Leader, Shot Line, and Float Rigging Question

[BERRRG]

Hey Guys, new to float fishing this season, and I have a question about rigging a float setup. I've read the Raven manual and have seen all the pictures of the different float / shot rig setups (standard, tapered, etc) but what I'm unsure of is this:

Say I'm using a pre-made shot line in between a leader and the mainline...

Should my float be on the shot line (below swivel), or on the mainline (above swivel)? I'm sure it's a matter of preference but what are your opinions?

What length of pre-made shot lines do you guys like to use? I figure a 4-6' pre-made shot line will cut down the time of placing shot on lines on the water quite a bit, and if I want to get deeper than 4-6', I can just place the float above the swivel between shotline and mainline and add shot to the mainline as well. Or, if I want to float pretty shallow, I can just attach the mainline right to the leader and place some shot right on the leader... What are your preferences with shotlines?

What lengths of leaders do you like to use in various conditions? I've made my leaders about 2-3' at home figuring I can cut them down to size on the water...

Just curious how others like to rig up there float setups, seems like there would be many methods.

Thanks!

 

[Davebourque]

It put float on the mainline so if I snag the shot line I don't loose my float

 

[cork]

^^ what SM said. Also I never use a shot line and very rarely do I put any shot on the leader. Can I ask why you use a shot line?

 

[jc53]

IMO
I use a a shot line some are pre made
Two swivels on either end usually @ 4 ft. Everything goes on the shot line, shot and float.
I usually use trilene xt 6 lb. Xt is extremely tough and I am not afraid of sliding the shot up or down the line. Haven not lost a float in a while.
Swivel.......float.....shots......swivel then my flouro line to hook.
Shot line are usually used with high VI's lines.
Also you can slide to adjust you depth of your presentation

 

[OCDComputing]

*IF* I run a shot line, I put it above the swivel....but honestly, I rarely run a shot line. Usually I just run my mainline to whatever bait I'm using at the time. I've had some pretty hefty Salmon on and have *rarely* broken off....maybe it's just luck....but usually if I break off (which happens from time to time)....it will be at the knot. LOL...I think that I'm just too dang lazy to set up a mainline, shotline, leader...but then....the river I fish is very shallow. Last fall I had what I would guess is about a 30lb Salmon break off when I had to lean into it...but it broke off at the hook....rest of the gear was saved.

 

[fishermandan420]

I put my float on my main and use a 8-12 lb shot line. I rarely fish less than drennan 6lb leaders so i neef 5he hefty shotline

 

[cork]

Yeah but the leader is always gonna break before the shot line so why use the shot line?...just asking.

 

[rich_ace_G]

There are pros & cons when using a shotline. You will have less line twist when using a shot line but when it breaks, you will have to re tie shotline & leader. saying the leader breaks before shotline or main is not entirely accurate. Remember that underwater....whatever is under the bobber can get scratched, mangled, tangled with any obstacle...main, shotline or leader. i use a long leader and put 2 shots in it. one right after the swivel and 1 in the middle of the leader. that is the weakest point in my line and that's where it usually breaks...snag or fish on the hook.

 

[Shmogley]

Yeah but the leader is always gonna break before the shot line so why use the shot line?...just asking.

Drennan. if you use some youll see why lol.

#pullinglogs

also shotlines are handy if you fish multiple locations and each one requires a different shot pattern/length. just swap them out. even easier if you keep leaders ready to go and just clip them onto the swivels. my buddy who does this always laughs at me when im sitting there for 5 minutes reriggin and he just snaps a few pieces together in seconds and is ready to go.
to each their own.

 

[cork]

Yeah you both make good points I'll be going out tuesday I'll give a shot line a try and let you know how it goes

 

[NADO]

I always run a shot line with a swivel above the float. The swivel above the float combats line twist and that is the only reason I put it there, you just have to be careful that you dont reel the swivel into the guides. On smaller water the shot line is 4-6' and on big water I go close to 9'. I always make the shot line longer than I need it because you can always make it shorter but you cant make it longer.

 

[BERRRG]

Wow I'm glad I asked this question so many good ideas here.

What I did today on the water was use a 4' shot line (also brought 6' for deeper water). To answer your question Cork, while there are many benefits to shotline listed above, I personally use a shot line to save time on the water. I'd rather spend a few hours at home rigging up my gear than spend 5 minutes here and there on the water rigging up a whole new set of shots on my mainline every time I need to re-rig. For instance, my smallest float (requiring the least shot to cock properly) is 4g. I know I'm never going to rig less than 4g on to my setup. So I may as well have 4g shot lines pre-made. If I need 4g, I tie on the shotline and leave as is. If I need 7g, I add 3g to my 4g shot line and this saves the time and hassle of awkwardly adding 7g of shot in various denominations in cold or windy conditions on the water.

IMO
I use a a shot line some are pre made
Two swivels on either end usually @ 4 ft. Everything goes on the shot line, shot and float.
I usually use trilene xt 6 lb. Xt is extremely tough and I am not afraid of sliding the shot up or down the line. Haven not lost a float in a while.
Swivel.......float.....shots......swivel then my flouro line to hook.
Shot line are usually used with high VI's lines.
Also you can slide to adjust you depth of your presentation

jc53, what do you tend to do when you have to fish deep water? If your float is on your shot line below the swivel to mainline, what would you do when you have to fish water requiring more depth than your shotline? I've run into this problem, and typically I will remove the float from the silicone tube, slide the tube up and over the swivel so it's now on the mainline, and reattach the float. Seems to me there's really no easy way to incorporate shot lines. And without them, there's really no quick way to re-rig or switch rigs.

Today I used the following setup:

Mainline (store spooled it up, think it's 10lb test)
-swivel-
Shotline which is 4g of shot in AAA and BB on 4-6' of 8lb test fluoro leader (could go mono too)
-swivel-
Leader which is 2-3' of 6lb test fluoro flyfishing tippet with no weight on


This way if the hook snags I only lose the leader which is the least painful to have to rig up on the water. If the shotline itself were to get snagged, I'd lose everything below the mainline swivel, but I know at which point on my system the line will snap. Lots of times I'll keep my float this way.

Thanks for the replies guys, keep them coming.

 

[Davebourque]

Having a swivel above the shot line has helped me save from a lot of twisting in my line and having to cut off yardage on my mainline. As far as the time it takes me to change up gear on the water, I don't really give a shit because I'm not at work.

 

[Kingchaser]

I use to rig just mainline with float to swivel and then to leader with Shot on it. But went fishing with a guide and he set me up main line 10# with float to swivel to shot line 6# ( he liked to use same size shot) to swivel to leader 3# with hook/ bait. I liked this idea so I'm keeping it this way. Might up the leader and I'm not sure I like his same size shot might taper. His shot lines were 2-3' and he pre rigged them at home and threw them on a walleye worm harness holder. Leaders were about the same in length. Float can be slide up the line to fish deeper pools.

 

[staffman]

I use slip floats on my main line with the following set up. First I put 2 rubber floats on my line, then a small bead ,then my slip float, then a split shot below the float to turn it into a fixed float, then my shot line ,then my leader. Most of my shot is on the shot line, but my biggest shot (size 3 ) are on my main line under my slip float. The size of my float determines how many size 3 shot I use. If I were using a fixed float I would always have a swivel above my float to eliminate twist. As long as your leader has a lower breaking strength you shouldn't loose too many floats.

 

[James5354]

never ran a shot line ever, just mainline with float then shots on it then swivel to leader.

 

[Knuguy]

, then a split shot below the float to turn it into a fixed float,

Maybe I misunderstood your post here, but why use a slip float and then turn it into a fixed float?

 

[Slickrick]

I pin my slip float with a shot as well, but I fish big water. I don't like my float sliding around it gets damaged, especially those cheap raven balsa floats.

 

[cork]

@knuguy makes it easier to readjust when you move to a deeper or shallower pool

 

[Knuguy]

but why not just use a regular float? what's the advantage of a slip float if you are going to pin it to the line?