how long's your leader?

[one more minute]

Or more specifically, does anyone use a shock leader? This year I plan to progress from a bait chucker to a full blown surfcaster and am wondering how to set up my new spheros reel and power pro coming from UPS any day now. It seems like having a 15' shock leader would protect my finger and provide abrasion resistance. However, the knot (braid to leader) would probably have to be pretty low profile to go through the guides without getting hung up. Also, if I wanted to use a swivel near the lure (which is something that sounds key for preventing braid twist), that would add some more knots and potential weak points. Is a shock leader something just used by anglers throwing heavy weights - it doesn't sound like many of you use one? Thanks!

[Christian]

i usually use about a 4-6ft piece of mono tied direct to the braid as my leader for surfcasting. usually the knot does not go through the guides when casting.
longer leaders are nice, i just hate having the knots ripping through guides cast after cast.

15 ft leader sounds like youll be missing chunks of your index finger.

[WadingWill]

I don't use a shock leader, but I make my leaders long enough to land a fish comfortably by myself. You can tape your fingers to stop them from cutting up thats what I do.

[spence]

My long leaders are about arms width and my regular leaders are about as long as the front of my desk

I don't think there's any reason to use a shocker unless you're doing some crazy stuff...Do what feels right, and if you start breaking off think of other options.

-spence

[Green Light]

10 ft 50 lb Ande clear mono

[one more minute]

So there's one person that uses a shock leader. I'll just have to see how it casts with my rig I guess.

[Gunpowder]

I always use a leader of about 50lb. mono when I am using braid just so when I go to grab the line with a huge fish on the end of it , I don't cut my hand in two by grabbing the braid if the fish makes one last run.

[thortum]

I remember reading that you should [rule of thumb] use 10lbs of test for ever once that your casting. So 3oz. [plug-bait-etc.] would require 30lb. test line, or a shock leader if your are using a lighter main line.

[2na]

Do you need this? I think it will depend on your application, how you fish. If you are going to be throwing lighter lures, say under 2 oz, and not for distance, a shock is probably not necessary. But if you are going to try to get distance on your cast the shock will save you some lost lures. I usually cast tins and pencil poppers up to 3-1/2 oz, so I use a shock leader to minimize my snapoffs on liftoff.

On my spinning reels I use 15 lb PP running line with a 40 lb PP shock tied with a uni to uni with a drop of superglue (to cover sins). The shock has to be long enough to wrap 3-4 times around the spool up through the guides back down to the to the bottom guide, then a 80# Spro swivel with a Trilene knot, and on the other side 40 lb fluoro leader with a Crawford knot (I think I'm the only one who uses this knot - use what you like). The uni-uni knot flies right through the guides, never had a problem. Once you get comfortable with the setup, shorten/lengthen the length of the shock (in my case the 40 lb PP) to the swivel to suit your own taste, but you have to have at least the 3-4 wraps around the spool (more is excessive, less is ineffective).

[1dozenraw]

Shock leader... conventional... if I'm throwing heavier stuff. Not usually for 2-3oz plugs.

3-4' leader (not past the tip) ... spinning.

I use 40-50lb mono on both. I never use a long (through the guides to the reel) leader for spinning, partly because I'm throwing 2-4 oz plugs and don't need it.

If I'm using conventional I may use one depending on what (how heavy a load) I'm throwing.

I just don't like the knot going through the guides on a spinning rig because of the way the load on the guides is compared to a conventional.

My knot for joining the mono leader to braid is either an overhand to uni or uni to uni.

[t.orlando]

No more shock leaders for me. Usually start with a 4ft leader, then keep cutting back as needed to about 2, then change.

[Clogston29]

3' - 5' depending on where I'm fishing and with what rod. Usually only use 5' when I know I'll need it for "handlining" fish around obstructions and guiding them to my landing spot in the rocks. I'll go down to 3' if I'm deep wading to make casting easier. 4' is most common. All my leaders are tied to a swivle, no shock leaders.

[Rockport24]

I usually go 3-4 feet tied to a swival.

[cow tamer]

I had trouble with a 9' spinning rod, going more than 34", as I'd have a tendancy to real the swivel up through the rod tip at night.

[Kierran]

Between 3 - 5 ft. of 45-60# fluoro w/ a Spro barrel & 80#Breakaway.

[chris L]

down to my belt when its wet .

[Stewie]

I start out with about 10-11 feet of heavy mono, enough to leave me three feet of hang when the mono to braid knot is just outside of my conventional reel. I like the extra length to help avoid rock cutoffs, but mostly because it makes it easier to handle the line when retrieving and releasing fish from the rockpiles.

I have seen knots cause problems with the guides on spinning rods, but never on conventional gear.

[Goose]

only on conv, rod and 1/2 length. 40# 0r 50#

[R.J. Amoroso]

I use 50# big game about 3ft long to a swivel

[Green Light]

Some additional semi-random thoughts...

I my humble opinion, the length and weight of your leader depends on the type of fishing and tackle you are using.

I my case, I have two setups. One for plugging and one for bait fishing.
For bait: 10 ft 50 lb Ande clear mono with a uni-uni to 40 lb Power Pro
For plugging: 5 ft 50 lb Ande clear mono with a Spro 130 lb swivel to 40 lb Power Pro. These two set up work "ok"....but, I am always adjusting my tackle and presentations.

If you are like slinging some serious meat and lead with an 11 ft or 12 ft HD rod (e.g. Fish Finder rig with a whole bunker head and 8 oz 3-sided pyramid sinker), then you may want a 60 lb MONO shocker leader.

If memory serves, in Ron A.'s long distance casting video, he recommend a shocker leader long enough to wrap around the spool 3 times.

There was also some "rule of thumb" about adding leader 20 lbs heavier than you main line. e.g., if you a fishing 20 lb mono, then a 40 leader is recommend.
I think this "rule of thumb" breaks down with braided lines.

I have seen some fisherman use fluro-carbon shocker leaders. I think fluro-carbon is a good abrasive resistant leader material (refractive index aside), but I do not think its a good "shocker" leader material. The reason being that fluro-carbon, unlike mono-filament, does not have much stretch or give; hence, no "shock absorption". If you are slinging plugs, then do you really need shock absorption? If you are negotiating with a cow on light tackle, then a good shocker will really help landing her.

In short, the length and weight of a shocker leader, "depends".

My $0.02.

[Nebe]

I do 12 or 15 feet of 50 lb mono... it makes a huge difference when your fishing braid.