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Posts: 114
Location: New London, Wisconsin | Last minute details that I've been thinking about. Which leaders should I be using for bucktails and twitching crankbaits? I've been using florocarbon made by Stringease. No problems at all but I was at a seminar by Bob M. who stated that floro leaders "breaksdown" with each fish caught. Never heard this before but it got me thinking.
Many on these boards mention Stealth leaders. Is this the way to go?
Also, what knot for attaching to the line? I've been using the polomar knot. Is there one better?
Thanks for the help,
Labs |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | there are differnt grades of fluoro, and also differnt brands. in brand testing a few years ago before i settled on using seaguar which i consider to be the best fluoro out there, i found other brands would frey and wear. i never had a break off or bite of but was not happy with how the other stuff held up compared to the seaguar. also the lower # test you go the higher your risk for problems will be, our steath 130# leaders have performed very well and in most all cases the fluoro will by far outlast the snap. a polomar knot is a good knot to use. inspect your leaders for nicks or cuts periodiclly and you should not have any issues. |
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Posts: 109
| Seaguar makes the best line for Fluoro leaders.
Bob M. has a leader sponsor (Opti Tackle) and is PAID to pimp there products which include titanium solid wire and 7 strand material. My guess is Bob has not used Fluoro much if at all since he is furnished the other products. When Opti tells Bob M. to use Fluoro (when they start making them) then he will be using it in the future when PAID to do so... so wait and see.
I personally like an unbiased opinion from people that USE Fluoro leaders and not paid to do so. Most of the people I know and fish with use the same 130# Fluoro leaders for jerk baits. Some use Solid wire but most I know have switched to Flouro for everything. I have not had ANY problems with my leaders... I make my own and if they get nicked or have any cuts in them I swap them out for a new one. If you need a good source over the internet then for sure use Stealth Leaders.
Edited by MoMuskieguy 5/11/2008 1:01 PM
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| I just started fishing the stealth leaders this year and I really like them. They are tied and crimped. As stated above they are made with Seaguar and it seams to be some very nice stuff.
Edited by muskydeceiver 5/11/2008 6:23 PM
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Posts: 20265
Location: oswego, il | Stealth Tackle is definitely the industry leader in flourocarbon leaders. Good stuff. I have been making my own flouro leaders for 8 years and have never had a failure. |
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Posts: 4266
| I've only used floro when I make leaders for trolling, otherwise I make my own wire leaders with 218#, .033 wire.
Knots? I use a uni-knot for just about everything. For muskies, I do something that I haven't seen anyone else do. I got the idea from watching a salt water show and listened to the guy on the show talk about the importance of building bulk in a good knot, so I started tying a uni-knot with a double line going through the eye of the leader. You wrap double lines around a double line and wind up cutting a loop and a tag end to finish it. But having double lines through the eye of a swivel or ring, and then wrapping double lines around the double main line, I don't think that you could get much stronger. I have never had one break or slip.
I don't know why, but floro makes me nervous when I think of sharp teeth hitting it.
Beaver |
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| Labs, there is absolutly no problem with fluoro. Momuskieguy makes some good points. No one is paying me to use their leaders and I can tell you, without bias, that I wouldn't use anything but fluoro. I've used it almost exclusively for four years without a single bite off. I still use wire when fishing certain gliders, but I rarely use gliders any more. Only use #130 or stronger and check you leader frequently. Don't hesitate to replace it if it looks worn or ratty or it's bit up. Some people have a cow when they don't get a full season out of a leader. That's crazy. Replacing a few leaders adds up to pennies compared with all the dollars spent on gas these days, not to mention rods, reels, boat maintenance, baits, etc., etc. That leader is a vital part of your gear. Between you and your lure are the rod, reel, line, and leader - the leader is on the business end. Spend money on good fluoro leaders and replace them as needed. |
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Posts: 335
Location: Pulaski, WI | I've got to agree with Bob M. if you use a palomar for flouro. The knot gets so tight it seems to make the material flow and weaken. I've never seen a saltwater guy use one. I do use a palomar with superlines.
-John |
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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | I gave the stuff a good, honest run starting about 3 years ago. I'm a long-time wire guy. We use Seaguar and Stren. Seaguar is the best, and certainly the better of the two, in my opinion. CRIMPS and KNOTS and SNAPS will likley blow apart before fluro will on a dead pull, trolling shock, snags, big fish etc. From what I've seen, connections with fluro are the only major weak spots...especially crimps. We have knotted material up to 90lb, but it's a pain. We're using knotted 65 and 45lb fluro right now on pike with small suspending minnowbaits and stuff, like Husky Jerks, but this stuff is easier to tie. There's no way I would trust crimps or knots of any kind with some techniques, fluro, wire or otherwise. Two off the top of my head are heaving baits in the 1 to 2 pound range when casting and wire trolling deep rocks with large crankbaits in the $40 to $100 range. Blown out too many crimps to use anything other than twisted solid wire. For everyday casting with normal baits and trolling with standard braids and standard-sized baits, fluro in 130# works fine. We crimp it hsing double-barelled crimps on both ends. With Suicks etc, I have noticed it will cut running depth a little more than wire does. Per/lb test, fluro is a whole lot thicker, but it sure does sink fast. Very dense material. I think a muskie's teeth are the least of your worries with these leaders. Connections, casting/trolling shock are the real issues. That I've seen, anyway. If you get solid crimps or knots into one, it sure will last. I have a 90 pounder that's got over 360 pike on it, from 30 to 48 inches. I still use a lot of stranded and solid wire muskie fishing, but fluro is always on a few outfits too now. One thing also, when it gets scuffed a lot, it does actually go an opaque, milky white and is more visable, but as if the fish care. |
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Posts: 109
| One thing I didnt mention in my post is what I have experienced and also what others have told me... Flouro verse wire when a fish rolls and wraps line... flouro tends to "cut" the fish LESS compared to wire. So, choose what you will, but for myself and most of my Muskie fishing buddies, Flourocarbon is the top choice. Safer for the fish, extremely strong and dependable. |
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| I generally use single strand for trolling leaders now but have used and continue to use, occasionally, fluoro leaders for trolling. I use 150# Seaguar Premier which has 130# diameter, in comparison to their 'regular' stuff; I do not crimp, I tie Perfection Loop knots and I've yet to have an issue. I am not afraid to troll big baits with them either; Franky Baits, Hoser Baits, Parrywinkles, etc., they don't come apart. I don't find this line difficult to tie but you definitely have to cinch it tight--once you do, I think you have much less chance of failure compared to a crimp with which I have experienced "slippage".
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Location: Northern Illinois | I have been using a three wrap uni on 80 lb floro without an issue for 3 years. I'll admit I have more pike on the stuff than muskies ( spring and fall trips to northern canada every year). I know for a fact my brother caught about 300 pike on ONE 80lb leader with sampo snaps. The thing looked like pure garbage but he continued to fish it just "to see" how long it would last. He kept it on his spoon rod ( single barbless hook) an enitire week. Never broke. But with that in mind, what is the best knot for 100-130 lb floro that can be tied by hand? Perfection loop, uni knot, lee's leader knot??? What do guys use or think?? I like the uni, but with heavier stuff it is tough, at least for me, to get the wraps to lay right every time. It usually takes me 2 -3 tries to get it right, and although it may not make a difference , it is hard for me to fish knowing the knot isnt perfect so i just keep retying until I get it......Suggestions??
Edited by Chibigboy 5/14/2008 9:54 AM
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Posts: 457
| Perfection loop is is the only terminal connection that I know of that retains 100% knot strength. |
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Posts: 101
| I've used floro for a few years now. My one complaint about it was it would last longer than the snaps. Over the winter I picked up some Stealth leaders, and really love the design. I like the fact there is a loop between the knot/crimp and the snap. Will make changing snaps a breeze later on this spring/summer. I don't get paid to say this either, and haven't used them all year yet but they are worth the extra money IMO just for that reason alone.
~Dawg |
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Posts: 294
| I'm a little green on this subject, but with Floro leaders do they perfrom the same from bait to bait? For instance you can buy seven strand wire for say jerkbaits, but people suggest single strand for bucktails. Is there any difference or can you just rig up each rod with a Floro and fish any bait? |
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Posts: 114
Location: New London, Wisconsin | My order went out to John a couple days ago for some new Stealth Leaders. Looking forward to using them next weekend.
Thanks again for wll the help.
Labs
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| Nail knots seem to look neater on the heavier floro's. I think that is what the Stealth's are. |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | that is correct, we use a nail knot on our stealth leaders. |
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