Leader tips

[cwbysfan03]

Ok, yes so I'm new here and yes I know this is a crappie forum for the most part but I just have a few questions regarding leaders. I do most of my fishing at lake Carl Blackwell around the rocks at the dock or from my boat near the dam. I love crappie and saugeye so I tend to target them the most. Since I run into several saugeys when I'm crappie fishing sometimes they bite through my line so I've started to add a 16inch 20lb braid leader with a barrel swivel in hopes that they don't break my line. Anyone have a better suggestions, I'm not a fan of just using braided line unless I am fishing with frogs in heavy grass. I use 8 to 10lb mono on my rods and 6lb mono on my main crappie rod. I hear a lot of people tie mono leaders to braided line but not the other way around, why's that.

[deathb4disco]

I hear a lot of people tie mono leaders to braided line but not the other way around, why's that.

Because mono (and especially fluoro) is more abrasion-resistant than braid. I would NOT use braid for a leader. If you're dead set on the leader, I'd use fluoro.

However ... I would not use a leader for crappie fishing just to keep the occasional saugeye from breaking my line. That's my

[cwbysfan03]

thanks

[Crestliner08]

With fluoro having the best abrasion resistance of all the lines out there, I'd go that way. However.....there is a big difference between fluoro used as a main line on spinning reels and fluoro leader material. Although it it a bit expensive, go with the 25 yard spools of actual leader material instead. Much stiffer and even more abrasion resistant than main line fluoro. I wouldn't worry about the pound test too much. Fluoro is known for it's invisibility in the water, so you can get away with say an 8 lb. test leader in your case. Just use an Alberto knot to join the two and you should be just fine.

[kyjohn]

Hey Fan! Good to have you part of CDC .. Welcome! I agree with everyone on the fluoro leader. I've had good results using braid and a fluorocarbon leader for crappie, sauger and walleye. Don't know that I've ever lost a walleye or sauger because of my leader breaking.