Using heavy mono line as a leader?

[hotsky]

I was at Walmart today and picked up a 140y spool of 40lb mono line, figured for $3 why not! I have 2 reels right now spooled with 20lb and 30lb braided line. I was looking for a fluorocarbon leading material in 20 or 30lb range, of course they didn't have any (I didn't really expect to find it there to be honest).

 

Anyways, I was thinking instead of running a mainline to the lure/bait which is what I've been doing, or using a metal leader (which I almost never do) if I used the 40lbs mono and connect them with a swivel. I was wondering would a 40lb clear mono line be less visible than 30lb braid? I'm sure a metal leader would stick out much more under water than a clear mono line. What do you guys think?

 

I'll be fishing for pike, bass, carp and occasional catfish.

[mercman]

Less visible...Yes.Mono over flouro? Depends on what TYPE of presentation/lure.Remember, braid floats, flouro sinks,mono floats.

For pike, i would go with flouro, for its abrasion resistance.I would also use it for bass, if you are using plastics or texas rigging, because it sinks.

Mono would be a good choice if you are using surface baits, because of its ability to float.

 

But Ya, it should work fine for ya

[Gregoire]

I would dispute the difference in abrasion difference between fluoro and mono. The bouyancy difference should help you determine what to use. I use mono leaders for musky and like them. I like how mono leaders cab make some baits more boyant. I have also used mono leaders for pike. There is an abrasion difference between leader material and mainline for both fluoro and mono.

[hotsky]

my main consern is visability, which i want to reduce.

[Gregoire]

I personally don't believe that visibility is a concern when pike fishing. For bass I would directly tie a 6-10# fluoro leader to my line. If you wanted to you could then attach that leader to a mono leader for pike fishing via swivel.

A mono leader will be less visible than a wire leader. I do not think there is any difference in visibility between fluoro and mono. If you really want to reduce visibility and believe that it will effect your fishing you should consider using fluoro as a mainline.

Edited August 5, 2012 by fishgreg

[Leecher]

my main consern is visability, which i want to reduce.

 

Why not just use mono as your main line if you're worried about visibility??? 10Lbs of any brand is all you need for what you're going to be fishing for.

 

I only use mono on all my spinning reels and it's strong enough for bass, trout, pike, channel cats etc... I tie directly to the lure now but you may want to use a fluro or metal leader for pike just in case

 

My 2 Cents

TJunkie

[Woodsman]

Another concern is that your leader should be slightly less strength than your your main line.

That way if you have a break off you'll most likely only lose your leader & lure not all your line.

[Pigeontroller]

40# mono or floro as a leader is too light for toothy critters, and too heavy for Bass...

[smally21]

don't let 3$ influence your decision, and don't overcomplicate things. 40lb mono is serious stuff, likely pretty stiff, visible, and unnecessary for the fishing you are doing.

[Rich Nelson]

Another concern is that your leader should be slightly less strength than your your main line.

That way if you have a break off you'll most likely only lose your leader & lure not all your line.

 

Not if you are fishin for the toothy critters as abrasion resistance is the main concern.

[Woodsman]

Not if you are fishin for the toothy critters as abrasion resistance is the main concern.

If that's the case run floro leader material or steel with a breaking strength a little lower than your main line.

[bigcreekdad]

I was using floro as a pike leader on a fly rod for a few years.....still getting bit off even when I went to 60lb test. Anything above this was just too hard to get a good tight knot. Most of the bite offs were on smaller fish ( sharper teeth?). In any case, I'm back to wire ....small test ...25 lbs or less.

 

It's the small pike that drove me away...losing too many streamers.

Edited August 6, 2012 by bigcreekdad

[DaveMc]

Tie 3 feet of 8# fluoro leader to the spool with the 20# braid. That will handle everything you listed minus pike.

 

For pike, use your 30# braid and pickup some 12" pre-tied fluoro leaders, 80#. You'll have to tie them on and cut them off after use if only using one rod for both setups.

 

Visibility is not an issue for pike. All you're worried about there is tooth resistance.

 

exactly, i use 20# PP and vary from 8# - 15# flouro leaders depending on presentation. for pike, 30# PP and check the line (after every fish) and retie when necessary. i always tie direct and have not lost a lure yet.

[NAW]

There has been many discusions on this forum about what type/weight of line to use as a leader. I would suggest using the seach function, and do some reading. There is some very very good infomation packed in to the search function on this forum. To me, it's like the google of fishing.

 

I use 50lb flouro. The cheap stuff you get a Basspro.

 

I make my own leaders with the little crimp connectors, also from bass pro. Never had one fail, but I've also never caught a pike bigger that about 32" yet on my home made leaders..

[smally21]

you are happy with the performance of the crimps NAW? it sounds like a good solution to those of us that have trouble tying knots due to stubby fingers, eyesight issues or tendonitis, arthritis issues.

 

if you used them with longer leaders would they spool OK? im really not familiar with them...

[mike rousseau]

i use either 20lb mono or flouro leaders for walleye and it works great... just enough to handle the odd pike or musky... and tough enough to last a while bumping zebra muscles... but not so stiff that it messes up lure action....

 

20lb berkly big game is my favorite...

[NAW]

you are happy with the performance of the crimps NAW? it sounds like a good solution to those of us that have trouble tying knots due to stubby fingers, eyesight issues or tendonitis, arthritis issues.

 

if you used them with longer leaders would they spool OK? im really not familiar with them...

 

My longest leader is about 18". The crimps work great, and it's very easy to make leaders using them. Far easier then trying to tie knots with heavy flouro leader material. I was having trouble getting the knots to sinch down tight. That's why I started using the crimps.

 

They are not ment for spooling on to a reel, atleast not with the crimps that I use. (link below)

 

http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angler-Mini-Double-Sleeves/product/8565/132069

[beaser]

I'm really watching this thread closely. Much has changed both in fishing and in my available budget since i fished in my youth. "In the day" the best I could own was a shakespeare bait casting rig and the cheapest line that was available.

 

 

Buying my new gear for me and my grandson has made me aware that I have a lot to to learn. One of the most basic questions is rigging.

 

 

 

I have been searching for a decent primer on rigging (my own term) lures ro the braided line. I had expected that I'd buy some mono and tie my own leaders and swivels. I then noticed that most of the lures didn't have a jump ring and then wondered if there was a prefferred method.

 

 

Both Mine and my grandsons rod is so much better than I had ever owned before. The rod (fenwick eagle) will pick up the vibrations of a fishfart and the 8# braided line has the diameter of sewing tread. It would be a sacrilege to tie a lure on with a steel leader.

 

 

 

I appologize if I have hijacked this thread but I had thought my interests would be well served tagging along.

[hotsky]

I also have a Fenwick Eagle GT and with braided line (no stretch) it is very sensitive. My new rod is a Abu Garcia Villain that I used today for the first time with the 40lb mono leader that I decided to try out. It worked fine but one thing I noticed is that the stretch of the leader really takes away the sensitivity big time.

[mercman]

I also have a Fenwick Eagle GT and with braided line (no stretch) it is very sensitive. My new rod is a Abu Garcia Villain that I used today for the first time with the 40lb mono leader that I decided to try out. It worked fine but one thing I noticed is that the stretch of the leader really takes away the sensitivity big time.

 

 

Then try no stretch Flouro

[BucktownAngler]

i dont like mono as a leader.

 

i find flouro stronger and more sensitive, and less visible under the water (to me at least lol)

 

i use seaguar, and i buy the leader material, not the fluoro line. Its more abrasion resistant

[hotsky]

I'll get some on my next trip to sail.

[Snidley]

If thew object is too save bite offs from small Pike I use 30# saltwater hard mono leader. I use the stuff from Ande since it's good as well as cheap. 30# is still a small enough diameter so as not to ruin the action of most lures used for Bass or Pike. It almost never gets bitten off but I would go much higher in line diameter/lb. test strength if Muskies or large pike were involved