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Posts: 64
Location: Minnesota | Hello!
I just wanted to ask about which leaders (brand, length, material, strand, etc) people use for each kind of application (rubber, bucktails, topwater, jerkbaits, glides, etc).
I would love recommendations on new brands to try as well, because I feel that leaders and terminal tackle for Muskies is where I'm lacking the most knowledge at.
Thanks for any advice. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | This site sums up my entire book of knowledge on the subject. Never had a problem with their work. m
https://www.stealthtackle.net/
ps I use wire leaders for jerkbaits and Jakes, fluoro for bucktails and cranks. m
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Posts: 866
Location: NE Ohio | give steve gould at TROPHY TIME LEADERS a jingle i know he can hook you up to no matter what ya need or want! |
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Posts: 490
Location: Northern Illinois | I would add that personally I use only metal leaders, some stranded and some solid depending on the application. I have had floro up to 130# bitten off. I know lots of guys use floro, but I am going to avoid that 1 in 1,000 chance that a fish gets my leader just right and cuts it off. |
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Posts: 224
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | Solid wire- buck tails, gliders, dive rise, spinnerbaits, any top water
Floro-rubber, beavers
All of my twitch baits are thrown with multi strand titanium
I’m definitely thinking about completely switching from floro to a multi strand because I’ve heard a lot of people stating they’ve had it bitten through |
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Posts: 333
Location: SE Wisc | You’ll save a lot of money making your own. Get some bulk fluorocarbon, crimping pliers, and corresponding barrel sleeves for the diameter of leader you choose. Super easy and I’ve never had a crimp fail so I don’t bother with additional knots. Solid wire can be bent with a vise and a pen or pencil to make a nice loop. Use ball bearing swivels on baits that spin and crane swivels or just solid rings for pull baits. Don’t over think it, it’s pretty hard to mess up and after a couple you’ll be making very consistent looking leaders that are dependable and work |
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Posts: 333
Location: SE Wisc | Also, I’ve never been bitten off with fluorocarbon(not saying it can’t happen), and I’ve caught fish up to nearly 50# on 100# test. Key is to check leaders regularly for wear, especially at the loops of the fluorocarbon leader, and replace when necessary. |
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Posts: 20221
Location: oswego, il | Stealth Tackle is the best, John makes a wide variety of leaders and can get you the right ones for your application. |
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Location: PA Angler | Make your own with AFW. You could buy it to go from line to lure or make your own leaders with a barrel swivel and snap swivel. |
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Posts: 1722
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | 175 7x7 48” for trolling
175 lb fluoro for bucktails and cranks
175 lb fluoro or 7x7 for big rubber, depends on the size of fish in the system
285 lb solid wire for gliders
80 lb fluoro for shallow swim dawgs and downsized baits
I make all my own. I make them for $1.25-1.50 cost vs $10 or $11 each retail. AFW, HI- Seas, or Seaguar material, ball bearing swivels or solid rings, and sta-lok snaps either 4.5 or 5. Get a good pair of crimpers and round nose knipex and go to town.
140 lb solid wire for rattle baits |
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Posts: 64
Location: Minnesota | RyanJoz - 5/8/2022 2:53 PM
175 7x7 48” for trolling
175 lb fluoro for bucktails and cranks
175 lb fluoro or 7x7 for big rubber, depends on the size of fish in the system
285 lb solid wire for gliders
80 lb fluoro for shallow swim dawgs and downsized baits
Awesome. Thanks for listing all the numbers for each application sir. Is 285lb wire for glides normal? That seems crazy, but none-the-less, thanks for your input. It's greatly appreciated. |
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Posts: 1722
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | I prefer the wire stiffer than 174. I think it is 0.002” thicker, so not crazy there. I can pull the loops out of 174 if I’m fishing hard and catch a couple fish |
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Posts: 1415
Location: Brighton CO. | I have a Hagen's wire bender and I use AFW solid wire in 174# and 240# brown in color and solid ring or the same snap and swivels they use on Stealth leader. If I use a flourocarbon I go Stealth tackle. |
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Posts: 306
| I asked a similar question a few years ago, and several recommended Stealth, as several are now. Glad they did, because I've had 0 problems with them, where-as I've had problems with numerous other brands that you'd grab off the shelf. But they don't seem to make the 9" stranded ones anymore which I liked. |
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