Length of a Leader

[kiefer06]

How long of a leader do you guys use when using a Lindy Rig?

I have heard anywhere from 6 inches to about 3 feet! What should i use? Is there a rule of thumb to these?

Any help is greatl appreciated.

[fishmachine]

Depends on water clarity. I use 3-5'

[Quickstrike]

fishing clear water, I will use a leader up to 7 or 8 ft, most of the time i keep it in the 3-5 range.

[Team Otter]

How close to the bottom the fish are along with clarity dictates leader length. 6 - 11' is very common for me.

[eyepatrol]

I make my own leaders and almost exclusively use 6'. Reason? I can still get it hooked on the rod, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do with the excess line if it were longer.

I'll put a ball bearing swivel on one end, then usually slip on a bead or two (glow bead, orange bead, green bead), then I'll tie on a #6 red hook. Some people don't believe in the red hook theory, but I've personally seem them outfish the typical bronze or gold hooks on a regular basis. Made me a firm believer.

[Dave B]

On Vermilion where fish are often very tight to the bottom I will go as short as a foot. On Mille Lacs or other lakes, I have gone as long as 12'.

[schweady]

I'm with basscatcher. Back in the day, I made them the same length as the ones I used to buy pre-made... about 2.5 - 3 feet. Made a few longer ones cuz I had heard that's a good idea after a cold front. Decided that fishing after a cold front was a he!!uva lot more common than not, so went to making ones as long as the rod could handle and still tie up snug for storage.

Good luck on the opener, all!

[Rainman]

I use 6'-10', when using the longer rigs I just loop the line under the reel support and back up to one of the eyes.

[Jim Hudson]

For me, it depends on the water clarity, the relation of fish to bottom, and what kind of bottom substrate the fish are holding on.. For the majority, a 3 feet is my go too lead length. But if I am in ultra clear water I might adjust up to 10 feet or if I am in snaggy conditions I might go to a 1 foot lead.

One thing I do when trying to find the "right" lead length is to go with an adjustable rig. Also, if you do not want to carry around a lot of pre-tied rigs, this will work great!! By using a Lindy Tip-Up Line marker in front of my walking sinker (Also, a person could use a regular bobber stop and bead to accomplish this rig) I am able to move the stopper system to either give me a longer or shorter lead, letting me dial in faster to what the fish want!! Another thing is to incorporate an exchange system, like Lindy's X-Change Blades and Clevises, to help you dial into a certain color, size, or type of blade the fish prefer. Usually, I will have two rods set-up this way, one for a crawler rig and the other for a minnow/leech rig.

[schweady]

Rainman, JKH431, this is why I read this site right up to 12:01... thanks for the tips.

[harvey lee]

I make all mine according to what depth im fishing at.The higher I want my bait off the bottom,the longer I make it.

I also use quick change clevises to change colors fast.If you make alot of them like I usually do,you can wrap them around a piece of hard foam and they are then easy to store.

[paceman]

I usually make mine in the 4-6 feet length. I once read that a good starting point is to stick your rodd straight down into the water. The depth at which you end disappears is the length to start with.... I guess it make some sort of sense. Longer leader for clear water. Shorter for darker water........

[Boedigheimer]

Kiefer06, I use a 7-8' foot snell most of the time, for a few reasons.

1) convenience of use, like wrapping my line around the reel and back to a guide for storage.

2)Netting a fish with a leader longer than 10' is a pain in the neck for two guys and impossible by yourself.

3)Most of the walleyes I mark on my electronics are on bottom to 3 feet off bottom, and a 7-8' foot snell while trolling at a typical stop and go speed puts your bait right on there lips. Yes walleyes suspend higher, but a live-bait rig might not be your best option to target suspending fish.

[kiefer06]

Harvey Lee-

Do your stored ones ever have a twist in them from being wrapped? Mine do that all the time. Whats the deal with the twist?

Kiefer06