41 replies to this topic

[fishing89]

Hello fellow trout people, once again I have a question lol

 

I have been using 6' to 5' leaders usually, raven fluro 5.6lb.  I do find however that at that length, its too long ...since a lot of rivers i fish are only 2-3 feet deep and I dont want to put the weights on the leader line as that will weaken it and ruin the very need for a fluro leader as the fish can spot the weights.

 

I guess it would greatly depend on the water clarity...but im thinking I'll start using MAX 4' leaders as I am really annoyed at how long mine are, especially when I have to adjust the float...since I prefer not to have it on the leader, but rather the main line to save $$$$

 

 

Thoughts??

[NADO]

When you say leader length are you referring to the length from your float to your hook? If you are just talking about the flurocarbon portion from your swivel to your hook 5-6' is wayyyy too long. My flurocarbon leaders range from 12"-24" depending on depth and flow, most common is 18".

 

If you are wondering how deep the distance from your float to your hook should be in a 3' flow a 4' length is good. You need to fiddle with it when you are on the water. If you are constantly hooking bottom then shorten it up a bit. If you are hitting bottom every 5 or 6 drifts in a shallow flow your leader is about the right length IMO.

 

You should also be able to find some deeper holding pools if most of the river is 2-3' deep.

[Hucho Hucho]

Main line. float ,under float splitshots, smal swivel 20-30cm leader

 

http://www.raventack...ng Patterns.pdf

[fishing89]

yes i was talking about from swivel to hook. I shortened it to about 4 feet now lmao, I guess i have a long way to go down to 18".

 

And thats a PERFECT link hucho ! thanks

 

I dont use a swivel though...i just tie mono to fluro directly....does that matter ?

[NADO]

What knot do you use for that? Uni to Uni or blood knot would work for that. If you tie good knots theres no issue but if not then swivel is the way to go, also helps with twists if you fish a worm.

[DILLIGAF?!]

18" - 24" fluoro leader. the longest i had was 3' but it kept snapping so I went back to 18" to 24".

[fishing89]

great info, thanks a lot guys. This will save me TONS of money on leader material. The darn raven 30m worth of leader is like $15...and the way I used it it would last me for like 10 leaders.

 

Another question...ive always wondered why, for example, the raven brand of leader is SUPER expensive compared to regular fluorocarbon. I see you can buy a huge spool of fluro for like $20 (probably last you a lifetime)...where as only 30meters of the raven leader brand is $15

[RiverRuns]

Apparently the small spools have fluoro with a more consistent diameter (we're talking thousandths of an inch) than the large spools, and therefore more expensive to manufacture...

Also, super-low, clear conditions may call for a 4-5 ft. leader (along with a tiny float and no shot), but most of the time 18-24 inches of leader is optimal.

[ChaseChrome]

Hey fishing...check out one of our great fishing product distributors' website...he has some good info on setting up your pin and float system...Fishheads

[apz245]

When you say leader length are you referring to the length from your float to your hook? If you are just talking about the flurocarbon portion from your swivel to your hook 5-6' is wayyyy too long. My flurocarbon leaders range from 12"-24" depending on depth and flow, most common is 18".

 

If you are wondering how deep the distance from your float to your hook should be in a 3' flow a 4' length is good. You need to fiddle with it when you are on the water. If you are constantly hooking bottom then shorten it up a bit. If you are hitting bottom every 5 or 6 drifts in a shallow flow your leader is about the right length IMO.

 

You should also be able to find some deeper holding pools if most of the river is 2-3' deep.

x2, this is how I do it also

[Porkpie]

great info, thanks a lot guys. This will save me TONS of money on leader material. The darn raven 30m worth of leader is like $15...and the way I used it it would last me for like 10 leaders.

Another question...ive always wondered why, for example, the raven brand of leader is SUPER expensive compared to regular fluorocarbon. I see you can buy a huge spool of fluro for like $20 (probably last you a lifetime)...where as only 30meters of the raven leader brand is $15

Can't answer the why for you, but I can tell you that I buy my leader in 200 yard spools. I buy bulk filler spools of seaguar and run it as leader. 6lb/8lb. Spool lasts me forever as I use it 18 inches at a time! No need for long leads, and no need for expensive 25 yard spools of leader material! Good luck!

[Float down]

I do the same thing as porkpie, buy my leader material in 200 yard lengths, 4, 6, 8 and 10 in seaguar. If your worried about fish being able to see your main (like I am) I run a secondary leader as a shot line, so I'll run 12 -24 inches of say six pound, and above that I'll run 9 or 10 feet of eight pound floro, which will hold my float and my shot, and still have enough strength that the only thing I usually loose is my first lead line or my hook when I get snagged or break a fish off.

Have you ever broke off your entire set up while running that 5.6 raven? I've always thought that stuff was bullet proof and usually much tougher then most, although thicker as most as well.

Yesterday my buddy went canoeing in a local river and picked me up like 50 floats out of a log jam, and I was wondering how so many people break there floats off. You should always be running a heavier main line then your leader.

[fishing89]

The raven stuff is pretty tough! I only broke off on some serious snags, and even then it broke off on the hook tie. I usually keep my float on the main line to avoid losing them, but like i said before that was annoying cuz i ran like 6feet of leader haha. My main line on the centrepin is a 10lb mono

[iJay]

Great info here. As people have said a heavier main line I go for about 8lbs main line and 6lbs floro 18"-24" with a swivel float and shots.

 

I have red that depending on flow and depth there and a couple different ways to rig your shots, varances in spacing, size and positioning on the line and leader.

 

Personally I have never put a shot on a leader, I put the swivel there more or less to make an easy re-tie and save a couple bucks from loosing float and all.

 

This is something that is unique to the river your are fishing.

[GoodenTight]

I run about 3 feet. I hold the spool in one hand and pull as wide as I can with my other hand. It amends to approx 3- 3.5 feet.

 

Secondly, shot up that leader son. this whole "shot will weaken my leader and I dont want it to snap" is a sack of $hit!!! I have never snapped off on a shot on my leader. Dont worry about that.

[NADO]

What's the point in running the extra 1-1.5 feet of leader if you are going to put shots on it? The shots are going to be visible so they might as well be on your mainline.

The shots will weaken the line, how much they weaken depends on how you put them on but they will always weaken the line to some degree.

[apz245]

I want to start doing my setup without any shots on the leader.. my only concern is.. this leaves a long leader with no shots, at least 12" without shots.. I'm worried my bait won't sink fast enough

[Float down]

I want to start doing my setup without any shots on the leader.. my only concern is.. this leaves a long leader with no shots, at least 12" without shots.. I'm worried my bait won't sink fast enough

A little bit of science comes to play here, almost no matter what your bait is going to have some degree of weight to it, keeping it lower then your shot, even when you're running a "floating" berkely worm, your hook will almost be enough to keep it below your swivel.

I believe the curent plays a factor in where your bait ends up as well, making it swirl and roll where ever mother nature decides it wants to put it.

Another key factor to consider is that fish almost always feed upwards, As long as your bait is infront of your shot (which it should be with a proper shot pattern) then you should have no problems. If you bulk your shot right above your swivel, your bait will almost always be infront (downstream) of the rest of your set up.

A lot of guys like to pretty much trickle the bottom, I like to keep my bait roughly 1 or 2 feet off bottom. And in really deep pools, I'll start close to the bottom and make my way up the water column, because sometimes the bastards hang out in the middle of the water column.

[buck]

I do the same thing as porkpie, buy my leader material in 200 yard lengths, 4, 6, 8 and 10 in seaguar. If your worried about fish being able to see your main (like I am) I run a secondary leader as a shot line, so I'll run 12 -24 inches of say six pound, and above that I'll run 9 or 10 feet of eight pound floro, which will hold my float and my shot, and still have enough strength that the only thing I usually loose is my first lead line or my hook when I get snagged or break a fish off.

Have you ever broke off your entire set up while running that 5.6 raven? I've always thought that stuff was bullet proof and usually much tougher then most, although thicker as most as well.

Yesterday my buddy went canoeing in a local river and picked me up like 50 floats out of a log jam, and I was wondering how so many people break there floats off. You should always be running a heavier main line then your leader.

 

.

[apz245]

A little bit of science comes to play here, almost no matter what your bait is going to have some degree of weight to it, keeping it lower then your shot, even when you're running a "floating" berkely worm, your hook will almost be enough to keep it below your swivel.

I believe the curent plays a factor in where your bait ends up as well, making it swirl and roll where ever mother nature decides it wants to put it.

Another key factor to consider is that fish almost always feed upwards, As long as your bait is infront of your shot (which it should be with a proper shot pattern) then you should have no problems. If you bulk your shot right above your swivel, your bait will almost always be infront (downstream) of the rest of your set up.

A lot of guys like to pretty much trickle the bottom, I like to keep my bait roughly 1 or 2 feet off bottom. And in really deep pools, I'll start close to the bottom and make my way up the water column, because sometimes the bastards hang out in the middle of the water column.

Thanks for the detailed answer! I guess its something I need to experiment with, I'll try what you said, bulking my shot right above my swivel, and tying on a 12-16'' leader, gonna experiment with this next time I go