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Freakin leaders, man

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  • Super User

Go with some good mono and forget the leaders...

  • Author
9 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Go with some good mono and forget the leaders...

Pretty much. Rigging up a leader while I’m sitting at my work table is one thing. Trying to re-tie when I’m on the water and the wind is blowing my kayak all over god’s creation and I have sweat pouring down my face is something entirely different. I’m super over it.

13 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

C-rigs get a pass...

I will 10000% of the time have a c-rig ready to go. It’s my go to lazy bait when I’m moving spots or just flat can’t get bit. Just toss it over the side and drift away.

  • Super User
3 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Go with some good mono and forget the leaders...

^^^^ This.

  • Global Moderator

Find a leader knot that works for you and they're not really that big of headache. The benefits of braid to leader on a spinning reel make it worthwhile. You'll never find a leader on any of my casting rods. 

  • Super User

^^^^this.

On a similar note make the Uni knot your terminal tackle knot and use it as the connection knot in your spinning gear

  • Super User
7 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Go with some good mono and forget the leaders...

?

  • Super User

My approach is one good leader knot and finish the leader working end with perfection loop or surgeon's loop.  

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from there, I can loop on rigs, micro swivel, 25-lb paper clip, or loop-to-loop a sacrificial leader piece for tying direct.  

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This salt UL leader was tied with 1" surgeon's loop, big enough for looping on a cigar cork

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A loop joint, btw, is always stronger than a single-bend knot, because the knot has point contact for abrasion. 

I love tying leaders! I use braid  to leaders 95% of the time. Everything but my bfs set ups. I’m just here to balance out the leader complaining.

  • Super User
5 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Find a leader knot that works for you and they're not really that big of headache. The benefits of braid to leader on a spinning reel make it worthwhile. You'll never find a leader on any of my casting rods. 

 

Yep :thumbsup:

  • Super User

I actually just started using braid to leader on a few spinning setups this year for Ned rig and small hair jigs and its been awesome. I usually just tie a long leader 12-15ft so I don't need to retire. I've been using a double uni knot and its been good to me. Haven't had one fail at the connection...every time I've snagged and broke off its been at the bait.

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I said (probably verbatim) what the OP meme says years ago after trying the braid/leader thing on spinning for a couple years. I found no real pros and plenty of cons 

Not having to replace your main line for 3 years is a negative?

  • Global Moderator
10 minutes ago, waymont said:

Not having to replace your main line for 3 years is a negative?

I’d put that more in the “no real pros” camp 

 

lets just say I stripped it off on purpose before 3 years 

 

i try to maximize time with hook in the water above all other things, therefore tying leaders is not something I want to do 

  • Super User

If one is using rods with guides smaller than about 6 mm and leaders about 15 pound test or higher the double uni can cause hangups on the guides.  I'm not sure about how big the Kreh knot gets.  I like the advantages of braid/leader so much that I deal with the knot issue and have found the Alberto, improved with a couple of tight overhand knots of the braid against the knot after setting it, works just fine with micro guides.  Easy to tie, reliable.

 

For what I do most of the time mono (and hybrid and FC) is too stretchy, feels like I have a rubber band in the system.

Suck it up buttercups…..

  • Super User
1 hour ago, MickD said:

I'm not sure about how big the Kreh knot gets.

I’ve never used any other leader knot, so I can’t compare it to others. I use it on a Fenwick HMX66M-FS-2 and a Procyon 661MXS (both with 20 lb braid and 6 lb mono leader) with no hang-up issues. 
 

I’d really like to hear from some others (especially those who frequently fish with leaders using the FG, Alberto, Uni-Uni and other knots) that have tried and/or used the LK knot and see how they feel they compare. As I’ve said, I’ve never used any other leader knot, and I haven’t caught any DD bass, but I’ve caught bass over 5 lbs without a hitch and have never broken a leader knot or had a failure. It’s so simple to tie I think many feel it’s bound to fail compared to more complex leader knots. 

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Find a leader knot that works for you and they're not really that big of headache. The benefits of braid to leader on a spinning reel make it worthwhile. You'll never find a leader on any of my casting rods. 

Yeah...even with my terrible eyesight, I need to do this on my 2 power spinners.  Currently they are only used for open hooks due to line stretch and blank flex.

  • Super User
3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I said (probably verbatim) what the OP meme says years ago after trying the braid/leader thing on spinning for a couple years. I found no real pros and plenty of cons 

funny, after fishing braid + leader 2 years inshore I came to the same conclusion in reverse - no cons and plenty of pros.  

 

It was enough to make me go the same route on baitcasters.  Hell, just getting rid of line memory.  

You do need to use good manual bail technique and eliminate backlash.  

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  • Author

The rest of the internet is going toe to toe arguing over anything and everything. Meanwhile the fine folks at bassresource.com are having calm, civil discourse over the pros and cons of using braid to flouro leaders. Ya gotta love it ?

  • Super User
1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

I’d really like to hear from some others (especially those who frequently fish with leaders using the FG, Alberto, Uni-Uni and other knots) that have tried and/or used the LK knot and see how they feel they compare.

 

The fact that so many different people swear by so many different leader knots, all claiming to have never had a break-off, tells me that if your drag is set properly, the leader knot (and leader knot strength) never really comes into play, and hence becomes personal preference. Whatever you tie best is fine. I personally go FG or Alberto, mostly FG because it has largely proven strongest in most all testing I’ve seen, and I am predominantly a back-reeler who runs into big misc fish, so I feel more confident with it.

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