bit shorter or reuse the components but I mostly wear out the snap and retie a new one or reuse the swivel. I put a drop of superglue on the knot for extra protection.
RAZE1
Posted 8/26/2003 6:42 PM (#79917 - in reply to #79912)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 938


Location: NeverNever Lake
I've been spooling my jerkbait reel with 40# fluoro for 4 yrs now with zero failures. This is the toughest line on the market! I tie directly to my 100# flouro leader using an Albright knot.
xllund
Posted 8/27/2003 7:16 AM (#79957 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware




Posts: 358


Hey Dave,

I have been using flourocarbon leaders for the past 5 years. I use them exclusively on top water baits. They are much lighter than the titanium leaders and give baits like Jackpots and such some great action. However, I do not use them on deep running (sinking type) gliders. I have not had one fail yet.
loldennis
Posted 8/27/2003 7:24 AM (#79958 - in reply to #79912)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware




Posts: 39


I to have been using flourocarbon for leaders. My partner was getting more follows than me a few years ago, and I switched and started to see more fish. Go figure. Since than I have been using 60lb. with my partner still using 80lb. The 80 is much harder to tie and I too use glue on the knots.
MeHabeeb
Posted 8/28/2003 12:37 PM (#80079 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 492


Location: Lindenhurst, Illinois
Ranger,

Thanks for the offer. I am going to start making some of my own. Do you use the size 4 or 5 stringease locs?
Ranger
Posted 8/28/2003 1:01 PM (#80090 - in reply to #80079)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 3926


Hey Habeeb - I mostly use #4 but I make a few with larger hardware, too, including #5s.

I follow Extreme Mike's process for making them, let me know if you want the detailed instructions. The most useful "tool" I built is a 10x10" piece of 1/2" plywood with a metal hook screwed into one side. The board lays on the floor, I sit in a chair with both feet on the board. I slide an eye of the swivel over the metal hook to hold one end of the leader while I pull on the other end using a set of hemos struck through the closed snap. This allows one free hand to contiually wet and slide the knots tight. Toward the end, as the knots get nice and tight, I REALLY pull HARD with constant prsssure and the knots come together beautifully. Then I paint the knots carefully with superglue. Works great for me.
TUFFY
Posted 8/28/2003 1:24 PM (#80097 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 376


Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin
Ranger, what knot do you use?
lobi
Posted 8/28/2003 1:29 PM (#80098 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 1137


Location: Holly, MI
slightly off subject but still Florocarbon question..

Is the Hybred stuf from YO-ZURI any good? Mono based coated in florocarbon. Supposed to be the best of both worlds. I'm thinking for my trolling reels, salmon/musky.

I've been making my own leaders out of mono but want to switch to floro after all the positive press here.
Mikes Extreme
Posted 8/28/2003 1:53 PM (#80099 - in reply to #80090)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 2691


Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
One other thing I do is stretch them out on a board for a day or two to keep them straight. Ranger method is a good one, I do something similar. Its nice to have a free hand to help the knot down as you pull it tight. Keep it wet so the line will not curl, heat will cause this as you tighten the knot.
I have used these leaders for two years and have not lost a fish due to a bite off. I use the same line for quick strike rigs, I used them the last two years and have not lost one yet. My version is like a liftoff rig that I modified. Two trebles off a split ring, then attached to a long leader with a single small hook to hold the sucker straight. I like to keep it simple. The less hardware the better. The swivel+leader+snap-hook+split ring go on snap-flouro line+hooks go either side of sucker. Can you picture it? When a fish hits the sucker don't wait, reel up the slack and set the hook a couple times.
MuskyMike13
Posted 8/28/2003 2:56 PM (#80113 - in reply to #79861)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware




Posts: 139


Seager 200lb Test, SPRO 500 Swivel and a 500 Aussie snap for trolling..No problems yet.
Ranger
Posted 8/28/2003 3:05 PM (#80115 - in reply to #80099)
Subject: RE: Flourocarbon Leaders & Hardware





Posts: 3926


I believe the knot is called a "simple cinch". Place the floro thru the swivel eye and create a 4-5" tag end. Wrap the tag end around the main line about 4 times and then push the tag end through the "hole" you created above the eye. You should end up with about 1/2" of tag sticking thru the hole. Now use your tools to slowly and carefully pull everything tight. You'll end up with a knot that has about 3-4 "rings" around the main line (a hangman's noose has 13 of these rings). I use a piece of floro to lightly paint superglue where the rings touch each other. By the time I'm done, the superglue almost melts the rings into one solid hunk of floro. Like Mike said, work your knots together slowly with spit and your fingers, this avoids creating the heat that curls the line just below the knot.

Practice will lead you to your own groove. But start with Mike's process, it's worked GREAT for me.