Leader For Braid-How Long?

[the reel ess]

I just put a 15# leader on my pitching rod to use it for a Carolina Rig. I put about 6' on it and used a Carolina Keeper to hold the weight. How long do those of you who do this prefer the leader to be?

[Crank Bait Nut]

I Go With About 18 Inches to 24 Inches , All The Time.

 

Mike

[ABW]

I just pull out about two arm lengths

[MickD]

I like 4-6 feet.  No science to it, just what I do and it seems to work.  Keeping in mind that the leader has two functions, one to keep the fish from seeing the line and two to provide a little stretch to the otherwise very "hard" system, I think that length makes sense.  If you don't have a knot that will easily go through your guides you need to go short to keep the knot away from the guides.  If you have a good compact knot or fairly large guides, you can go long.

[RoLo]

I use a 0.0" leader on all my braided reels in Florida.

When smallmouth fishing in a crystal-clear water I'll succumb to a 6 ft long leader.

Not that 6-foot is necessary, but it offers plenty of retying allowance

without permitting the junction knot to enter the reel (knot ends up near the stripper guide).

 

Roger

[rippin-lips]

My wing span is what I use for measurement + 12" to tie my joining knot with. I end up with the knot between the 1st and 2nd guide when my bait is hanging where it would be for a cast.

[ned_riggins]

tie it on and reel down to the first guide and cut it, use it till its down to about 8 inches long then re-tie.

[d-camarena]

I always tie around 6ft of leader. Never had a problem

[d-camarena]

Best bet is to tie as much leader as you think youll use all day fishing. That way you dont have to retie again

[the reel ess]

I like 4-6 feet.  No science to it, just what I do and it seems to work.  Keeping in mind that the leader has two functions, one to keep the fish from seeing the line and two to provide a little stretch to the otherwise very "hard" system, I think that length makes sense.  If you don't have a knot that will easily go through your guides you need to go short to keep the knot away from the guides.  If you have a good compact knot or fairly large guides, you can go long.

Do you use a double uni-knot? That's what I use to join braid to any other line. I also put superglue on to hold down the mono tag end.

[the reel ess]

I use a 0.0" leader on all my braided reels in Florida.

When smallmouth fishing in a crystal-clear water I'll succumb to a 6 ft long leader.

Not that 6-foot is necessary, but it offers plenty of retying allowance

without permitting the junction knot to enter the reel (knot ends up near the stripper guide).

 

Roger

I'm certainly not in crystal waters. My purpose for the leader was to get some line on that I could thread the Carolina Keeper onto. I don't think it would hold on the braid even if I could thread it thru. And this way, I can simply cut the hook knot, slide the Keeper and bullet weight off and retie a T-rig and not have to keep the hardware on the kayak.

[clh121787]

For carolina rigs I dislike carolina keepers very much and use a swivel. Due to slippage and line twist. I used to use braid but I've pretty much gone f/c. On one set up I use braid for senkos with about a 10 foot f/c leader. Enough leader when I put my hook on the hook keeper and reel up slack the Alberto knot never gets to the spool. I also use the same set up for dropshotting

[Crank Bait Nut]

I Use The Double Uni Knot , Works Great.

 

Mike

[roadwarrior]

My leader is about 6" beyond the tip of the rod and 

down to 6" above the reel. 

[JeziHogg]

I just measure my leaders the length of the rod I'm using, gives lots of line to retie with. Once it gets shorter then about 2 feet I'll retie the leader.

[the reel ess]

For carolina rigs I dislike carolina keepers very much and use a swivel. Due to slippage and line twist. I used to use braid but I've pretty much gone f/c. On one set up I use braid for senkos with about a 10 foot f/c leader. Enough leader when I put my hook on the hook keeper and reel up slack the Alberto knot never gets to the spool. I also use the same set up for dropshotting

I'm in a big pond/small lake and will only be using 1/4 oz bullet weight. But if they slip, which they will with an ounce or more, I put two on. It's just really cool being able to adjust leader length (weight-to-hook) longer or shorter at will.

[clh121787]

I'm in a big pond/small lake and will only be using 1/4 oz bullet weight. But if they slip, which they will with an ounce or more, I put two on. It's just really cool being able to adjust leader length (weight-to-hook) longer or shorter at will.

yessir. Alot of my preferences are trial by error. Go with what you feel comfortable with. And more importantly go with what you have confidence in. There is nothing worse than fishing a bait or setup or rig. That you have no faith in

[S Hovanec]

No rule of thumb here. I tie on 18' when I put a new leader on. It leaves a lot of room for break offs and reties.

[MickD]

Do you use a double uni-knot? That's what I use to join braid to any other line. I also put superglue on to hold down the mono tag end.

Here we go again!  I used to use the double uni, but since learning the FG knot, I am using it.  It is much smaller, goes through my micro rods really smoothly.  A lot of guys have ridiculed it since it looks so complicated, and I had trouble at first.  But like learning to ride a bike, it doesn't come instantly, and learning it is well worth the effort.  I practiced watching TV and after a few days, it has become very easy and reliable.  This video shows the easiest way to tie it, IMHO.  You can tie it in your hands, a little help from the teeth, and can easily be done in a boat.  The main thing to keep in mind is that the three sets of weaves have to be pulled tight, each set at a time, before finishing the knot.  Do that, and keep the weaves right (the tag always ends up on left of the leader and the running line always ends up on the right) and you will have a good knot, easily tied.  The FG will last until your leader needs to be cut off because it gets too short.  Since it is so small it does not get damaged by passing through the guides as does the double uni.

[bassr95]

Depends on how heavy my leader is. For drop shotting I usually go with a 8 lb leader on 10lb braid. The knot is so small that I can tie a 20 foot leader and not have to retie it for a long time. For other presentations with a 15 lb leader I make it shorter simply because I don't like how it feels coming thru the guides.

[Smokinal]

1.5 outstretched arm lengths to be exact

[Kentuckysteve]

I just make a leader about an arms length or sometimes a little longer.I do use the double uni knot..Most of the time i use fluoro for leaders.For carolina rigs i don't like the carolina keepers either.They cause too much twist.I use the barrel swivels.I have also used a 3 way swivel behind the C rig instead of the regular barrel swivel and tied 2 lizards or worms.

[Crank Bait Nut]

MickD , 

 

You Had Me "Laughing" When You Wrote Your Above Post , ( I practiced watching TV and after a few days, it has become very easy and reliable). Not laughing At You , Just The way You Wrote It.

 

Mike 

[RoLo]

There seems to be some confusion between a “double uni-knot” and a “double-loop uni-knot”, which are horses of different colors.

A “double uni-knot” is simply two back-to-back uni-knots, but a “double-loop uni-knot is a uni-knot that begins

by passing the tag-end ‘twice’ through the line eyelet.

 

The winner of the Knot Wars TV series was the "double-loop uni-knot", which repeatedly busted the Alberto Knot.

Unfortunately though, Knot Wars referred to the ‘Alberto Knot’ as an Improved Albright,

and referred to the ‘double-loop uni-knot’ as a “Fish N Fool Knot”.

 

Roger