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| I was going to save this quesion for later in the off season but since we've got Bill's post on Floro's going..
What size (daimeter) and length steel leaders do you prefer for different types of baits?
Say:
Bucktails
Jerk
Glide
Crank
or do you use the same for all??
Gotta go let the dog out to pee, get a fresh can of Coke, be back in a minute to check into Sponge and Worrall in the chat room...lord help us, this outta be something[:bigsmile:]
Mark
Musky Adventures
Eau Claire, WI |
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| Mark,I have had great luck with solid jerk leaders for everything.I dont care for the crank bait leaders except for rubber/jigs witch I am just starting to learn.I buy the Rollie/Helens #90,10" in bulk!After every fish,get a new one.That flouro stuff I will not use,after what I see a upper 20`s to 30# fish can do to steel!Finesse Musky fishing is not for me,dont really see a need for it and it is not fair to the fish!I am sure alot will disagree with me but I stay with what WORKS for me!A 4# line class musky of 30 some pounds is not skill,its a 1/2hr. fight and DUMB LUCK!Thats how I look at it! Jeff |
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| Thanks Jeff,
I agree with using steel, I know some guys prefer different lengths/diam. for certain baits.
Primarily I use 9" for everything except tails, then I use 12" lighter solid strand wire with ball bearing swivels.
I too have had steel bent/twisted and almost broken by fish, had 7 strand broken several years ago, never again with that stuff either. Couldn't live with myself if I saw one swim away with its jaw clamped shut by a bait do to a poor decision on my part.
Take Care,
Mark
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| Mark,funny you bring that up cause this summer a guy using 20# mono had a fish hooked on a bucktail and he got snapped off at the boat.Next morning myself and Jason Schillinger were fishing the same area and see this musky rolling on the SURFACE!It had a buc in its face and about 10#`s of weeds stuck to the bait.The fish was in big trouble,we tried several timz to net that sucker but could not get quite close enough!Finally it never came back-up!40-42" of living dead!I hope people will start to understand that musky fishing is not really a finesse sport!I will probably get blasted for that statement,but its 100% true,first-hand knowledge!Jeff [:(] |
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| I make my leaders with 208 lb single strand steel. I usually have them about 10" One thing is to never be cheap on swivels and do not use snaps. Those cross lock snaps will break. I dont' worry much about them opening cause they still are mostly closed when they open, but they can and do often break. I use 300 lb bucher split rings instead of snaps. For the swivel everyone says ball bearing, but I haven't had any problems with barrel swivels of about 130 lb test. But, just in case I do use berkly ball bearing swivels. |
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| For most bait I have been using a 12 inch single strand Stainless leader in 90 pound test . The main thing is that the leader is longer than the bait that your using so the hooks can't hit the line while casting. In the spring when I will use smaller baits I will go down to a 8 inch wire leader in 60 pound test. |
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| Thanks Bill, sounds like you and I are on the "same page".
If you give the Flouro a try let me know how it works out, might not be a totally bad thing around weeds or for suspendeds. Don't know if I'd use it around rock/wood.
Sounds like a good topic over a few beers after one of the shows
Jeff, I know how you feel. I was at a landing this summer and got talking to guy who was "proud as pie" that he got to tangle with a nice fish earlier in the day. When I asked how he handled it fishing alone he said it broke off next to the boat with a Suick sideways in it's mouth... Made me sick to think about it. He was a multi-species fisherman. One musky rod with poor quality/abraded/beat-up line on it. I gave him about $20 worth of TUFF+ to respool with and hopefully educated him a little. But I know how you feel, it was hard for me to sleep that night.
Thanks guys....good info being shared.
Mark |
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| .041 for the piano wire, and 60# for the sevenstrand. I have NEVER had a leader I made fail, so I am stickin' with what I have done for over 30 years!! |
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| Steve,
What type of baits you using the 7 strand on?
Mark |
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