Flourocarbon leader questions?

[Spunt Drag]

I love fishin plastics and artificial wit braid but I noticed yesterday it was pretty visible in clearer water. I wanna buy some flouro leader material but need advice. What brand? Lb test? And how long of a leader for specks?

[Armand16]

I know you're askin about floro but don't rule 12 lb mono for plastics it's worth a try. As long as you set your drag right and retie every so often u can land anything.

[Spunt Drag]

Originally Posted by Armand16

I know you're askin about floro but don't rule 12 lb mono for plastics it's worth a try. As long as you set your drag right and retie every so often u can land anything.

I HATE re-tie'in. I've called it a day when they were bitin just because I didn't wanna re-tie. But thanks for the advice, if it comes down to it, I will try it.

[BROWN FIN]

Seaguar.

[MathGeek]

I was a dedicated Seaguar angler for many years, but I kept having unexplained break offs and I began to doubt whether it really lived up to its rating, especially with knots. Under my oversight, some students did scientific testing and found that Seaguar can be as low as 69% of its rated strength when using a recommended knot. Ande came in at 116% of its rated strength even when a knot is tied. See the report at: http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.5260.pdf

I've been buying Ande exclusively since the testing, but I still have a bunch of the other brands to use up. Seaguar catches fish, but I recommend buying about 50% higher rating than you think you need, because that is a realistic estimate at where the stuff really breaks.

[ElectricChicken]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

I was a dedicated Seaguar angler for many years, but I kept having unexplained break offs and I began to doubt whether it really lived up to its rating, especially with knots. Under my oversight, some students did scientific testing and found that Seaguar can be as low as 69% of its rated strength when using a recommended knot. Ande came in at 116% of its rated strength even when a knot is tied. See the report at: http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.5260.pdf

I've been buying Ande exclusively since the testing, but I still have a bunch of the other brands to use up. Seaguar catches fish, but I recommend buying about 50% higher rating than you think you need, because that is a realistic estimate at where the stuff really breaks.

That is a great report! Thanks.

[jchief]

I carry 20, 25 and 30 flouro and use each depending on what I feel I need. For plastics, the vast majority of the time, it is 20 lb Trilene. For plastic I use a swivel and about 18" leader that I shorten as needed.

[Armand16]

Originally Posted by Spunt Drag

I HATE re-tie'in. I've called it a day when they were bitin just because I didn't wanna re-tie. But thanks for the advice, if it comes down to it, I will try it.

I agree, it can be a pain but last trip when i was catchin em every cast my buddy couldn't buy a bite and he uses braid with a floro leader and I think it was due to the better action that mono gives the bait, so IMO it's worth the retie.

But u never know it could also be because he sucks

[Spunt Drag]

Originally Posted by Armand16

I agree, it can be a pain but last trip when i was catchin em every cast my buddy couldn't buy a bite and he uses braid with a floro leader and I think it was due to the better action that mono gives the bait, so IMO it's worth the retie.

But u never know it could also be because he sucks

Hahaha I've been that guy.

[eman]

How can mono give better action than braid ? just askin?

[Spunt Drag]

Originally Posted by eman

How can mono give better action than braid ? just askin?

I think he meant mono gives better action than flouro, tied as a leader.

[PaulMyers]

Originally Posted by Spunt Drag

Hahaha I've been that guy.

I am that guy! :o

[Armand16]

Originally Posted by Spunt Drag

I think he meant mono gives better action than flouro, tied as a leader.

Originally Posted by eman

How can mono give better action than braid ? just askin?

Yup not a fan of floro with plastics

[chasin'tail]

Just remember flouro requires different knots, flouro will cut into itself. And yes it is stiffer that mono. They do have some that are more limp.

[Spunt Drag]

I tied 20lb Berkeley fluoro and I don't like the feel of it, ima try some mono tomorrow

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by Spunt Drag

I tied 20lb Berkeley fluoro and I don't like the feel of it, ima try some mono tomorrow

I could see heavier leaders when the odds of a bull red are high and youdo't want to break off, but if trout are the only thing on the menu, I really prefer 15 lb fluorocarbon. I often use a 6' leader so the visibility of the braid is far away and the impact on the action is minimal.

[jpeff31787]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

I could see heavier leaders when the odds of a bull red are high and youdo't want to break off, but if trout are the only thing on the menu, I really prefer 15 lb fluorocarbon. I often use a 6' leader so the visibility of the braid is far away and the impact on the action is minimal.

how do you tie your leaders? I've tried and they've failed everytime. Is it because I usually only tie about a 2ft leader and the shock is causing it to fail? I used 12#flouro to 20#flouroleader and I think it was a uni to uni knot.

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by jpeff31787

how do you tie your leaders? I've tried and they've failed everytime. Is it because I usually only tie about a 2ft leader and the shock is causing it to fail? I used 12#flouro to 20#flouroleader and I think it was a uni to uni knot.

I tried uni to uni knots which work OK most of the time, but occasionally fail. I've gone to trying a snap on the braid (uni knot) and a swivel on the leader to connect to the snap. This works very well, although I replace leaders at least daily when fishing inshore in Louisiana. A six foot leader requires more care in both casting and landing, but it works so well that I put up with it.

I fish with bait almost exclusively, and I do not set the hook, so my leaders don't experience much shock. If a rod is in a rod holder, I set the drag really loose so if a big fish hits, he'll run and often swallow the bait rather than loading the pole and pulling out or loading the pole and breaking off. When fishing crab or 6-12" bait fish, I'll give the rod a 6 count before even picking it up. (Of course, I usually have a 60-80 lb leader when bottom fishing crab or big bait fish.)

If the rod is in my hand, I am more likely working structure, so I'll gently but rather quickly increase the pressure to keep the fish out of the structure, but without ever really making a jerking motion. I usually only have a 15-20 lb leader when fishing live shrimp relatively shallow (under a cork) in clear water. In this case, the leader is 18-24" long, but still tied to a swivel connected to the braid via the snap on the braid. Working birds or baitfish away from structure, I will gently apply pressure and reel the fish in without a hook set.

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by chasin'tail

Just remember flouro requires different knots, flouro will cut into itself. And yes it is stiffer that mono. They do have some that are more limp.

Usually the fluoro that is intended as main casting line is more limp, but the dedicated leader materials better withstand abrasion.

[Raymond]

Try heavy mono 20-25# and don't worry about floro.