Dropshot Leader Question

[TxHawgs]

I don't understand why some guys and pros, Shaw Grigsby being one use such a long fluro leader that the braid never comes off the spool? Then what's the sense of the braid? And he doesn't say the braid is just a backer as if he had some older stuff laying around. I'd have to watch the video again but his main reason was to be able to fish a whole tourney without worrying about having to re tie a new leader. Another pro forget who talked about running one long enough as to not have to deal with the connection knot goin through the guides. So does anyone know what sence this makes. @WRB you run a real long leader does your braid ever come off the spool? Thanks guys!

[Darren.]

Shaw, Gary Yamamoto both like very long leaders, and as
GY described it, he likes to have the leader knot on the spool

when he's fighting the fish to the boat.

 

Personally, I don't see the need for it. I suppose it could be

helpful in deep, clear water...maybe.

 

FWIW.

[S Hovanec]

I start the day with a 18' leader.  It's always off the spool and out of the rod while fishing.  Don't understand having it so long that it never leaves the spool.

[MassYak85]

 Around the 9 minute mark Matt talks about it

 

Basically he says the braid does act like backing and that if you need to change the diameter or type of leader you are using, it's more cost effective to change out a 40 foot leader than to strip the whole spool of some expensive fluoro. As to why use braid vs cheap mono as the backing line. The only reason I've heard for people to do this is that the braid lasts longer. You'll get many seasons out of the backing since it will rarely see water and in that way isn't really costing you the higher cost of braid like it would if it were your mainline. High upfront cost vs mono but you can almost forget about it after that whereas mono backing will eventually turn into a slinky. 

[TxHawgs]

7 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

 Around the 9 minute mark Matt talks about it

 

Basically he says the braid does act like backing and that if you need to change the diameter or type of leader you are using, it's more cost effective to change out a 40 foot leader than to strip the whole spool of some expensive fluoro. As to why use braid vs cheap mono as the backing line. The only reason I've heard for people to do this is that the braid lasts longer. You'll get many seasons out of the backing since it will rarely see water and in that way isn't really costing you the higher cost of braid like it would if it were your mainline. High upfront cost vs mono but you can almost forget about it after that whereas mono backing will eventually turn into a slinky. 

Good point, so we now have one reason to do it lol. I just spooled mine up for tomorrow and probably put a 60yrd leader of Tatsu on it. The braid has been on there coming up on 2 yrs lol. Wouldn't matter if the mono coiled if it's never gonna come off the spool, so I don't know. I'm gonna find that Grigsby video lol.

1 hour ago, Darren. said:

Shaw, Gary Yamamoto both like very long leaders, and as
GY described it, he likes to have the leader knot on the spool

when he's fighting the fish to the boat.

 

Personally, I don't see the need for it. I suppose it could be

helpful in deep, clear water...maybe.

 

FWIW.

You don't see the need for a fluro leader? Or for a long leader? 

[Darren.]

3 minutes ago, TxHawgs said:

Good point, so we now have one reason to do it lol. I just spooled mine up for tomorrow and probably put a 60yrd leader of Tatsu on it. The braid has been on there coming up on 2 yrs lol. Wouldn't matter if the mono coiled if it's never gonna come off the spool, so I don't know. I'm gonna find that Grigsby video lol.

You don't see the need for a fluro leader? Or for a long leader? 

 

For a loooooong leader.... I *always* use braid + leader!!

[ww2farmer]

I am in the "off the spool + out of the rods guides" camp.

 

My usual starting length of fluoro is about 5' when drop shotting. This allows me a few re-ties before I have to tie a new leader.

 

It's worked for me for a long time, and I have never had a fish break the alberto knot I use to connect my braid to the leader. More 4-6 lb green and brown fish have been caught doing this than I can count. Some of them have even taken me into some hairy spots where using 8lb flouro and a ML spinning rod could have been a disaster, but lucky for me, it hasn't been.

[JustJames]

To me the long leader is help when you try to lift the fish where you dont have to worry about knot in between, in this case the knot cannot be expose to outside of the reel. Also easy to re-tie different lure/hook.

[blckshirt98]

I can see Shaw's reasoning where if the leader is long enough, and he either gets a break-off or any nicks/cuts on his leader, he just needs to cut a couple of feet off his leader and re-tie his hook/attach his crimp weight instead of having to re-tie a new leader to his mainline.

 

Personally I only use about 20-30 inches, and I'll admit it's annoying when I need to re-tie the entire leader.

[bassguytom]

If I ever need to use a leader longer than 10 feet I'm just going to use straight fluoro. I usually start with around an 8 foot fluoro leader to braid then just re-tie once I think the leader is too short. This works well for me. 

[WSOzzie]

My DS obstacles (not issues..lol) have always been line twist as opposed to a line breaking either through a nick or a poorly tied knot.  An extended leader, which I have not used, would seem neither to prevent nor slow down that twist.   I am, however, game to experiment.