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Scenario 1: It’s the epitome of elation; you’re fishing for that Muskie or Pike of a lifetime, a 46” Northern slashes onto your bait or a 52” Muskie engulfs your presentation. The bait is gone into that cavernous mouth… BUT, you have the appropriate connection to your lure. Success!
Scenario 2: It’s the epitome of frustration; you’re fishing Walleye, Smallmouth, or Largemouth. You’re running a bait behind straight 12lb fluorocarbon line, you feel a bite, you set the hook and… SWISH… your line rises to the surface and ever-so-slowly, floats in the air until you reel it in. You just lost that expensive “favourite” lure. Failure!
These two examples represent a couple of typical experiences with the ultimate in freshwater, razor-sharp teeth, and the ultimate in bait stealing scoundrels!
Throughout time, especially in our travels to northern Canada, we have come to learn a thing or two about dealing with the above situations. Yes, it is certainly not rocket science and yes, the solution is the addition of some kind of leader material. That said, not all leaders are created equal.
Here are some suggestions to keep in mind.
1 – Wire Leader:
The wire leader is by far the most commonly used way to combat predator fish cut-offs. Whether you are fishing for Muskie or Pike, or whether you are fishing for something else with the two Esox cousins present.
The wire leader has been around forever and they have come a long way.
The earliest wire leaders that we remember were the bright silver units from swivel, to leader, to a snap. Everything was (and they are still out there) a bright, metallic monstrosity. Yes, they will work in a pinch but we don’t like these and try to avoid them at all costs.
In the world of wire leaders, we much prefer a stranded, dark-coloured, wire leader. They are strong and their appearance is more pleasing to the eye (we think to the fish’s eye as well).
They come either pre-manufactured or you can make your own.
The normal number of strands (small wire wrapped together to make a single, larger diameter wire) is 7, however, the Muskie fraternity often uses up to 19 and 21 strands. The typical stranded wire leaders usually come in lengths of 6 – 18 inches for casting purposes and longer for trolling.
Make sure that there are quality, dark-coloured swivels and snaps on your stranded wire leaders.
The downfall to this option is kinking in the leader. Through the grinding and friction on a fighting Esox, it’s guaranteed you’ll go through a number of these!
Here’s an example of a well-constructed leader, the Z Leaders 7 strand, double crimped wire leader. Look for quality when purchasing, or use high standards when tying your own.
2 – Nylon Coated Leader:
These slick-looking leaders are usually the stranded wire leaders mentioned above, simply coated with nylon. There are a couple of reasons for this.
One is that they are slightly less susceptible to kinking (don’t be fooled though, they will kink as well) than straight uncoated wire.
Two is that some nylon-coated leaders, especially the lighter ones in and around the 15lb test range, can have all their connections done by melting the nylon, creating a glue-like bond. Be careful as to melt but not burn the nylon. Very handy, very stealthy.
A downfall to this type of leader is that they are a larger diameter than an equivalent, uncoated leader. Many anglers simply don’t care and go with the larger nylon.
AFW makes an array of leader making materials as well as fully manufactured leaders
3 – Titanium Leader:
Titanium and Tungsten have truly made a mark in the fishing industry. Tungsten for added weight without bulk, and titanium for strength and durability.
Titanium leaders have been around for quite some time, however, the price tag is much higher than the other types (although fluorocarbon is pricey too). The beauty of titanium leaders or leader material is that they simply keep their shape better than all others. Go ahead and try to kink a titanium leader. When you twist and turn one of these babies similarly to what a fish would do, they normally come out unscathed. It’s like magic.
As well, all the companies that manufacture and sell titanium leaders and titanium leader material claim that there is a certain amount of stretch (hard to believe since this stuff seems solid but very cool) and they’re corrosion-proof/resistant. It also has a stealthy finish to help invisibility underwater.
Taking things a step further, much like some nylon leaders, titanium leader material is tieable. No need for snaps, you simply tie it directly to the lure. And get this, no need for a swivel as you can tie this miraculous stuff directly to your line! Remember though, before you get all rambunctious and start tying away, any spinning lures like inline spinners for instance, need a swivel in order to prevent line twist.
We often make our own leaders out of this material with the snap and a swivel included. That way we get the “perfect” custom leader for our situation.
There are a few companies out there that sell tieable titanium leader material. From what we have experienced, they are all very good.
4 – Fluorocarbon Leader:
This one is the latest in leader material; heavy fluorocarbon line. Muskie anglers have really taken to this type of leader. At 100+ pound test, this looks gigantic when compared to let’s say a 30lb titanium leader. But remember, fluorocarbon’s claim to fame is its invisibility underwater.
As well, you must remember that Muskie fishing is normally far from finesse. If you are throwing a pound of undulating bright orange plastic, a visible vs invisible leader is probably not your biggest concern.
If you want to get serious as a Muskie angler (we often use fluoro on Pike and Stripers as well), then you better get a spool of this and start tying away!
5 – Heavy Braid:
If you really, really, really hate using heavy leaders, then you may want to opt for a heavy braided line tied directly to the lure. Although this is the weakest (easiest to cut) of this group, it certainly is tough in its own right.
It’s pretty obvious that you won’t see many trout anglers firing out spoons and spinners with 65-pound test braid, however, if you’re a bass or walleye nut, a heavyish braid could be your saving grace.
The key to straight heavy braid compared to all of the above, is a combination of relatively low visibility, having less hardware and a direct connection to the lure. With heavy braid, you certainly aren’t going to retrieve a bait with 100% invisibility, but you can bet your favourite 40-dollar Muskie lure that the braid tied directly to your lure will be less visible than a heavy wire leader with a snap and a swivel involved.
Be forewarned though, Pike and Muskie teeth are incredibly sharp… we mean almost razor-sharp. Be prepared for a couple of disappointing occurrences if you decide to run straight braid.
To us, this is the last resort.
Here’s Yo-Zuri’s Super Braid. This 80lb spool will handle most normal, heavy-duty fishing situations… but then, Esox teeth aren’t considered “normal”… be careful.
EXTRAS:
This is what we mean by a “bright” finish on a leader. They are every bit as effective at their intended job of protection from line to lure however we simply don’t like that shiny, silvery finish.
If you take on the task of tying your own leaders remember, do not use a snap/swivel combination (above left, linked together). What you need is a swivel attached to one end of the leader material and a snap to the other end. It’s the same concept as a snap/swivel, just in a longer package.
Here’s a scenario that anglers often miss. The Pike here was caught on a spinnerbait. If you’ll notice though (circle upper left), the leader has moved from its intended line tie position and slid up the wire to the blades. Now although this doesn’t matter after the fish is landed, it does matter both during the retrieve as well as when fighting a fish.
During a retrieve, it’s obvious that the leader will impair the proper function of the spinnerbait running correctly. Quite simply, it won’t work.
During a fight, imagine a fish like the Pike Ang is holding, was pulling against that misplaced leader. Not only would the spinnerbait arm bend and contort to completely wrong positions, it could either eventually break the arm or simply allow the fish to get off.
Make sure that if you are using a leader with a spinnerbait that you use a closed line-tie… it’s essential!
CONCLUSION
Well, there you have our top 5 leader types and tips, as well as suggestions to help you either land that fangy beast of a lifetime, or to save that super-expensive, oh so gorgeous, perfectly dialled in, tuned to a “T” crankbait that’s been catchin em’ right, left, and center!
Best of luck with your leaders.
7 Responses
Always good info. One thing I do to fix those other spinnerbaits is to close in the open bend with a little piece of shrink wrap for wiring. Wont take much weight to move it but if the snap stays in the right position it should stay there when it has a heavy pull. Could even use an o-ring or split ring if needed.
This information is very imformative and greatly apreciated thank you very much.
Cheers
Butch 1951.
great advise!!
“Reel” good ideas boys…But i haven’t caught one of those beauties for years
Sad in alberta
Thanks for the advice
good advise
As a retired First Class Journeyman, all position Welder with a ‘Red Seal’, I know one thing for certain, Titanium is the best material to use as a fishing leader.
Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, and molybdenum, among other elements, to produce strong, lightweight alloys for aerospace (jet engines, missiles, and spacecraft), military, industrial processes (chemicals and petrochemicals, desalination plants, pulp, and paper), automotive, agriculture (farming), medical prostheses, orthopedic implants, dental and endodontic instruments and files, dental implants, sporting goods, jewelry, mobile phones, and other applications.
The two most useful properties of the metal are corrosion resistance and strength-to-density ratio, the highest of any metallic element. In its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as some steels, but less dense. There are two allotropic forms and five naturally occurring isotopes of this element, 46Ti through 50Ti, with 48Ti being the most abundant (73.8%).
As a metal, Titanium is recognized for its high strength-to-weight ratio. It is a strong metal with low density that is quite ductile (especially in an oxygen-free environment), lustrous, and metallic-white in color. The relatively high melting point (1,668 °C or 3,034 °F) makes it useful as a refractory metal. It is paramagnetic and has fairly low electrical and thermal conductivity compared to other metals. Titanium is superconducting when cooled below its critical temperature of 0.49 K.
Commercially pure (99.2% pure) grades of Titanium have ultimate tensile strength of about 434 MPa (63,000 psi), equal to that of common, low-grade steel alloys, but are less dense. Titanium is 60% denser than aluminium, but more than twice as strong[ as the most commonly used 6061-T6 aluminium alloy. Certain titanium alloys (e.g., Beta C) achieve tensile strengths of over 1,400 MPa (200,000 psi). However, titanium loses strength when heated above 430 °C (806 °F).
Titanium is not as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel; it is non-magnetic and a poor conductor of heat and electricity. Machining requires precautions, because the material can gall unless sharp tools and proper cooling methods are used. Like steel structures, those made from Titanium have a fatigue limit that guarantees longevity in some applications.
The metal is a dimorphic allotrope of an hexagonal α form that changes into a body-centered cubic (lattice) β form at 882 °C (1,620 °F). The specific heat of the α form increases dramatically as it is heated to this transition temperature but then falls and remains fairly constant for the β form regardless of temperature,
Like aluminium and magnesium, the surface of titanium metal and its alloys oxidize immediately upon exposure to air to form a thin non-porous passivation layer that protects the bulk metal from further oxidation or corrosion. When it first forms, this protective layer is only 1–2 nm thick but it continues to grow slowly, reaching a thickness of 25 nm in four years. This layer gives Titanium excellent resistance to corrosion, almost equivalent to Platinum.
Titanium is capable of withstanding attack by dilute sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, chloride solutions, and most organic acids. However, titanium is corroded by concentrated acids. Titanium is a very reactive metal that burns in normal air at lower temperatures than the melting point. Melting is possible only in an inert atmosphere or vacuum. At 550 °C (1,022 °F), it combines with chlorine. It also reacts with the other halogens and absorbs hydrogen.
Titanium readily reacts with oxygen at 1,200 °C (2,190 °F) in air, and at 610 °C (1,130 °F) in pure oxygen, forming titanium dioxide. Titanium is one of the few elements that burns in pure nitrogen gas, reacting at 800 °C (1,470 °F) to form titanium nitride, which causes embrittlement. Because of its high reactivity with oxygen, nitrogen, and many other gases, titanium that is evaporated from filaments is the basis for titanium sublimation pumps, in which titanium serves as a scavenger for these gases by chemically binding to them. Such pumps inexpensively produce extremely low pressures in ultra-high vacuum systems.
So, with those metallergic facts in mind from a First Class Journeyman Welder, Titanium is far better by a huge margin, than any wire leader, nylon coated leader, flourocarbon leader or heavy braid.