What # leader line on spinning rod

[bill.s]

I've gone to 15 # braid on my spinning rods to get away from the wind loops that straight FC gives you. Fishing upstate NY soon where there lots of Zebra mussels, even on the milfoil; so I don't feel confident with 6 or 8 #FC leader on the end of the braid. Does it really matter if you go up to 12 or 15# FC, which is supposed to be invisible ?????????

[DrewFlu33]

What technique? That makes a big difference. I fish 7 lb Sniper on a drop shot, no issues there even with big Mille Lacs smallmouth bulldogging me on the rock reefs. I do the same on Neko rig in clear water, but will step it up to 10 in stained water. Ned gets 7 lb. 12 or 16 lb for tubes and "jig worms" (long shanked mushroom style head paired with a larger worm like a Senko or 7" Power Worm ripped through vegetation). Zebra mussels are in basically every lake I fish, and I rarely experience break offs save for the pike bites. Keep an eye on your line, check the knot every once in a while, don't crank your drag down too tight, be patient when fighting fish, and you'll be just fine.

Particularly on something like a drop shot, that lighter line makes all the difference in the world in getting bites. Rather than it being because a fish can't see it, I think it's because it allows the bait to have a much more natural action. Heavier fluorocarbon is stiff, and that's going to make your bait act much differently. The invisibility aspect is overblown in my opinion.

Be sure to watch your line diameters between different brands as all pound test ratings are NOT equal, not even close. As an example, when I was learning to drop shot, I was using 8 lb Berkley 100% fluorocarbon because the stuff is crazy strong and I figured that 8 lb was the size to use. The problem was, I couldn't catch a cold on a drop shot. Turns out, the Berkley 100% 8 lb is the same diameter as Sunline and Seaguar 12 lb. It suddenly made a lot more sense as to why I couldn't get bit on it, and also explains why it's so crazy strong...

[Nick D]

I only use 8# AbrazX and have hooked some 10lb + sheep head on Lake Erie. In my personal opinion/experience 8-12lb FC holds up close to the exact same around zebra muscles. Now when you step up to the 15-20# class it's a different story, however you are no longer in the "finesse" realm anymore.

[OkobojiEagle]

I don't feel confident with 6 or 8 #FC leader... Does it really matter if you go up to 12 or 15# FC?

That's the beauty of using a leader, use whatever size leader line you feel confident in and change it often if you feel like it. Use an appropriate joining knot for the line size variations you may be using.

oe

[Walkabout7781]

Using a leader long enough that you'll wind it up onto the reel is maybe not a good thing, IF it gets curly and thereby reduces the feel of the bait. That's one reason my leaders are less than the length of the rod (5'-6' generally for DS).

[TableRock55]

Be sure to watch your line diameters between different brands as all pound test ratings are NOT equal, not even close. As an example, when I was learning to drop shot, I was using 8 lb Berkley 100% fluorocarbon because the stuff is crazy strong and I figured that 8 lb was the size to use. The problem was, I couldn't catch a cold on a drop shot. Turns out, the Berkley 100% 8 lb is the same diameter as Sunline and Seaguar 12 lb. It suddenly made a lot more sense as to why I couldn't get bit on it, and also explains why it's so crazy strong...

GREAT advice.

[Sbassin22]

I agree with DrewFlu all around. I live and upstate NY and spent last weekend pulling 3.5 smallies out of the grass in oneida with 8 pound seaguar invizx tied to 8lb power pro. If you start breaking off you can increase but I would start with no heavier than 8. My 2 cents.

[Jafaar]

My sniping rods all have 20lb braid on them and I use any wear from 8lb to 20lb leader depending on what I'm doing.

[Jafaar]

Particularly on something like a drop shot, that lighter line makes all the difference in the world in getting bites. Rather than it being because a fish can't see it, I think it's because it allows the bait to have a much more natural action. Heavier fluorocarbon is stiff, and that's going to make your bait act much differently. The invisibility aspect is overblown in my opinion.

I honestly get more bites with a stiff line on my drop shot. I've tried from 6lb to 20lb and my success rate is better on the 15lb to 20lb lines. I find with the stiffer line my hook stays the way I want it to and keeps my bait horizontal.

Maybe it has to do with the knot used to tie the hook on? I use the drop shot knot.

[DrewFlu33]

That's the beauty of using a leader, use whatever size leader line you feel confident in and change it often if you feel like it. Use an appropriate joining knot for the line size variations you may be using.

oe

This is a really, really good point. It ends up making your rod/reel combos a lot more versatile, and saves you a bunch of money at the same time. No more respooling an entire reel for fishing different conditions/lakes. A good example was a couple weeks back when I was fishing a two-day tournament that was held on two different lakes. Those two lakes couldn't have been much more different - the first one has 12-14 feet of visibility and a decent population of smallmouth to where you're fishing deep, while the second one has 8-18 inches of visibility and largemouth only. To get my Neko setup switched over that Saturday night, all I needed to do was cut off the 7 lb leader and tie on a 12 lb one. It would've sucked to have to toss an entire spool of line, or have two different rods set up for those two different situations.

I honestly get more bites with a stiff line on my drop shot. I've tried from 6lb to 20lb and my success rate is better on the 15lb to 20lb lines. I find with the stiffer line my hook stays the way I want it to and keeps my bait horizontal.

Maybe it has to do with the knot used to tie the hook on?

Possibility! I just use a Palomar with a long tag end to attach the weight. Your point is a good one - if you're having problems with your bait staying positioned correctly, I could definitely see that. Could also be the mood the fish are in, the places you fish (maybe they see a lot of drop shots on light line and this is just different?), the way you work the bait, or even your rod setup. My experience is that even going to 10 lb Sniper will make me get noticeably fewer bites. This type of stuff is what keeps fishing interesting. Even for the things that seem to be the most "absolute," there's no such thing as an absolute in fishing!



RE: Leader length, I always put a 10-15 foot leader on. The main reason is that it allows me to retie several times without having to tie on a new leader, but to a lesser extent it also avoids any issues with the leader knot and fish surging when you get them next to the boat. I'm not really concerned with it breaking, but more concerned with a freak situation where the knot catches on a guide just right and pops the fish off. I've also found that a longer leader can make it a bit easier to get a bait down in the wind, though that's sort of minor; the braid I use isn't large enough in diameter to want to sail on me unless it's really, really gassing.