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Posts: 45
| What is everyone using for a leader when running WTD topwaters? I have been using standard 14" Stealth 130lb Fluoro leaders, they work fine for baits that are really light in the front like Jackpots but a lot of my others are submerging or have subpar action if there is even the slightest ripple on the water. A couple of newer ones I just picked up are not working very well, (two different Doc's and a Weagle). They practically come in underwater so I can't tell whether they're walking at all from the start of the cast.
Would I benefit at all by removing swivels/snaps? Shorter leader length? This rod setup is basically only used for WTD, suicks, or gliders so I could do something different for a leader. |
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Posts: 8
| I use a wire leader about 10 inches long with no swivels. Since I started using these I have no problem working my wtd top waters. I also use these for my jerks and glides as well. I feel like it makes the lures more responsive to my rod. |
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Posts: 8781
| Had this same issue with larger WTD's. I now use a short wire leader with a split ring instead of a snap and no swivel. Night and day. |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Would I benefit at all by removing swivels/snaps?
Yes, less front end weigh that will aid in not pulling the bait subsurface. The swivel is only needed for baits that roll over causing line twist, besides adding extra unneeded weight. As for snaps imho they are the weakest link in your setup and that's why I only use solid ring to split ring on my single strand leader setups. Also they may add to the action being symmetrical. All these items as a whole will aid in better action to side to side topwaters and jerks.
Shorter leader length?
Again less weight and allows the bait more side to side action when less leader is swinging side to side the other way.
One less note, if you work the lure with the rod in your dominate arm that too will increase that fish calling action.
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Posts: 45
| Thanks fellas. I think I'll try just cutting the swivel off one of my existing fluro leaders and tie directly to the loop, and replace the snap end with a single split ring and see if that helps!
To be clear I've never really had a problem with action in the sense of not getting enough side to side, the struggle is just with keeping the baits from submerging. |
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Posts: 1828
| I found a 9" titanium solid wire leader that works really well. I removed the stock snap and put a stay-lok on it and then took off the barrel swivel, so it doesn't weigh down topwaters much. This leader I use for WTD topwater, glides, etc. It's the best I've found for a Weagle, but I've only tried a few others.
As a bonus, it's extremely elastic. Somewhere around 10 fish on it this year and it's still straight as an arrow.
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