|
|
Posts: 1530
| do we overkill on our terminal tackle. 200lb leaders and snaps |
|
| |
|
| I use 180 lb fluoro leaders...not overkill in my book...
in the case of muskies I don't think there is such a thing as "overkill"
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | 200 is pretty heavy, i am very confident with 130#, brad uses 180 and catches a heck of alot of fish, so i say better to be safe than sorry. on the flipside i was in a large outdoor retail store today and couldnt believe how cheezy thier own brand of leaders were. |
|
| |
|
| Oh I do use Stealths 130 lb too...and I'm 100 % confident in those too! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | hahahaha thats what i thought you said! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 313
Location: On your favorite spot | I overkill on components because of the way they WEAR, not their listed test strength. How many times do you want to use a leader before you retie it, how many times do you want to reuse your snaps? I'll be able to reuse a 150 lb snap much more than a 90 lb for the price, and if they start to wear, it'll be much easier to notice it it on a 150 lb.
I'd love to use 65 lb line for everything because of the diameter but I use 100 lb line so I can see it wear and I won't have to worry about it snapping on my next jerk or hookset. |
|
| |
|
| As far as line goes, I think we could rely on our drag more while using lighter tests, but when you'd get a backlash with 30lb compared to 80lb, the amount of time it would take to pick it out could make a huge difference. |
|
| |
|
| Yo woodieb8, what up? You know where I will be in Dec HA HA
Better to overkill than underkill with muskies my friend 
Stealth leaders at 130 lb test are just fine, and for most stuff single strand between 174 lb test and 200lb test is good. For trolling the really big baits I am using the 300 lb test Wishmaster Leader. My Big Woodie Baits troll just fine behind it!
Steve |
|
| |
|
Posts: 215
Location: Wisconsin | Leaders and line is subjected to tons of wear and tear. They will break, trust me. Keep a close eye on them. Lost a very nice one this year because I didn't check my line for nicks and rough spots. We may think that 65lb and 80lb line is plenty; but but a few abbrassions in it .... ouch. Sucks losing a big one because you were too lazy to take off 6-8 feet of line after a day of casting. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | Overkill? I'm not sure there is such thing. I had a fish break a brand new 200# snap in the net a couple weeks ago. And it was not a big fish. I also had an even smaller fish bend a high quality split ring recently. I use 90# nylon coated sevenstrand with 200 lb snaps and swivels for everything other than jerkbaits. Then I use .051 bucktail wire with the same snaps and swivels. (not for strengh, just to keep it straight) |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | No such thing as over kill.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 14
| I was bouncing crankbaits off rocks on Sunday and my 200lb leader failed and cost me a depthraider. It broke at the crimp down by the snap....i was mad to say the least. Say, do you guys use single strand steel or the the braided steel? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2082
| I dont think you need 80 -100 lbs test BUT I love the physical properties of super braids. So back in the day 30lbs mono was what I used because anything heavier was a pain to cast with... the thin diameter of superbraid requires you to use at least 65lbs test....when 50lb powerpro first came out I tried that but as many know- it buries into the spool......I prefer floro leaders and 100lbs is as light as I will go for cut resistance....we go heavy to be safe not sorry... it isn't difficult to land a large muskie on 8lbs line with no leader IF the fish is hooked in the corner of the mouth, line doesn't touch gill plate, you are in open water, and the fish doesn't take you around the motor |
|
| |
|
Posts: 5874
| My experience is that big fish will exploit any weak link in your tackle, whether it be dull hooks, weak or damaged line, old snaps and swivels, or too light or inferior grade of components.
I don't go gonzo on my trolling setups. I use 25/30 lb Big game mono, 50 or 80 lb Flouro leaders, and 100 lb snaps and ball bearing swivels, usually. I may go lighter with small walleye size baits.
But for casting, or sucker rigging, I like the heavy duty stuff. Anything with a violent hook set gets an upgrade in components. |
|
| |
|
| no
i dont feel 350 lb ball bearings and 500lb home made snaps are over kill
catch
photo
release
everything else in between, is unecessary.....especially that sick feeling the keeps u up for two days cuz of a fish with a bait in it's face. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | Terminal tackle is 100 % relevant to the lures your are casting or trolling. I have read this stuff for years and still have to laugh at the responses. The facts are like this. the bigger the hooks and heavier the lure the bigger and heavier the line,leader and snaps/splitrings. Setting the hooks with 100 lb braid and 200 lb leaders while using a small 205 crane bait is like using a deer rifle to shoot a mouse. You will straighten out hooks and lose far more fish than if you were using the proper set up. I fish with baits as small as the tiney Bagley shads and #5 Mepps, 304 and 205 cranes, Little rattle traps and small Rapalas. I cant even use a Musky rod for casting this stuff. For this type of lure assortment I use an 8 foot heavy action Bass flippin stick(St. Croix) The reel is a Phluger Trion Bass reel and the line is 40 lb Power Pro. The leader is 60 lb Mason 7 strand snaps and swivels are rated at 80 to 100 lb test and they are small. The trick is this setup is light and light line and terminal does not destroy the action of these small baits there fore I catch 3 times as many fish as someone using twice the terminal with the same lures. When I get into the mid size lures Like my 6.75 " Talonz Little Claws the average Bucktail with a # 7 or #8 blade, Glides like the Slidin Shad, Magic Makers, and the Mid size Bull dawgs I use a 7 foot 10" St. Croix med heavy Musky rod rated to 3 oz lures. Reel; is St Croix Avid 300 series spooled with 65 lb power pro. Leaders are 90 lb Mason 7 strand snaps and swivels are rated at 100 lbs and stainless steel. When tossing big stuff like Weagles , Mag Bull dawgs and other large lures I use a 7 foot 6 oz rated st. Croix. Reel is a n Abu Record spooled with 80 lb Power pro. Leaders are 150 lb 49 strand shark braid. Snaps are rated at 175 and swivels at or near the same rating. I re tie a lot so I just dont have any problems. I have never had a fish break any of my gear or break the line on any of my rigs in since 1995 when I began Musky fishing. I will say this. If you use any wire or rings/snaps that are not stainless steel you are an accident waiting to happen. I spent 13 years working in a wire shop where we made small dowel pins from every type of wire made. You would not believe the speed at which a hardened steel wire will develope pits and rust holes from water and oxygen. I see many top name Splitrings made from hardened steel with coatings like black oxide and nickel. All these rings need is one scratch through the plating and you have rust pitting in 24 hours. You need a microscope to see it. The metal will start to look like swiss cheese. Split ring pliers will provide the scratch the first time you use these rings on a lure. This is why you see the brown stains around the hook holders on many production lures. I use stainless steel hardware rated a less tensile and they are stronger and last 10 times as long as hardened steel. But hey if you want to fish with rope and leave all those Muskies for me to catch be my guest. My advice to anyone fishing Muskies is to match the rod.reel and terminal tackle to the lure class you are casting. For me this takes three different set ups. It cant be done with any less. Kingfisher
Edited by Kingfisher 10/31/2006 7:18 PM
|
|
| |
terminal overkill