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Posts: 246
Location: Jamestown, Pa. | Any one have any input on Titanium leaders?
A couple questions for those of you who have used them, do they hold up to your expects, are they better or stronger, how's the pricing, and would you use them more?
Edited by Stan Durst 10/26/2003 3:30 AM
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | I think they are great, and haven,t had any problems with them.I wish they could come up with a better price.$10-12 a leader is a little steep.Of course, I will run out and spend $25.00 on a musky bait, but quibble on the price of a leader.Buts that different. |
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Posts: 384
Location: Eagle River, Alaska | Stan....I have used them every time with my limited experience with musky and have loved them. Have used some Terminator leaders for over 100 pike each and never had a problem either. I like the darn things alot.
BrianW |
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Posts: 3868
| I've had one break at the crimps when I tangled in submerged stumps while speed trolling. On another occassion one bent/crimped on me while trolling through tangled in heavy wood, I couldn't straighten it out. I mostly use 80# flourocarbon and single strand wire now. |
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Posts: 484
Location: St. Louis, MO., Marco Is., FL, Nestor Falls, ON | I have been using Terminator leaders for several years and never had a break until this year. One crimp broke (fortunately in the boat). I mailed the broken leader back to Terminator and they sent 2 new ones with their apology. Haven't lost a lure since I started using them. Well worth the money. By the way, I fish muskies/pike about 130 days per year and then sometimes use the leaders when saltwater fishing. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Have had several leaders break at the crimp, probably around 5 or 6.
Make sure you change your snaps on a regular basis or you have problems as well. I know several others that have had problems too. They are great, just don't use them forever or you will regret it.
It all depends on how much you fish. If you fish several times a week, you will need to replace them on a somewhat regular basis, if you only fish two-three times a month, they will last longer obviously. Just like all musky gear, if you use it, it will break, if you hardly use it, it will last.
Mike Hulbert |
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Location: Pewaukee, WI | I tried Terminators this year, the 1st one I loved and in fact put several fish on it without a problem.....changed the snaps 2x so far .......
Next one I bought never even made itto the line...gave it the old "crimp check" and it came apart like junk.....need to send it back to them...
I love these leaders ... I use them for everything I throw.....and it take a hell of alot to kink them up........
Between these and 100lbs floro it's the way to go |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | If you troll them for a long time they will wear right thru at the bend holding the snap. I now troll with 80lb mono leaders only. They cast forever however without getting the kinks that will break on steel leaders. I found single strand Titanium on the internet and made some up myself that are very light and stealth for smaller lures or clear water. Great product, maybe it will get cheaper with time. Ps, keep some sevenstrand crimps in your box and you can cut a little off and re-crimp your swivle back on if you see some potential faliure.
If anyone knows where I can get some multi-strand titanium wire in bulk (like, by the foot or a 5 foot section, etc) please post it or pm it. Making your own leaders is way more cost effective and a good winter project. |
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Posts: 327
Location: In the slop! | Lobi, Stamina has the 7 strand wire in 60 and 90 lb. test, www.Staminainc.com . This is what I make all of my leaders out of. I have never had a failure, but would recomend you stress test them to make sure the crimps will hold. I bottom out my 50lb. digital scale in a sustained pull, which is way more than a very tight drag will pull. |
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| Have a question for anyone that makes their own titanium leaders. I have been making mine from single strand titanium material and using a crimp to hold them together. Does anyone use anything other than a crimp to hold them? I think I use crimps from Sevenstrand. I have tried twisting&wrapping the tag ends but I think the turns are too much for the line to handle. I haven't had too many problems with the slip out of the crimp as I take and quadruple the leader throught the crimp so there are an additional two loops to help the leader from slipping through. I used to cut the loops off but I feel they help with slip as they wouldn't fit through the crimp. The leader looks kind of funny though and the loops drag in the water. Anyone know of a special kind of crimp specific for single strand titanium leaders? Thanks |
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Posts: 2753
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Stan- if you're making your own, something you may want to do is heat teat them in the oven, before you use them. If memory serves me well, I believe it is ~ 4 hours at ~700 degrees F. It relieves the stress in the bends. If the stress is not relieved, one micro scratch can cause the leader to fail. It can actually shatter at the stress point where the micro scratch is. The leader loops create a loading effect/pressure on the material. This is why a lot of crimps fail, i.e., over crimping creates a micro-scratch. I'll go back & dig out my info on titanium. Very tough stuff - but you have to handle it properly in fabricating your leaders. Crimping titanium is very touchy.
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 1/9/2005 7:33 AM
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Posts: 2753
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Stan- Check this out, I'm still looking for the original reference to heat treating in your wife's self cleaning oven. She may not be happy with the smell as most titanium is coated to prevent oxidation. The loop and crimp actually forms a spring that is under tension until it's heat treated. Heat treating relieves the spring tension. I was originally thinking about making a custom snap, i.e., a type of spring.
http://home.earthlink.net/~bazillion/matls.html
I'll keep looking- this was ~ 2 years ago.
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 1/9/2005 7:34 AM
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Posts: 502
Location: Lincoln UK | From reading this and info I have heard before it would seem that crimps are to be avoided like the plague. Crimping will always produce a "stress raiser" or in other words a weak spot and weak spots are something to avoid. Twisted traces do not suffer anywhere near as badly and although it isn't the easiest stuff to work with it must be the best method. I have recently started to use Ti traces from www.dlst.co.uk and although they are very expensive (even here) they are twisted and ultra reliable. |
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| Chico
If you check with the manufacturer I think you'll find that the DLST Titanium leaders are crimped. |
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Posts: 260
Location: Kentucky | I've had 2 Terminator leaders break on the same day. Both on the crimp, and both just twitching baits. I'll never buy a Terminator product again. Complete and total junk in my opinion. |
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Posts: 2089
| I had some bad experiences with them when they came out in the late 90's.I used one for awhile(and loved it), until my weighted burt went flying on the cast.Dug out another to find the crimp had disintigrated.I had several at the time, and more than a few crimps came apart without even being used.I took the swivels off and went back to my homemade single strand.Most expensive swivels I ever bought.Didn't bother sending them back, 'cause at that point, my confidence was shot."Leavin' the dance with who brought me". Steve |
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Posts: 502
Location: Lincoln UK | Well I checked and Esox321 is right, humble apologies for the duff info. If only to make me feel a little better they are twisted on the crimp. |
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Posts: 96
| I've had mixed luck with titanium leaders.
If I'm paying 10-15 bucks for a leader, I need to feel confortable with it's reliability.
I switched to hard mono and and fluorocarbon leaders two years ago. I now won't use anything else.
I've had no failures casting or trolling. They are a lot less cash too.
Good ones can be had from Muskie Innovations and leadersforless.com.
I'm sure there are others.
Most of the lakes I fish are pressured. I know casting with the fluorocarbon has put more fish in my boat. It disappears in the water.
musky39
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Posts: 670
Location: Minnetonka , MN. | I had one come apart. That's the last time I will use one . I still have some that will never hit the water .  |
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Posts: 743
| here is an excerpt of some leader talking off another msg board: i have had about 8 titanuim leaders fail, but i just dont use that one brand anymore, now i have no leader problems.
i highly recomment titanium leaders. They are several different makers of them, and they are not all created equal. I have been using titanium for about 4 or 5 years now.
Titanium doesnt kink, so when you catch a fish,your leader is not all bent up. Titanium leaders cost a bit more, but they are way way way worth in after 2 fish. new technology has brought 100 pound titanium to a smaller diameter. Here are the ones i use. 100 pound test
http://tyeetackle.com/titanium.html
Most leaders break for 2 reasons. 1. made w/ crappy components. like the snaps and swivels. 3. the crimps come off and the leader fall apart. These FIN-TASTIC Titanium Leaders have sampo balls and awesome snaps. they are good for bucktails to jerkbaits.
the fin tastics also have a "rubber" (it' not really rubber) around all the crimps too. probably the #1 quality titnauim on the market (along w/ some String ease and some of the Terminators).
http://www.jacksonlures.com/Commerce/leaders.htm
Jackson lures doesnt carry 100 pound test, but other ones.
Titanium is the way to go. i like 12" 100 pound 9" 100 pound. these leaders have thinner diameter than the 90 pound 7 strand you are using, so dont worry about them being bulky.
those string eases jacksonlures.com are nice. those and the finn tastic have that bonded material added to crimps.
Leaders fall apart. fact of life, you have to buy high quality leaders or you will just be shooting yourself in the foot.
tomcat
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Titanium Leaders