# Leaders and traces or none



## sam60 (Aug 30, 2005)

With a majority of fishermen now using braid or similar, how many of others use a leader or trace or tie straight the lure or hook? 
i dont use a leader with my fireline when throwing lures for trevally, salmon and flathead. This probably leads to using more fireline over a year than i should and I replace the fireline once or twice a year depending on the amount of fishing I have done. I know the benefits of using a leader but can never make my mind up what knot to join the mainline to the leader.
I don't use SP's a lot but use lures for a majority of my fishing and every now and again soak a bait. I would be interested in who uses a leader and their preferred knot. To make it a bit easier We will only use 10lb maximum mainline as a guide.


----------



## Breambo (Apr 19, 2006)

I have used leaders at times and at other times not. At the moment using an Alvey Im using a swivel so I always use a leader. My Penn 4500 Spinfisher has 14lb superline to a 30lb leader. I found a good knot for braid to mono, or mono to mono different sizes, Its called the Stren Knot and is as easy to tie as any. Start by joining the leader and main line by tying a uni in the leader. Then tie a 11 wrap improved clinch in the thinner diameter line, pulling them together. I dont know how to post a link but search Stren Knot.
The Stren Knot didnt help today when I got smoked by a suspected Mac tuna. I had 9lb onto 15lb leader trolling a lure. Got smoked a couple of hundred metres(no hope of stopping it) in no time flat untill I applied a bit to much pressure to the Alvey and the mainline broke. I have never seen the little Alvey spin so hard untill it was SMOKIN.


----------



## Breambo (Apr 19, 2006)

http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/saltw ... 07,00.html try this page.


----------



## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Sam60, Shane I always use a leader when not fishing mono as a mainline. I generally tie my own variation of an improved albright which is a total sh#t to tie and needs careful locking and testing before usage. It does give me a higher percentage of breaking strain when I successful pull it off than the more commonly used alternatives.

My variation works well with true braids and doesn't suffer from the difficulties mentioned above when tied these problems only occur when tying with fireline. Regardless though this is the knot I use with fireline due to its high percentage of breaking strain. Regardless of which one you use, tie at it at least 6 different times and test breaking strain on a set of spring scales before deciding to call it your new wind on knot. I generally fish my wind ons around the two metre mark so even when I get snotted in structure by a good fish, I only loose a couple of inches as my leader doesn't break at the wind on knot so I generally get a full session from one wind on knot even if I loose a couple of fish to structure.

Catch ya Scott


----------



## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

I also use the stren knot, because I can tie it with confidence on the water and it is strong enough. Very rare to break at the leader knot


----------



## PeterJ (Aug 29, 2005)

I usually have about two meters of mono on the end of the braid, i cant remember the knot i use ,i put a very tiny dab of super glue on it to lock it in also.


----------



## Mallard Duck (Jun 18, 2006)

A double uni knot with about 10 wraps in the braid end is quite a good knot for joining to the leader. Otherwise if i am only targeting Bream/Flatties etc then i sometimes use a water knot which is very easy to tie and surprisingly strong. For heavy work i tie a bimini twist with a double uni. Hope this helps.


----------



## troppo (Feb 1, 2006)

PeterJ said:


> I usually have about two meters of mono on the end of the braid, i cant remember the knot i use ,i put a very tiny dab of super glue on it to lock it in also.


I don't think I will try the superglue trick. Out in yak trying to tie the knot and glue it, I can just see myself getting stuck to everything  .


----------



## fishinswing (May 15, 2006)

I'm with Scott on this one, an Improved albright is an easy knot to tie for main line to leader and is strong enough for most fish. I usually fish with 4lb fireline and 10lb flurocarbon leader for my bass fishing, 4lb fireline and 6lb flurocarbon for bream and 10lb fireline and 10lb/20lb flurocarbon for my flathead outfit depending on how well the fish are biting.


----------



## PeterJ (Aug 29, 2005)

:roll: Troppo , thats before i go , the night before. I use the longer leader so that if i get busted there is plenty of length to use for a knot. 
I would not like tring to tie anything but mono out on the water in a yak.


----------

