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| Hi guys,
I was at gander mountain recently and was looking at purchasing some muskie leaders and WOW are they expensive! I noticed some as high as 2 for $10 bucks and some were even higher. Most of them were outragious. I then saw some gander mountain bucktail leader 2 for $1.99. Are these any good? They looked fine to me but I wondered why such a deal on them? They weren't even on sale. I did notice on the back it said "Made in China" like just about everything now.
Should I purchase them? Would you trust them?
Thanks in advance. |
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Posts: 186
Location: West Chicago, IL | You're going to get cheap components that won't hold up to the stress of casting by going with inexpensive leaders. Using a quality leader is important. Call up a musky tackle store and use what they recomend. I like Stealth Leaders in the 130 lb test personally but not everyone likes flouro leaders |
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Posts: 688
Location: Northern IL | I've been using 80lbs Big game mono leaders for years with never a bite off, hundreds of muskies caught, $10.00/ 330 yds. |
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Posts: 416
Location: Madtown, WI | Make your own leaders. They are incredibly simple and cheap to make. You can make a dozen or so in the off-season and never have to worry about running out all year. I make my own single strand, seven strand, mono, and flouro leaders and I have never had a failure nor have the people that have used mine.
If you're not interested in making your own, whatever you buy, make sure it has quality components. IMO, a stringease snap is a must... no cross locks. Ball bearing doesn't really matter as long as it's 100+ lb test. |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Wire or fluoro, make sure the components are good quality. They're the weakest link on any leader. I prefer Stealth fluoro leaders in 130# as well. Leaders are too critical to just look at the price tag. I'm not suggesting that you go with the most expensive ones. It's just very important that you use ones that are well made and use top of the line components.
Aaron |
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Posts: 311
| Stealth!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never had a failure, John uses quality components!!!!! |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | As far as the $1.99 leaders at Gander? I can't remember seeing anything at that price point there that would be suitable for muskies.
Aaron |
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Location: Oswego, IL | Newbie, contact AWH he will take care of it, hit his link there and have fun shopping! |
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| definitely get a quality leader.
Stealth uses the best components available.
maybe cheap components will hold up, maybe they won't. that's not the kind of "maybe" risk i'm willing to take with a fish on the line.
Stealth:
http://www.muskytackleonline.com/acatalog/Leaders.html
http://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/12/page/1...
i've seen them in some Gander Mountains too.
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Posts: 547
Location: Oshkosh | Another vote here for Stealth Leaders.
Peter |
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Posts: 283
| 130 lb stealth I have not had a problem with them. |
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Posts: 646
Location: In a shack in the woods | 130lb stealth |
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Posts: 180
Location: Kinkaid Lake, IL | Nothing better than Stealth for muskie leaders. His small wire leaders for rattle traps are even sick! He has it all for a good price.
Edited by esoxdonovan 9/16/2009 10:40 PM
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Posts: 1302
Location: WI | I like Spro leaders for Wire (jerkbaits). This year I've been using Stealth leaders for everything else and they've held up awesome! You may spend a few bucks on them, but they should last quite a while. I'm still on the same leaders I started with this spring, except for the wire one that got all bent up. |
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Posts: 582
| been using Seaguar flouro leaders this year. Used to only use single strand wire because it was cheaper and #*^@ reliable from Rollie and helens. HOWEVER, everytime i caught a fish, it would destroy the single strand leaders. This year switched to mono, caught 5+ fish, still using the same leader so in a sense its cheaper in the long run.
Don't use the junk leaders. They only lend to disappointment. You make a 1000 casts to catch a fish why would you want your leader to fail. |
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Location: MN | I have used Stealth leaders and like them. However, Thorne Bros. has a new in-shop flouro leader with the best swivels i have used and cross lock snaps. The #130 is $4.95 each... which I don't think is that bad for $$ price. |
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Location: Twin Cities | Mak51 - 9/17/2009 11:10 PM
I have used Stealth leaders and like them. However, Thorne Bros. has a new in-shop flouro leader with the best swivels i have used and cross lock snaps. The #130 is $4.95 each... which I don't think is that bad for $$ price.
Yeah but have you used them yet? Still not sure how my fishing buddy slipped those in the wedding present....  |
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Posts: 38
Location: Twin Cities Metro | I use Stringease leaders made with SEAGUAR 100% fluorocarbon. I use the 130# and they are the only leader I trust just because they have never failed for me. They are somewhere around $7.99 a piece, well worth it for a leader you know won't break. I heard Stealth as very high quality leaders as well but I have never personally used them. |
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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | I bought two 200lb Stealth leaders for opening day this year and have been very impressed with them. Obviously they're strong and use good parts, but what I really like is how clean and compact the knots, loops and connections are. Its a very tough, heavy leader that completely disappears in the water and picks up next to no junk. |
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Posts: 375
| i'm certain that the stealths and others are great leaders but i've been making my own for 5 years now...easy and low cost. you can find all you need at cabelas. 110 foot roll of cabelas brand 174# single strand wire for $8.00 (i use this for every bait i throw). 50 spro 120# power swivels for $10.00. norman lures speed clips (greatest thing since apple pie...just squeeze to open...like having a split ring at the end of any bait) $4.00 per 5 of them in the musky size. works out to be about $1.00 per leader to make with a zero failure rate for me...once you get tired of straightening the wire from too many muskies on the same leader just re-use the clip and swivel with new wire in between!
Edited by STUSHSKY 9/18/2009 1:08 PM
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | I too like the stealth alot. I have been using the 80lb thorne bros for about a 2 months now on one rig. Have yet to have a problem with them. I just dont like that they are only crimped and not knotted at the connection points, JMO. |
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Posts: 909
| After reading the above posts, You should pretty much be convinced that Stealth Tackle is a very trusted name in the muskie industry. I suggest giving them a try and I'm about 99.9999% sure that you won't be disappointed! You can click on Johns link below and go fishing with total confidence! Its really a good feeling to know that when the fish of a lifetime comes along, you have the best leader made hooked to your lure to "seal the deal"!
Brian |
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Posts: 15
| Try Charlie.
http://shop.ebay.com/charlier2753/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg...
I have used his leaders exclusively for last three years. I use the 100# on lighter bucks and 130# on just about everything else.
SW |
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Posts: 91
| Musky Dick also makes some great fluorocarbon leaders with 100% fluoro and ball bearing swivels also available on eBay. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | I use Stealth pretty much exclusively. 130 pound fluorocarbon as well as the "night" leader. I've caught numerous fish on them, no failures whatsoever. They aren't cheap, but they are very good. Buy quality, cry once. Aaron at MTO can set you up with them and get them to you FAST. |
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Leaders