Currently use 10 pound Sunline FC leader material, via Alberto to 10 pound Suffix 832 in high vis green. 6’10” MLXF St Croix LTB.

 

Recently I have been reevaluating my approach, Both in response to the late season clarity and increasing pressure on my local river. I am wondering if downsizing to 8 pound Invisx could potentially yield more bites? My only concern is the risk of break offs, is this significant or would the benefits greatly outweigh the positives? I should mention I also throw a tube and a fluke on this set up, so it would come at the cost of increased sink rate on fluke & potentially less forgiveness on cracking/hookset with tube.
 

What is your experience?

I've always run 6-8lb for Lake St Clair and Huron River smallies without issue, drag set at 2lb.  The Huron is very rocky in many spots so snags are to be expected, but St Clair is mostly weeds and break-offs come by way of freshwater barracuda.

I'm not a believer that there's enough difference visually between 8-10lb floro.  I'd stay 10lb if dealing with cover.  On Lake MI, which is pretty darn clear, I've gone to 14lb most of the spring to deal with the rock shelf/zebra mussel hazard I need to get the smallies over after I hook them.  You could try 10lb shooter like I am now, it's definitely more abrasion resistant compared to sniper.  I like the smaller diameter more for current issues, than sight issues.

 

scott

I usually go with 10lb for my neds and drop shots. I believe line size has more of an effect on the way a bait falls or behaves more than how easily a fish can see it. A fish's lateral line knows line is there whether it's 4 lb mono or 65 lb braid.

 

Prime example. A lot of the "super scopers" on the pro circuits have started going to shorter and heavier leaders for their minnows. When that trend first came out, everyone went lighter and lighter. Now they're throwing 14-17 lb leaders pretty commonly. 

I use 6lb. invisx for Ned, minnow shaking, drop shot ect.

I carry and fish 6-8-10 Sunline FC leader.  Normally I will have 6 lb on my lighter rod, 8 on the middle, and 10 on the heavier.  All with either 131 or 832 braid and alberto knot.  The cover dictates a little (any grass or pads and I fish 10, open water 6 or 8).  The lure dictates a little- small and light stuff gets the lighter option for the cover I'm in.  A 1/16 ned in open water goes on the 6lb rig.  A 1/18 oz ned around grass and pads gets 10.  Shaking a minnow in open water is either 6 or 8 most of the time but if I'm throwing a 1/4 oz plus 4" minnow that's going on the bigger rod regardless of the leader on it.

7# or 8# sniper used the most but anytime I'm around docks or brush with a wacky/Neko I use 9# shooter alot

8lb seaguar Abrazx, Alberto knot to 15 lb braid, 1 gram swing 2/0 hook.

ML rod, BFS

6 Tatsu

7 Sniper

5 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

I use 6lb. invisx for Ned, minnow shaking, drop shot ect.

X2

I’ve almost exclusively been a straight braid guy (Seaguar Smackdown). The pike population has seemed to explode over the past couple years. This year I added Seaguar Pounce leader material to the mix and have been extremely happy! Double uni knot is my go to knot.

 

https://seaguar.com/products/pounce™-bass-leader

8 lb from an old spool of Red Label.

 

But I really have no idea what the hell I’m doing most of the time.

 

So take that into account.  

Gold Label leader line is thinner per pound test than their fluro. Great option. That being said I am more and more using 20lb 832 in Camo. It is 6lb in diameter and I have not noticed a difference here in Texas.

I re spooled all the kids rigs with Seaguar’s Smackdown with 12# Ponce all tied with the Uni to Uni.
I personally have very little experience with leaders but down here 6, 8 and even 10 just didn’t have seem enough. 
It may be overkill but in thier case it’s more for me. 
 

As I wrote about it on a few other threads, 

abrasion and knot slippage just doesn’t happen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

20lb Sufix 832 to 16lb Sunline Sniper on my wacky rig/senko rod. Works great 

On my Ned setup I use KK Destron Braid 10# and KK Kovert FC leader 10#

On my Finesse/BFS I use KK6# Braid and KK 6# FC leader

 

I use #6/8/10, Blue Label/InvizX or Blue Label/Red Label or Blue Label

#8 X9

The leader depends on the situation and weight I'm throwing.  If I'm throwing a 1/32 ned head in somewhat open water, Im going to be using #6 Blue Label.

If Im using 1/16 or fishing close to cover Ill bump up to #8 BL.  If Im in my small boat, yak or friends boat and only have 1 ML, I use #8 InvizX because I might be changing baits often or using a DS and that chews through leader material really fast.

Light Shakey heads or jig worms usually get #10 BL if there are pickeral around if not than #8 BL or #10 Red Label will work.

I would suggest giving #8 a try.  Its not so much for the visibility, but the action of the bait.  Thinner FC helps keep the bait down and doesn't effect the action like larger dia line.

Ive never fished Sunline leader material, but I know if it was Blue Label or Premier, you wont have any problems with 8lb breaking on a ML, especially one as tippy as SCs newer 6'10 ML XFs, as long as the knots hold anyway.

10lb Seaguar Gold Label or Grand Max. Both are great. No issues with either of them. 

12 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

I use #6/8/10, Blue Label/InvizX or Blue Label/Red Label or Blue Label

#8 X9

The leader depends on the situation and weight I'm throwing.  If I'm throwing a 1/32 ned head in somewhat open water, Im going to be using #6 Blue Label.

If Im using 1/16 or fishing close to cover Ill bump up to #8 BL.  If Im in my small boat, yak or friends boat and only have 1 ML, I use #8 InvizX because I might be changing baits often or using a DS and that chews through leader material really fast.

Light Shakey heads or jig worms usually get #10 BL if there are pickeral around if not than #8 BL or #10 Red Label will work.

I would suggest giving #8 a try.  Its not so much for the visibility, but the action of the bait.  Thinner FC helps keep the bait down and doesn't effect the action like larger dia line.

Ive never fished Sunline leader material, but I know if it was Blue Label or Premier, you wont have any problems with 8lb breaking on a ML, especially one as tippy as SCs newer 6'10 ML XFs, as long as the knots hold anyway.

How about 8 lb Invisx

I use 6-8lb line depending on brand. Lately my leader line has been 7lb Daiwa J-Fluro Samurai for pretty much all of my bass spinning applications. Some may be better with 6 and others with 8 but I’m just trying to keep it simple.

 

I’m usually not throwing in vegetation so it’s adequate for my needs.

I mostly use Seaguar Blue Label and STS (very similar to Pounce but cheaper). For <15lb lines, Blue Label has a smaller diameter than STS, but STS is more abrasion resistant. Gold Label is superb in every aspect, but so is its price. 

I shop the sales for my flouro leader.  i have been using Daiwa stuff lately.  no issues.  

Premium FC fly tippets, Hitena and Cortland,  12.9-15 pound test.  When I've tried lighter pound tests I've found them just too fragile when handling fish at the boat.  I don't think there is a significant difference between the visibility of the lighter stuff and 12-15

Just spooled up my bfs reel the other night. Varivas bait finesse x4 .5# PE (9lb equivalent) to 6lb seaguar red label (all I had handy). 

9 hours ago, ohioguy25 said:

How about 8 lb Invisx

8lb invizX fished like 10lb Blue label, except its not a dense and its more prone to bite offs.  Most of the time Im using for winter DSing or fishing under bridges.  A lot of time fish will run against a piling for cover and chip the line to where I have to cut off 6 or 7' of leader.  As good as Blue label or Premier is, rubbing against concrete will compromise it in lower lb tests.  Its not even about the money as much as it is how fast I go through the spool.