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Leader vs snag strategy: deliberate break-off or pull like crazy?

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I fish from shore a lot, and like to use braid with my spinning gear.

 

The problem is snags.  Retrieving the bait is often not an option, so it becomes a battle to see if it can be broken off or might possibly bend out.

 

Sometimes, I've had the braid break near the pulling point.  These days I rarely break off at a leader-to-braid knot, using the Alberto.

 

What is the better approach for this situation?:

 

1.Use a stronger leader and/or no leader to pull 'er till something gives, potentially breaking off midway up the line or sending a lure flying back.

 

2. Use the leader as a "fuse" to give in at the hook knot and leave the hook in the snag, rather than breaking off the line.  The downside is you don't have a lot of pull.

 

 

I'm leaning towards option 2.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Super User

The first thing I try and do is move down or around the bank and see if I can free it from a different angle.

 

Although I haven't tried this with braided line, if I get snagged I've had success by putting a glove on my hand then wrapping the line around the glove to get the line taught, then pull slightly. If the line stretches I wrap some more and pool slowly. More often than not I can pull the lure free that way.

  • Author
30 minutes ago, Koz said:

Although I haven't tried this with braided line, if I get snagged I've had success by putting a glove on my hand then wrapping the line around the glove to get the line taught, then pull slightly. If the line stretches I wrap some more and pool slowly. More often than not I can pull the lure free that way

I've tried that with braid and it can cut through a glove.  I've wrapped around branch pieces and had the line break at the branch and then slide into the water.  I felt bad and the waterfowl were not amused.

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