Leader Material

[Felixone]

So I have a hopefully easy question for all of you.  I have been trying different types of line on my reels, and recently started trying to use a leader when I have braid spooled.  I have seen lots of comments to use FC leader material.  Is this any different than standard FC line?  I ask because what I have been doing is using the spare line left over after I spool my reel as my leader material.  Do they do something different with the leader material than what they do with the line?  I always just assumed the leader spools were just smaller spools so you didn't have to pay as much when you don't need a couple hundred yards.

 

So far the FC line is working just fine, but I thought I would see if I would getter better performance (less abrasion, stronger knots, etc) by using line labeled as leader material.

 

thanks

[Darren.]

So I have a hopefully easy question for all of you.  I have been trying different types of line on my reels, and recently started trying to use a leader when I have braid spooled.  I have seen lots of comments to use FC leader material.  Is this any different than standard FC line?  I ask because what I have been doing is using the spare line left over after I spool my reel as my leader material.  Do they do something different with the leader material than what they do with the line?  I always just assumed the leader spools were just smaller spools so you didn't have to pay as much when you don't need a couple hundred yards.

 

So far the FC line is working just fine, but I thought I would see if I would getter better performance (less abrasion, stronger knots, etc) by using line labeled as leader material.

 

thanks

 

Leader material tends to be a bit thicker/stiffer 

than filler spools. Which is why you get less line

but still spend $$.

 

IMHO it is not worth the extra $$. I just buy regular

spools and cut lengths for my leaders.

[Preytorien]

Leader material tends to be a bit thicker/stiffer 

than filler spools. Which is why you get less line

but still spend $$.

 

IMHO it is not worth the extra $$. I just buy regular

spools and cut lengths for my leaders.

 

Yea, this is what I do. I usually buy Seaguar Red Label and it does just fine as a leader

[21farms]

While both are strong and will withstand the lb test listed, leader is stronger over shorter lengths and are not designed to be a long, main line product.  The main lines are designed to take the impact load over a much longer distance, transferred throughout the line.

[MickD]

There is a huge difference between FC leader material and FC line.  The FC leader material is much stiffer, tougher, and less prone to damage by kinking, less prone to tangling/looping onto itself.  But this does not mean that FC line cannot be successful as a leader.  I have done it for years.  When I think I may be getting into an especially demanding area, like rocks/pilings/etc that the line/leader may rub against, or might be encountering pike, I'll put on the leader material, usually 20 pound test.  It's not foolproof, but it's better.

[SirSnookalot]

I cut my leaders for freshwater and inshore fishing, offshore I only use real leaders.  Whether mono or F/C leaders are much tougher.

[Hooligan]

Leader material, as stated, is intended to spread the load over a much shorter length, be it mono or fluorocarbon. As such, it is finished harder, has a much more consistent diameter, and more prone to heat warp. The latter is primarily related to fluorocarbon.

All fluorocarbon material comes from leaders. We didn't have a reliable wind-on material until very recently. It was invented in the 70's, but we didn't begin to see it in use as leader material until the 90's. It wasn't until the early 2000's that there were mainline fluorocarbon lines available on a great scale.

One of the greatest advantages of leader material is it has highly increased knot strength for terminal connection as well as for tag to tag connections. A 20# leader on 30# braid will generally break at the lower terminal knot with true leader material. With fluoro mainline, it will generally be awfully close to 50/50 as to whether it breaks at the terminal or tag. Inline connections are easier with leader material, as well, primarily because of its harder finish. It doesn't have the tendency to roll on itself.

There are several very good leader materials out there now, available to us on the market. As much as I don't like to give Berkley any credit for their fluoro, their leader is excellent, and priced right. Rio makes excellent fluoro leader material on the fly fishing side that transfers over to our purposes very well on the finesse side. Seaguar makes my favorite, formerly in saltwater only, but now available in a slightly softer finish in the STS material that matches up really well as far as diameters go. I use the 15 and 25 for flipping and those situations I need to fish braid but want the abrasion resistance, and on finesse stuff where I need the casting distance and, I hate to say it- feel, I fish the 8 and sometimes ten.

Sorry for the long winded essay, but that's what I'm good at.