# Fluorocarbon leader queries



## wongus (Feb 12, 2006)

Hi guys..

Firstly thanks to all the nice people that took time out to answer my recent query on soft plastics for snapper...

This thread is an extension to that post in a way.. I've really had a gutful of Vanish line as I lost another fish on Friday afternoon in similar fashion.. loop knot still had my knot attached but minus the lure.. just the broken circle below the knot... there have been suggestions to try other brands..

My questions are

1) How heavy to go on the trace for bay snapper.. I was thinking of going up to 12lb

2) How long should the leader be before joining the fireline.. I usually go about 2 to 3 metres

3) Do people tie direct to jighead or use a loop knot. I have been using loop knot.

4) Value for money brand.. don't necessarily want to go to the very best if it means lots of $$$$$ for the privelege. Will definitely not buy Vanish again though.

Thanks all....


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

wongus said:


> Hi guys..
> 
> Firstly thanks to all the nice people that took time out to answer my recent query on soft plastics for snapper...
> 
> ...


Hey Danny,

ive only fished for snapper on placcys a few times but heres what i do anyways,

1. 12-15lb fluro is generally enough, i think if you go any heavier you will have fewer hits, 
your always going to lose fish when fishing this light over those reefs but i guess thats part of the fun going light.

2. im like you mate, have been using trace around 6ft long as my fireline is yellow,

3. Ive always tied directly to the jighead when using placcys, snapper, flathead, bream whatever....

4. ive been using the seagur fluro leader (true japanese flurocarbon) its got a finer diameter than vanish and is a lot more resistant to abrassions.
You can pick it up at a few places but Nerang camping/fishing is about the cheapest, i think its about $8 for 25m of 15 lb, so its a bit more exy than a spool of vanish but a lot better in my oppinion. One other thing you will notice with the seagur is the stretch, its unbelievable when compared with the mono like vanish, so it really acts as a great shock absorber when using fireline,

im by no means an expert, just what ive found so far, 
next time ur down the GC grab a spool and see what you think


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Ben's on the money, except I dont use any thing heavier than 8 lbs when using plastics for bay snapper. You just need to have the reel's drag set right and allow the yak to get towed behind which takes a lot of pressure of your gear and tires the fish quickly.

I have Seaguar, Triumph, Sufix and F-1 Power (with a lot of Japanese writing) and I am liking the F-1 at the moment, but they are all pretty good and under $20 for 50 mtrs.

Just curious how do you set your drag? and is it nice and smooth? When fishing in the bay its OK to let the fish go for a run. If they go under a rock you can patiently tease them out. I find bay squire just head for open water, get tuckered out and then you just reel them in.
Never touch the spool, especially when a fish is running, sorry if that's obvious, Its a mistake I've made plenty of time before......patients is the key.


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## Hard_Yakkin (May 23, 2007)

I also use a japanese flourocarbon - never heavier than 10lb and about 3 to 6 feet in length should be enough in normal circumstances. If you're fishing this light you can take or leave the loop knot i reckon. I usually loop it at 10lb but anything lighter an ordinary blood knot works just as well...

cheers

Mick


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Danny
I am another Seaguar user mainly because of the 25m spools, [and ideal size spool just for traces] and use 8lb and 15lb and mine from Amart, about 2m of leader, and knot or clips to the lure


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## chrissy (Jul 7, 2007)

Seaguar all the way cheap and effective. Where i fish sometimes it doesnt matter what leader you use you're still goin to lose alot of fish. The maximum i go is 20lb,but when the waters clear i go 15lb.


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## colzinho (Aug 6, 2007)

wongus for the loop have you tried a uni knot? if you jsut make a loop the size you want and tie a Uni the loop holds until you get a fish on and tightens up. you can slip it back up after. I have never had that knot fail with mono or flouro.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Danny, I'm mostly using seaguar at the moment and using the perfection loop. Having no problem at all.

Seems a bit odd to me that the line has broken twice on you, even if it is vanish. Can you think of anything that you are doing that may be damaging the line?


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## chrissy (Jul 7, 2007)

The hook eye that your tying to might have a bur or sharp scratch on it.


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## pcsolutionman (Apr 9, 2007)

I have been using 12lb vanish without a problem, I use about 2M of it, I use a uni to uni for the leader knot and tie a blood knot directly to the jig. I have been loaded up big time and never had the fluro break before the main line

Lee


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## AdrianK (May 30, 2006)

wongus said:


> 1) How heavy to go on the trace for bay snapper.. I was thinking of going up to 12lb
> 
> 2) How long should the leader be before joining the fireline.. I usually go about 2 to 3 metres
> 
> ...


1. I agree withar-we-there-yet. I usually use 8lb, though yesterday I went up to 10lb. Fishing Southern Moreton Bay I've found fishing 12 or 15lb I rarely got busted off, while in the nasty areas, the 8lb gets me "reefed" probably 40% of decent hookups (using 8lb fireline and almost locked up drag), but I seem to hook 5X as many fish, so lots more fun.

If you were snipped off, this could be Tailor in the area?


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

I use vanish and haven't found it to be a problem in 18 months except not checking the leader properly after landing a fish, maybe an old spool?

Have just bought a spool of 8lb Drennan Flourocarbon to test out. Its a bit thicker than most so might help with abrasion of teeth  . Guess it's a bit of trial and error until you find something you are happy with


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

I've been using Seaguar for a couple of years and have had mostly good results with it. Tying knots in anything over 40lbs is a little bit difficult. You should probably crimp anything over 50lb. I mostly use a 1-2m leader with a Spectra main line (needed to cut through kelp). I think I'm going to experiment with some other brands next season.


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## justinp (Jul 9, 2007)

I know that this question is effectively ragarding snapper, however I thought id inform fellow fishos of my experience with fluro on bream, I regard bream on lures to be of a great challenge, ok we have all brained them when they are on the bight but this only seems to happen maybe a couple of days a year in summer, I started using nitlon 6pnd and 8 pnd and this seemed ok very strong and abrasion resistant, I recently changed to fulling mills 4pnd for most fishing, except tight structure, the fulling mills in alot dearer and more difficult to tie knots with but seems to produce more strikes, I recently fished with a mate for some really skittish bream on an outside marina wall he was fishing mills and I was using nitlon, he caught about 14 bream and I caught none, very frustrating so I changed to mills and seem to have been doing better, in regards to leader knot I use a double uni 6turns fluro and 8 turns braid, seems to work just fine, I also tie jighead of with a half blood knot, was using loop but I found that when you set the hook sometimes the leader would pull through the little gap in the eyelet of the jig, I realize that the loop gives the plastic better action but I have not spent all this money on chasing bream to loose one to a knot so Ive changed, by the way fulling mills is what 2006 australian open bream championship winners are using, so if its good enough for them then its good enough for me, cheers for now justin.


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