Leader preference?

[squeedunk]

What is the consensus on leaders for muskies? I have not used any mono or flourocarbon leaders but i am thinking of giving them a shot. I like terminator leaders but they are $13 a piece, it would be nice to get a good leader and still have some cash for another lure! Any info would be great.
Thanks.

[RK]

Hiya,
I make my own leaders from single strand wire. A 1/4 lb. coil of wire is about 7 bucks, and you can make an ungodly number of leaders from one coil. Buy some snaps and swivels, and you're all set. Wrap them on with a haywire twist, and break off the tag end (bend the tag end into an 'L' and turn it like a crank handle - it'll break almost immediately) rather than cutting it - cutting leaves a burr that catches weeds and can give you a hellish cut if you happen to have hold of it when a fish thrashes - I've really been laid open by leaders a few times.

I make a pile of leaders every winter, and just replace them when one gets mangled. Save the old leaders and reuse the swivels. Toss the snaps, as they get fatigued and can break. As soon as I see my snap getting worn while I'm fishing I replace it.

I know a lot of guys that get really picky about leaders - this length stranded for these baits, this length solid for those baits. I never bother. Too complicated . I use single strand for everything from jigs to trolling.

Cheers,
RK

[This message has been edited by RK (edited 04-10-2004).]

[David Swenson]

I agree with RK a 100%. Make your own if you can. Just use the best snap available. I generally use a cross loc that is at least a 140 lb test. I prefer 175 lb test. Check your snaps often for wear and check the leader wire for kinks. Use a ball bearing swivel for bucktails and a barrel swivel for all other baits.

Trusting any mono or other inferior material for leaders in the conditions I fish I will not do. There is way to much work and time put into getting a big fish on. Losing them for any reason is very depressing!

When it comes to trophy muskies, stronger is always better!

David Swenson
http://muskieguide.homestead.com/

[muskieboy46]

I was looking into making my own florocarbon leaders. What pound test would you use? Are these going to be as good as wire leaders?

[Captain Ken]

When I was fishing on a charter boat in Miami we had lots of time while waiting for the hammerhead I eventually caught to bite...so the captain taught me how to make a wire leader. The stuff they were using was SLIGHTLY heavier than what we use, but the technique is the same....

The main point he taught me, which I eventually mastered, is to make sure you are NOT twisting one wire around the other but basically twisting the two together evenly. Then towards the end the tag end goes around the main wire a few times and you make that little crank, as mentioned above.

I have used that little du bro thingy to make leaders which is pretty good, but after you master it it kind of becomes cumbersome so I just do it without now.

I knew of a guide in IL who finshed the job off with a dab of epoxy. Not sure if this does anything or not, but he swore by it. I don't mess with that.

Good luck

Ken

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Captain Ken Kessler
www.captainken.com
www.muskieschool.com
Guiding in Illinois and North East Minnesota
847-970-9108 Illinois
218-742-4680 Minnesota