Leader Length For Texas Rig?

[cjam93]

Hey guys so I have gone to high vis braid a mono leader for my texas rigging. I prefer mono to fc. Anyways I have been making a pretty long leader and letting it pass through the top guide of my rod, but I would like to stop doing so as I am concerned over time it will hurt the guide. Anyways how long do you usually make your leaders? When I make shorter leaders I usually worry that they are not long enough and that the fish will be able to see the high vis because it is to close to the worm.

[paleus]

I make mine about 6 feet, just so I don't have to retie a leader very often. I can switch baits or break off several times on a 6 foot leader before needing to retie. I use an alberto knot and barely even notice it going through the guides.

[cjam93]

Thanks, but Im going to also start using rods with smaller guides than the 6mm guides I have been using. So I would really like to not let the knot pass through the guides.

[J Francho]

How long do you reel up the bait before making a cast? Make your leader that long, if you don't want the knot passing through the guides.

[cjam93]

How long do you reel up the bait before making a cast? Make your leader that long, if you don't want the knot passing through the guides.

I usually leave the bait 4-8 inches from the rod. You think that would be long enough to separate the worm from the high vis and not bother the fish?

[Darren.]

What JFrancho said. For me that'd be a pretty short leader...

 

I sometimes make my leaders a couple arm lengths (spread apart), sometimes as long as the tip of the rod to the rod's hook holder so the leader doesn't past the first guide when I'm done for the day...

 

Really depends.

[Catch and Grease]

I make mine on the shorter side in case I decide to ditch the leader, so I don't waste a lot of leader line.

[J Francho]

I usually leave the bait 4-8 inches from the rod. You think that would be long enough to separate the worm from the high vis and not bother the fish?

 

I don't think visibility matters, in most cases - that's not why I use a leader.  When I do think visibility matters, I use straight fluorocarbon.

[aavery2]

So I am trying to understand this, you are using braid with a mono leader because you are afraid the fish will be scared by line visibility?   You are concerned with a union knot passing through the tip top so in your case you will use a 8 - 10" leader.   And all of this is to avoid FC line?  

 

Hmmmm

[SirSnookalot]

How long do you reel up the bait before making a cast? Make your leader that long, if you don't want the knot passing through the guides.

Exactly !

There is no leader length set in stone, it's purely up to the individual.  Most of the time I'm using a swivel so my leaders aren't long.  Even when I do tie I'd guess most leaders are less than 3'.

[Josh Smith]

I use a 17lb FC leader that is the length from the levelwind to the end of the rod.

 

There is no practical limiting effect of a good knot through the guides.  Use one of these:

 

http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php?Categ=fishing

 

http://www.seaguar.com/applications/knot-guide/63-seaguar-knot.html

 

Regards,

 

Josh

[cjam93]

So I am trying to understand this, you are using braid with a mono leader because you are afraid the fish will be scared by line visibility?   You are concerned with a union knot passing through the tip top so in your case you will use a 8 - 10" leader.   And all of this is to avoid FC line?  

 

Hmmmm

I like to use high vis braid. So I am concerned that the very bright yellow could be noticeable to the fish. I want to start using rods with guides smaller than 6mm, but I have had my knot knock the insert out of guides before when they were smaller. I have never had a 6mm guide have a problem with the knot passing through. I dont do this to avoid FC line, I do this because braid to a leader is my preferred set up. If I were to use fc on my worm rod it  would be as the leader connecting to my braid. Mono is much cheaper though than fc and I havent had any problems with it as my leader so that is what I use.

[aavery2]

I like to use high vis braid. So I am concerned that the very bright yellow could be noticeable to the fish. I want to start using rods with guides smaller than 6mm, but I have had my knot knock the insert out of guides before when they were smaller. I have never had a 6mm guide have a problem with the knot passing through. I dont do this to avoid FC line, I do this because braid to a leader is my preferred set up. If I were to use fc on my worm rod it  would be as the leader connecting to my braid. Mono is much cheaper though than fc and I havent had any problems with it as my leader so that is what I use.

So what do you see as the benefit of a short mono leader?   

[cjam93]

So what do you see as the benefit of a short mono leader?   

Usually my leader is close to a foot, but I reel the knot past my first guide because like I said I have never noticed it hurting the guide or anything like that with the guides I am using now. I feel like this length separates my worm far enough from the high vis braid to not be an issue. I am asking what length leader people use because if I were to downsize my guides and start not reeling the knot into the guides then I would like to know what length most people feel comfortable with being long enough to separate the high vis from the worm, if they feel like visibility does in fact matter.

[J Francho]

I'll bet most are like me:

I don't use micro guide rods when I use a heavy leader knot. When my leader gets down to less than a foot, I retie.

[aavery2]

Seems like you are making it a lot harder than it has to be.  A couple of options, use a less visible braid.  Use the less visible braid with no leader.  Camouflage / color the last 2 ft of so of the high vis braid you are using now and ditch the leader.   Choose a rod without microguides.   Use a good quality FC line.     If you want to stick with what you are using your leader length is going to be defined by how much line you are comfortable with being out while making your cast.   If you are fishing from a boat and casting distance is not an issue, you could pitch the bait, that would allow for a much longer leader without reaching the quides.

 

Anyway good luck.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

1. No knot will will damage a modern guide. As long as it passes the guide it will be fine.

 

2. Personally, I'm not sold on bass being line shy. If they were, I'd be using a leader of at least 4'

 

3. A little more line off the end when casting may give better casting results.

[cjam93]

Ok thanks guys!

[SirSnookalot]

Seems like you are making it a lot harder than it has to be.  A couple of options, use a less visible braid.  Use the less visible braid with no leader.  Camouflage / color the last 2 ft of so of the high vis braid you are using now and ditch the leader.   Choose a rod without microguides.   Use a good quality FC line.     If you want to stick with what you are using your leader length is going to be defined by how much line you are comfortable with being out while making your cast.   If you are fishing from a boat and casting distance is not an issue, you could pitch the bait, that would allow for a much longer leader without reaching the quides.

 

Anyway good luck.

Took the words out of my mouth.  The more one fishes the more they get tuned into their own comfort zone, regarding leader length or none at all, knots or swivels, type of line and what color.  I'm not a fan of hi vis lines, that's just me, fishing at night I don't need them and I use the same combos in the daytime.  Doing quite a bit fishing at night with only a flashlight to tie knots I pretty much fish by feel, don't line watch in the daytime as I'm always looking for signs where I want my next cast to be.

IMO keep things simple and don't over complicate.  Fish more and you'll have all your questions answered with your own efforts.

[EmersonFish]

Are you tying a good, clean line-to-line knot; or is that still something you are getting better at? Maybe as your knots get better you'll notice this issue takes care of itself.

In the meantime, you probably could practice casting a T-Rig with more than 4"-8" of line past the tip. That would give you some more leader if you were worried about reeling the knot into the guide. I find that when I'm T-Rig fishing I'm making a variety of casts to different targets. Full casts are just a fraction of the casts anyway. Pitches, flips, and little roll-casts leave more line out anyway.

Maybe you need to try making the leader even longer? It seems counter-intuitive, but if you make the leader long enough that your bait is generally still in the water when the knot reaches the tip, you can get in the habit of moving your rod in a way that takes a little tension off the line just as the knot is about to reach the tip so that it may pass through easier. Okay, that one might be a reach, but we're brainstorming here.

Personally, put me in the "fewer knots between me and the hook the better" camp. I'm also in the "black-bass are a relatively line-shy species" camp, but I understand the benefits of Hi-Vis line.

[river-rat]

I also use hi-viz braid at times and never use a leader. I use a green and/or black permanent marker and color about 4-5' up the line from the knot.

[Fisher-O-men]

So I am trying to understand this, you are using braid with a mono leader because you are afraid the fish will be scared by line visibility?   You are concerned with a union knot passing through the tip top so in your case you will use a 8 - 10" leader.   And all of this is to avoid FC line?  

 

Hmmmm

The only way this makes sense to me is if he is using a spinning reel.  Braid is infinitely more manageable on a spinning reel than FC. (IMO) I only tie on a leader in clear water.

[aavery2]

The only way this makes sense to me is if he is using a spinning reel.  Braid is infinitely more manageable on a spinning reel than FC. (IMO) I only tie on a leader in clear water.

Agreed, I think braid with a leader is  good setup on spinning reels, but I don't think I would bother with a very short mono leader if  one of my main concerns was visibility.  personally I would use a longer FC leader with a small union knot and call it a day.

[ChrisD46]

How long do you reel up the bait before making a cast? Make your leader that long, if you don't want the knot passing through the guides.

+1 ...This .

[Josh Smith]

2. Personally, I'm not sold on bass being line shy. If they were, I'd be using a leader of at least 4'

 

I generally run at least 4' when I run a leader.  Most times, the leader is there so I can break it should all else fail when snagged.

 

That just happened to me today, in fact.  I had to let a lure go and I tied a snap right to the braid, and ran a Zara Spook along the same lane I lost the crankbait.

 

Well, I'll tell ya', the bass that blew it up sure wasn't line shy. 

 

Josh