Leader recommendation?

[Backlasher]

Since you're posting discussions about tackle and equipment, I have a question. There is always a lot of discussion on the other boards about leader, and there's always a wide range of opinions given. Fluoro or wire? Snap or split ring? What strength of fluoro should be used and what know? Crimps? Brand? It seems like leaders and their construction is scritinized as much or more than any other piece of tackle. I thought I'd check here for anyone who feels like sharing their two cents.

[muskydanno1]

Hi,

Im sure Paul will weigh in here but since you asked for anyones opinion i am a big fan of stealth fluoro leaders myself.I believe they are coming in 130 and/or 150 pound tests. Have used alot of different types and for me these are the best premade leader out there. They are crimped,knotted and glued i believe giving you a bit of added confidence that they wont fail. Have caught multiple fish on a single leader with no problem. Just need to keep an eye out for any good sized nicks that could turn into a major problem later on.
They also make a three foot long trolling leader that works well.
I have gone away from the straight wire and the sevenstrand leaders even on most of my jerkbaits. Its mostly a perception thing with me and i think the fluoro leader just might give a guy an edge in clear water situations...but thats just me.You go with what you have confidence in. I know alot of guys that continue to use sevenstrand and straight wire leaders with plenty of success but i got tired of kinking with wire myself. Probably the only wire leader i use anymore is for spring trips down to Illinois casting rattlebaits. In that instance i will twist my own 6 inch long straight wire leader and split ring it to the bait rather than snap it .I believe its Mason that makes the wire in varying diameters and they make crimps also. The bulky snap seems to hinder the action a bit on a bait that small thats why i split ring plus there is the added assurance knowing that the split ring SHOULDNT open up like the snap could.(operative word being SHOULDNT)
For the guy that wants to make his own fluoro leaders or wire for that matter Thornes and places like Lure parts online offer the components necessary to do this. Seaguar makes great fluoro leader material and im sure there are others. Crimping becomes a fine tuned art when doing your own though as not doing it right can result in disapointment in a hurry with pull outs or cut offs depending on if the crimp is too loose or so tight you are cutting into the leader material. Also spend the money on the Stay loc snaps. Little bit of insurance there also.
I stick with the premade ones because of the time factor and i trust the Stealth ones. They are not cheap so that could be a good reason to make your own if cost is a factor.
Hope this helps you out.
Dan

[Paul Schlagel]

I agree with pretty much everything Dan had to say.

I used fluoro almost exclusively for the past five or six years, the only exception being certain walk-the-dog topwaters and glider jerkbaits that run better on solid wire. Fluoro is clear and supple compared to wire, and it gives me confidence. Fluoro is easy to inspect for damage, unlike wire which can become fatigued without any visible evidence of weakness.

After last season, I'm done with fluoro leaders that are fastened with a crimp only. Last year I had a crimp break on a backlash and the lure went sailing. The leader was almost new and was undamaged. Also, several years ago I had a crimp slip and the loop opened up; that one happened on a backlash too. I've gone through about a ton of those leaders in the past 5-7 years (I'm not sure how long I was using that leader, but it's been quite awhile), so a couple failures spread out over a zillion hours of fishing might not be too big of a deal to most people, but it is to me. With such a low failure rate, a regular weekend fisherman would go a decade or more without a failure. I'm not about to bash anyone's product, so I'll skip the brand. But, I'm done with crimps wherever it's the sole method to secure the loop.

The leaders I was using were made with Seaguar and I've bought 50 yd. spools of Seaguar and made them myself, too. Seaguar is a well-respected "premium" fluoro. There are many other brands out there and some might be just as good, I don't know. I'll stick with Seaguar.

I use #5 Stay-loc snaps and replace them often. Split rings just don't work for me in a guiding situation. When guests and I are changing lures I want it to be as quick, simple, and hassle-free as possible for the folks I'm fishing with. Some people are worred about snaps. I've never had a Stay-Loc open up (assuming it was properly fastened) and I've never seen one break either. Ever. I do buy 25-pack replacement snaps and replace the snaps often, probably more often than needed, but it's cheap and gives me peace of mind.

I'll be using Stealth this year. I've used a bunch that past couple years and can say that they're the best leader made. As Dan mentioned, they're tied and glued and crimped. The extra manufacturing steps mean they cost a couple bucks more than other leaders. Though they're more expensive, the added cost is a pittance compared to wads of loot we're already spending for rods, reels, lures, boat, gas, launch fees, etc. When you look at all that money, an extra buck or two is nothing. I'll stick with 130# and 150#, and use some 200# in the fall when throwing Pounders. I firmly believe that it's a mistake to use anything lighter than 130#. I've never seen one break or personally seen a bite-off, but the fluoro leaders 100# and lighter make me really nervous. Even the smallest and lightest lures I use, like the 6" Slammer twitcher or the small Killer Eel, all run just fine on 130#. It's heavy enough to give me confidence, yet supple enough for even the smalles lures to run fine. Guests and I have caught alot (and I mean ALOT) of really big muskies that had the lure inhaled, with nothing sticking out of it's mouth but leader, without EVER having a bite-off with 130#

I'd wouldn't ever use sevenstrand wire for casting. Twice I've seen a sevenstrand leader break in half on a backlash. I've never seen one break while fighting a fish, thankfully. In each instance I believe the leader was old and should have already been retired sooner; they likely had a kink or fatigued spot that was weak and vulnerable. A long Sevenstrand is still good for trolling in areas where you know the leader will be running over rocks. The nylon coated wire is claimed to be easier on the fish if they get rolled up in the leader, and the nylon makes it easy to inspect for worn, damaged areas. That said, I use long fluoro leaders for trolling, either 130# or 200#, depending on the lure I'm running.

Above all, be sure to replace leaders and snaps often. This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. I see so many people using leaders that really should be thrown away. It blows me away some of the shitty leaders I see that are still being used. Leaders don't cost much and they're the most failure-prone connection between you and the fish. Regardless of the material and brand you choose for your leaders, don't be a tightwad - replace them often, more often than you think is needed.

[Sam]

I switched to Stealth last year and there good.

What kind of leader broke?

[AWH]

There's a reason that the only fluoro leader I offer at Musky Tackle Online is Stealth. First and foremost, they're the best fluoro leader on the market. But just as importantly, fluoro leaders can vary a lot from manufacturer to manufacturer. Your leader is one of the most critical parts of that link between you and the fish. Using high quality leaders is extremely important. Whether it's store bought or self made, use top quality components and don't skimp because it might save you a few cents or a dollar. I just don't think it's worth it when it comes to fluoro leaders, and it's the reason I don't sell any other brand but Stealth. There's no other leader that I have more confidence in.

Aaron

[Paul Schlagel]

I have one more bit of information to share that I picked up last weekend at the Milwaukee Muskie Expo. I stopped by the Stealth booth to pick up some leaders and had the opportunity to chat awhile with John Bette. He shared some information about changes that are taking place in the fluorocarbon industry. Changes are taking place similar to the changes that regular monofilament went through 10-20 years ago. The polymer chemists that create the raw material used to make the leader material are changing the formulation to optimize it's properties. According to John, the fluoro is getting stronger and the line is then of slightly smaller diameter to produce a similar pound-test. While maintaining a similar break-strength at a smaller diameter might sound like a good thing, reducing the diameter will lessen the abrasion resistance. So, a gain in one property probably comes at the cost of another. Abrasion resistance is the most important consideration in a leader application since it's abrasion resistance, not break-strength, that protects against the cutting and scraping action of a musky's teeth. For that reason, John recommends considering moving up on break strength. His reasoning makes sense - move up on strength to get a leader that's the same diameter that you're accostomed to, and the extra strength is a bonus. I was using 130#, but based on John's advice I'll be using 150# this season.