Leader for crankbaits???????????

[REW]

Over the years I have read and talked to folks who insist that they must use come kind of leader for their crankbaits.

In particular those folks who fish with braided or super line, seem to think that they must have a leader of mono, or florocarbon or some other line.

I am just curious as to why they think this.

Over the years, I have done lots of testing with and without a leader and have found virtually no difference in the number of hookups that I get with and without a leader.

Furthermore, if I use the right - softer rod, I have no problems with losing fish.

Yes, if I use a rod that is too stiff with line that doesn't stretch, there will be problems with lost fish. So the solution is simple go to longer and softer rods and the lost fish problem disappears.

I simply tie a cross lock snap on the end of the line, tie on the crankbaits and go fish.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

I would be particulary appreciative on any comments, where a person fishes with and without a leader in some specific condition and finds a big difference in the number of boated fish.

If you use a leader because your friends use a leader or because you have always used a leader - that is fine, but not germain to the discussion. I am interested in ANY situation where a person didn't catch fish with no leader, changed only the leader and then caught fish.

Take care
REW

[Dave Q]

Hi, WOW replying to "the" REW and first no dought ! I am honnered. I (we) tow a LOT of cranks ALL with fire line, (10 lbs) and use, as you, do just a cross lock snap. Unless we are after pike then a leader. BUT.... With deep (60 to 110 ft.) jigging of lake trout (up to 38lbs so far) you WILL be out fished 10 to 1 if you do not tie on on 2.5 ft. plus, section of MONO I use 17lbs test xt on the end of 10 or 14 lbs. fire line. We have tryed hard to make straight fire line, green or smoke, work with no nomo, but it's just a no brainer... go mono!!!. seem's funny because the fire line is of course WAY thinner????

[REW]

With the lakers and your comment on being outfished 10:1 -
Is it the fact that you get no bits with no mono, or the fact that you lose the fish after getting the bite.

At 80-110 feet, I can't imagine that the line is visable at all.
It has to be pretty dark down there.

So, I am thinking that the issue must be some stretch in the mono that makes the difference. Any thoughts?


Just out of curiosity, if you put a shock snubber 10 feet up the line and then continued for the last 10 feet with fireline, would you then have equal success?

Just wondering.

I do know that for all of my trout fishing last summer, by adding a shock snubber 10 feet up the line, I got my fish boated to near 100%. Before the shock snubber, I was losing about 30% of the fish due to throwing the hook.

Take care
REW

[FreeByrd]

REW,
95+% of my trolling on Lake Erie is with braided line. Up until a few years ago I used to use a 6 foot leader of either mono or pure florocarbon - with a round snap only attaching to the crankbait. I couldn't really think of a GOOD reason that I was doing this so I just stopped using the leaders and went to a round snap on the end of my braided line. Didn't notice any reduction in hookups or landed fish.

Steve

[j9f]

I added leaders last year. The only purpose they serve for me is to keep the weeds off my lure. I add a bead above a barrel swivel and it catches 75% of the crap that works it's way down your line on lake Erie. I even run them in front of my mini divers.

I haven't seen any difference trolling yet, but for jigging there can be a big difference. I fish clear water, but there's more to it than that I think. When vertical jigging over soft bottom I have noticed some superlines don't bend as easily to signal slack. The mono bends faster, and it makes a bit of a difference.As for colour, colored lines get bit less, mono or superline. Over deep humps, 20-40', superlines get bit less too. I don't really know why, but I think the no-stretch line telegraphs too much and perhaps doesn't make for as smooth a presentation at times. Get the most big bites just holding the jig still, most days, and maybe that's harder to do with no-stretch. I have actually had to force people to stop using their super line, pretty much against their will, but after a day they noticed they did better on mono too.

[Toolman]

I started using a floro leader when trolling braid a couple of years back. I guess it's a confidence thing. I've never broken off a fish due to this, so I guess I'm not reducing my catches. How many more fish that followed my bait and hit it because of the floro, I don't know. It's tough to compare one outing vs another and the methods used, let alone one year against another. As long as I'm not losing fish, I'll keep on doing what I'm doing.

On a related train of thought, there is definitely days when either straight mono or braid shines. Gotta' give 'em what they want!

Tim

[Otter]

I think I get an equal number of strikes trolling with 1). mono, 2). Power Pro with a fluorocarbon leader and 3). straight Power Pro. I feel I miss about 5-7% more fish with the straight Power Pro than the others, even with a soft tip rod - anotherwords, I just feel a tick or pull, but don't get a hook-up. However, the trade-off is that I lose fewer lures and lose fewer large fish with the straight Power Pro. I'm still continuing the test this year, so I'll have a better idea on this next fall. I tie direct with a rounded cross lock snap.

In my opinion REW, the length of mono between the fire line and the crank bait is to serve as a shock absorber. Something has to give, especially if the fisherman has a stout rod, so the length of mono will stretch when the fire line will not.

Good luck,

SL Parker

I will share an approach with you that I have. Eliminate links, each place you have a link you have another point of potential failure.

So, I guess I am saying I don't use a leader.

I also don't use a Johnnie Ray mount, don't use a RAM Mount (Actually I do have one), don't use a jackplate...

Anywhere possible, elimate potential failure points.