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Posts: 79
Location: South Dakota | AFter doing a little research on leaders, I see there is mention of using different styles of leaders for different types of baits.
This spring I hope to be casting spinnerbaits, glidebaits,topwaters and large soft plastics. Is there any one leader that will handle these applications or would you recommend a couple of different styles of leaders.
Thanks for your help.
Rob |
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Posts: 512
| Hey Rob,
I can only tell you what has worked for me.
In general, I use a good, single strande wire leader.
However, fluorocarbon leaders have gained some attention lately.
For fluorocarbon, I would recommend using it on lures where there is steady tension on the bait such as a crankbait or spinner-style bait. For vertical jigging and possibly even jerkbaits, this may not be the best choice albeit the former more prone to problems depending upon the location of the eyelet.
I had a fluorocarbon leader which I had been using for a while and besides a few nicks and scrapes, it held up quite nicely.
One day I was throwing a Fuzzy Duzzit which has the eyelet in the center of the bait and BANG!, I got bit off. Keep in mind, I am talking about the smaller Fuzzy as well as fishing for weedline pike.
I replaced the leader with another fluorocarbon leader and a trip or two later, the same thing happened.
It was at this point I realized the problem: the fish were t-boning the bait which meant that EVERY fish which hit the bait raked the leader thus leading to bite-offs.
The above would not happen on a bait where the leader is stretched in front of the bait. That said, hence why there can be concern with jerkbaits as there will be times when the leader and bait are almost side-by-side thus leaving the leader available for a large fish to rake if it t-bones the bait.
Hope this helps.
Interested to hear what others have to say 
Best,
Todd |
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| I haven't had any problems with using fluorocarbon for all lures, but I could see how there could definitely be problems with a Fuzzy Duzzit. If you use a very high pound strength fluoro there is not a lot of bend to it so it stays straighter. With wire, I just got tired of it developing kinks in it.
James |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I make my own out of 174 pound single strand wire. Use them on every bait I throw and see no problems. Some people tell you to use 7 strand wire on baits like bucktails. I guess I never have figured that one out - I don't see the solid wire dampening any vibration, and a bucktail is only moving straight through the water...
Florocarbon? Lots of guys are using it now. I'm sure if you stick to the heavy 120+ pound stuff you're fine as long as you check it often enough. I mainly fish stained water, where I don't think the wire makes a difference. If I fished clear water a lot I might consider florocarbon, but I would really be careful with it.
curleytail |
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| if they like to bite in the propwash, then i also tend to think the fluro dont make a difference,but i like to use fluro when i want to troll some lures less deeper |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | If you are getting bit off you are either using to light of line or cheap flourocarbon.
The minimum I would use is 130 pound Seaguar Flouro. I have a bunch of fish on Fuzzy Duzzits using 130 pound Steath Tackle leaders and NOTHING even close to a bite off.
Use proper pound test and quality leader material and you won't have issues.
I use 14 inch Stealth 130 pound leaders for everything except jackpots. Then I'll use 174 pound steel leaders. |
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Posts: 79
Location: South Dakota | guys, thanks for the replies so far.
Mike,
What is your reasoning for using the 174 lb wire on your jackpots? Are you using that for just jackpots or any type of topwater?
Thanks again,
Rob |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | The flouro is to heavy and to much "leader" for jackpots. The only thing I use 174 pound straight wire is jackpots, nothing else. All other lures get thrown on 130 pound Stealth Leaders. |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | With walk-the-dog style baits, or gliding jerkbaits, the single strand leader helps in that it acts like a hinge where the leader attaches to the bait.
I have decided to go back to single strand wire this year...I seem to go back and forth, fighting this fluoro -vs- wire for a few years now. I used fluoro all of last year on cranks, tails and dawgs, and for some reason...my hook-up rate took a huge plunge. The year before, I used wire and had almost all of the fish in the net. 3 years ago, I tried fluoro (130 lb) and had the same thing happen....lots of hits, but very few hooks. I'm fishing extremely clear water for the most part (down to about 13 - 16 feet depth clarity) and the bronze wire, I think doesn't make a difference. I'm done with fluoro for now, but will probably visit it again in the future...just not this coming year...
Steve |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | I use both wire and fluoro. I make my own wire leaders and use Stealth fluoro leaders. One of the things I like most about fluoro is that it's actually proving to be cheaper than wire leaders. Even though a single fluoro leader is more expensive, they last longer, sometimes a lot longer. Get a 3 pound pike that wants to wrap itself up on a brand new wire leader (which is a common occurence!) and your leader probably doesn't look so hot anymore. Have that happen with fluoro and all you have to do is check it for nicks, which there probably aren't any. Bulldawgs...ever have a "dawg ball"? They take their toll in a hurry on a wire leader!
Aaron
Edited by AWH 1/23/2008 6:59 PM
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