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Posts: 519
Location: Bloomington, IL | I primarily cast, but as I posted on Slamr recent post "Questions?", I have set a goal this year to troll more, but really to learn how to troll better. (With that said, I know getting my hands on a copy of Muskie Mike's Troling Secrets is in order).
So one question I have is what lb. test and lengths of leaders are guys using out there for trolling with Fluoro leaders?
Edited by Nupe 1/30/2007 11:11 AM
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Posts: 723
| I have done well using an 18-24 inch 100lb climax material. I had a 49 T-bone a leader, only the fluro was crosswise in her mouth, as hard as I tried to pull it out as she was clamped down, it wouldn't break, I ended up prying her yap open and picking it out of her teeth.
Just make sure you watch your leaders for nicks. Most people have them fail on them because they don't retie one after it gets nicked up. Haven't had one fail me yet. |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I go with a 36-48" 80" floro leader. I haven't had one failure yet. I think it has to do with how the fish usually eat the bait trolling. But that being said, it's possible for them to get it in their yaps. I think that there are alot of guys using floro for trolling, and you don't hear many negatives about it. |
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Posts: 208
| 80lb Seagar 36" everywhere but LSC, I use 60lb Seagar on that clear water.
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Posts: 688
Location: Northern IL | After using the Seaguar 80lbs and paying $25 for 25 leaders (25yds/3') I decided to try 80lbs Big game mono, guess what 330 yards for under $10 bucks, I troll a lot with many 50"er caught, NO break offs!
Jerry Borst
Spoonplugger/Instructor |
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| I tried 80# Stren last season, on all my trolling rods except the ones I use with wire line. It held up fine. I use about sixty inches for both banging the bottom and open water. 130's a popular trolling weight, it makes sense too. I had equal luck with leaders I crimped as well as the ones I tied. The wire-split ring-lure connection on my wire rods takes a great deal of abuse, and I re-wrap it maybe once a fall, no issues, set it and forget it If fluro can hold up to that, it will hold up to anything. Rocks made mine milky white and opaque in spots, which made it more visible, but I don't worry about visibility at all any way. It's been plenty tough so far, and cheap. |
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Posts: 1270
| I run 100lb. Vanish at about 48" long. Like with all leaders buy the florocarbon or wire and make your own. Buy the best snaps and swivels and when thye get kinged or nicked just cut off the snaps and re use them. saves a lot of $$$ in the long run. |
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| Look up John Bette (Stealth Tackle) on this board....he makes the best leaders in the business. I have been using his leaders now for 5 years, and they are NICE!! |
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | I second Bette's trolling leaders. The best flouro out there and extremely tough. |
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Posts: 180
Location: Kinkaid Lake, IL | I picked up some Stealth trolling Leaders at the Chicgo Show and had a chance to run them last week. They held up to 13 grandmas, hookers, and 10"believers trolling at a good pace. I will be purchasing more real soon!!! |
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Posts: 40
Location: Canada, Eh! | I use 130lb, crimped. As Dacron+Dip can attest, they work great for picking anchors up off the bottom.  |
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| True story, he hit the rope on a 25# cast iron Navy anchor at about 4 mph on Plow and we used the big motor to reef on that leader for 40 minutes before we got the angle and deadlifted the anchor off the rocks. That was the third anchor in my boat within a 2 mile run of that spot in 5 years, and fluoro leaders got 2 of them. None of the three were released. Repainted and re-used, yes. |
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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | I picked up some "Stealth flourocarbon leaders" from Hulbert over the weekend in MN and after further examination these things really look bulletproof. I plan on getting some in 2-3 foot versions for trolling. |
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Posts: 921
Location: Apollo, PA | I have a ton of leaders, and do not need any flouro this year. There are several good ones on the market, but i believe Bette's are the best. Some guy show'd me one............. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I ran floro leaders in the 80-120lb range for my second year and really liked them. I'll admit that I used to be a floro naysayer, but was wrong. ToddM from this board makes all of my trolling leaders. Very nice stuff. |
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Posts: 194
| There's a guy in the Madison area who occasionally makes Floro Leaders for folks. He made me a couple @ around 36". He used 180# Floro for these babies. They're tougher then anything you can find on the market. I rarely troll. If said guy doesn't see this in a couple days and respond, PM me and I'll sell you mine for cost. He also made me some 12" leaders, Not for sale.  |
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| There's a guy in the Madison area who occasionally makes Floro Leaders for folks. He made me a couple @ around 36". He used 180# Floro for these babies.
brad's 180lb leaders are now available through John Bette's Stealth Tackle label. |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | hey guys i can and will make about any size leader to fit your trolling needs, you can either email me direct or get ahold of me thru hulberts site link. either way i can answer any of your questions or fill any of your needs. i am keeping my show special pricing going thru the show season which will end with the chicago extreme show. i am selling 36" 130# trolling leaders for 15.00 a pack (2 in a pack) i spent alot of time refining these leaders thru the years to make them the best i can possibly make them, with the help of guys like mike hulbert and donnie hunt who both have a reputation for big and lots of fish. they helped me put together a awesome fluoro line up that people can put faith in! simply put if they were not worthy these guys wouldnt risk using them!
thanks
john bette |
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Posts: 194
| Yup, Lambeau, them's the ones. Thought Brad might only be doin' those for Cap City. I'd recomend you go as strong as possible with Flouro. It should be just as invisible under the water, regardless of its thickness. |
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Posts: 519
Location: Bloomington, IL | Thanks for all the replies fellas. Definitley going to get my hands on some. I was at the Chicago show, time got away from me and forgot about checking out fluoro leaders at the show.
John,
Will you be at the Extreme Show in Chicago? I'm assuming yes since Mike will be. |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | yes nupe i will be at the chicago extreme show! see ya there!!! i will have 12" and 36" on hand if you are interested in a special length let me know ahead of time and ill make em up for ya and bring em!
thanks
Edited by muskihntr 2/2/2007 10:38 PM
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| I'd like to mention the use of Fluorocarbon leaders for Quick Strike Rigs, a freind of mine has used it for years, and has caught fish on it up to 46 inches with no bite offs, he used 130 Lb test, I'm thinking of trying it but thats something thats really got me second guessing. |
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Posts: 1529
| berkley gig game mono for st clair 5 fters. never broke off with hundreds of fish over 40 years. just check your leader after every fish. i love this game of overkill. a 50lb leader can handle 50 inch fish very easily trolled at 5mph. . most forget about that star thingy majig on the reel called a drag system. |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | fix, we have a fluoro/seven strand combination sucker harness (the hulcano harness) that is out, it had a 93% hook up ratio this past fall, we will have some of those at the milwaukee show at either mike hulberts booth or the lakeshore lure booth.
Edited by muskihntr 2/3/2007 9:16 AM
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Posts: 108
Location: Toronto, ON | 150# Seaguar Premier Fluoro, size 7 String-Ease snaps, size 6 or 7 Spro BB swivel, tied with perfection loop knots. I was using crimped leaders but had 3 of them slip--no lost fish, but the knot never slips! |
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| MuskyHunter,
I will have to check it out that sounds safer then straight Fluorocarbon for Quick Strikes. |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | stop by and see me at the lakeshore lures booth we will have one on display on a unharnessed suzie sucker courtesy of andy from shack attack! |
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Location: Munster, IN | booth number is 215
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