Using Power Pro...need a leader now.

[masoct3]

Hello,

I hope this is the appropriate section to post.

I am using 30# Power Pro on my baitcasting rod/reel combo (very new to the baitcasting world, dont even ask how that's going). I think I want to put a mono leader on, say the last 2-4 feet of the line.

I am curious as to what knot I should be using. I have heard of the surgeon's knot, but wanted some expertise from some of the pros here. I know I can attach a steel leader, but I think I want to go mono.

Thanks!

[PerchJerker]

When I use mono or flouro leaders on power pro, I use back to back uni knots. Very simple to tie and very effective. There are lots of knot tying guides on line and they're easy to find.

Why do you want a leader on your power pro, there's very limited situations in which I put on a leader ---- usually only very clear water, or dropshotting.

Hope that helps and good luck.

[Minnesota_Herb]

Albright knot.

[jac714]

Back to back Uni knot is what I use to tie on a flouro leader to PP

[Wanderer]

Why do you want a leader on your power pro, there's very limited situations in which I put on a leader ---- usually only very clear water, or dropshotting.

+ 1

PP tied direct doesn't seem to have too many negative effects on bites when you're using reaction type baits (cranks, spinnerbaits, top water) and jig and pig.

I have two PP rigs that I bothered with leaders - one is a Lindy rig were the rig is the leader and one for ice fishing lake trout where the connection between the two is a small swivel I can reel through the eyes of the rod.

Other than that, no leaders.

[Northlander]

Back to back uni knot and 10' of clear mono if your worried about fish seeing your line. Longer in real clear water.

[mainbutter]

I use 8-12 inches of 25lb fluoro to power pro, back to back uni knots.

Never had an issue.

Some people say use a lot of fluoro if you don't want fish seeing your line. I only use a foot at the most usually, all I care about is breaking up the visual link between the lure and the braided line. Fish probably don't have the higher-brain function problem solving capabilities such as 'object permanence' and 'object association' to make the connection between a lure and a visible line that is a foot away.

[matthothand]

Mainbutter, I'm curious how you've determined that your short leader has never been an issue.

[tunrevir]

One more vote for back to back uniknots. Anyone ever try a nail knot with this type of setup?

Tunrevir~

[Deitz Dittrich]

Nail knot works great.. but needs more than a little practice.. back to back uni is a lot easier and seems to work well.

[ted4887]

I also use a nail knot. But it comes easily for me as I'm a fly fisherman as well, and well... I tie them more often than I'd like to admit. If you are going to tie them, visit your local stores fly fishing section, and find a nail knot tool(you won't regret it).

[mainbutter]

Mainbutter, I'm curious how you've determined that your short leader has never been an issue.

Meant to say "never had an issue with line breaking (with that knot) or esox bite-offs with 25lb fluoro, don't know why I left that out re-reading my post.

[TruthWalleyes]

Tie a Uni-Uni Knot to mono/flouro. I do this to prevent abrasion, or bite offs as the power pro braided line has very little resistance to bite-offs or abrasion.

[matthothand]

Thanks for clarifying MB. I thought you meant there was never an issue with fish being "line shy". It seems it would be difficult to count the fish we never catch.

[mainbutter]

Thanks for clarifying MB. I thought you meant there was never an issue with fish being "line shy". It seems it would be difficult to count the fish we never catch.

Yup, I totally agree lol. I have no evidence for my believe that only 8-12 inches is necessary, just some reasoning that seems logical enough to me, and I certainly catch fish.

My big issue is that I DO see a jump in catch rates when comparing steel leaders with snap swivels to some fluoro leader and tying directly to a lure. It helps a lot, more fluoro might help more, but I don't like how it casts coming off the reel.

[BoxMN]

FWIW, put a drop of super glue on the knot. Not to keep it tighter, but so it goes through the eyelets a bit smoother. Helps a ton! I usually start with about a 6-8' legnth of flouro or mono, and put a new one on when I get down to about 2'.

[TruthWalleyes]

FWIW, put a drop of super glue on the knot. Not to keep it tighter, but so it goes through the eyelets a bit smoother. Helps a ton! I usually start with about a 6-8' legnth of flouro or mono, and put a new one on when I get down to about 2'.

I'll have to give this a try, Thanks for the tip!

[EBass]

Run a black perm marker up the line a couple of feet.

[amateurfishing]

what is the purpose of a leader? I have never fished with one.

[Wanderer]

In the context of this thread, it's to reduce line visibility to the fish in hopes of not spooking them from biting.

[amateurfishing]

should one always use a leader when fishing or only for specific situations/purposes?

[masoct3]

If you are fishing a clear water body of water, it does help.

[Wanderer]

should one always use a leader when fishing or only for specific situations/purposes?

A short answer is "No", not always. You can if it helps your confidence but in many situations there is no need to add the extra step of tying on another piece of line to Power Pro. Clear water and finesse fishing are about the only times I consider it, otherwise I catch plenty with a bait tied direct to Power Pro.

With that, I don't rig everyrod in the boat with PP either. I still run plenty of mono set ups.

[mainbutter]

what is the purpose of a leader? I have never fished with one.

I used to use steel leaders with snap swivels. These give you the ability to change out lures quickly (with the snap swivel) and at the same time keep toothy fish (in my case, pike) from cutting your line with sharp teeth, and swimming away with money well spent.

I stopped using the leaders because I found that I didn't change lures often, and the steel + snap swivel affected my catch rates. The lures didn't quite swim right, and small lures were particularly affected negatively.

I began using 25lb fluorocarbon (tied to my main line with any knot that joins together two ends of line) because it provides a ton of bite protection (not bite PROOF, but still very good protection) without the negatives of the steel. I tie the fluoro directly to my lure.

For me, a bonus of fluorocarbon is that it is clear and has close to the same density of water. This means that light doesn't refract much going from the water into the clear line, so the line is virtually invisible underwater. Supposedly this will help if fish are shy about biting lures if they see the line.

Many people use the above reason as the primary reason for choosing fluorocarbon as either main line or leader.

I only use a leader because I don't like how a whole spool of heavy fluorocarbon casts, but many bass (and probably walleye) fishermen spool up with castable fluorocarbon that is lighter test weight than what I use.

[mainbutter]

should one always use a leader when fishing or only for specific situations/purposes?

Nope!

I don't use a leader when I fish for panfish or walleyes. It's strictly lightweight monofilament line for me.