Smallmouth fluoro Leaders

[WI_Angler1989]

Hi folks, I want to weigh the opinions of my fellow Smallie aficionados on your Favorite Fluorocarbon Line to use as Leader Material. I'm talking bottom contact, rocks abound, tubes, small jigs, craws, etc. 

I fish a lot of rocky rivers with fast current, so line control can be sketchy at the beat of times. Abrasion resistance is key! I fish braided line as a main (obviously?), so how limp or manageable a fluoro is or isn't doesn't necessarily make or break it for me.

So, do you guys have a favorite? Is there one line that has rarely let you down? 

 

I've had a 330yd spool of Sunline Super Sniper for, literally, years now. Using it only as leaders makes it last and last. It served me well, but it seems I got lucky, as many people have had serious quality control issues with Sunline. That price tag is hard to stomach when it could easily be garbage based on a daunting amount of reviews...

 

Thanks in advance! And feel free to counter my braid-fluoro preference if you have another line you prefer.

Edited February 28, 2018 by WI_Angler1989
Darn autocorrect

[mattkenzer]

I always use a Fluorocarbon Leader material designed for that purpose .... I prefer the Maxima Fluorocarbon Leader.

I do not use Fluorocarbon Line for leader material.

[J Francho]

40 minutes ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

Abrasion resistance is key!

Seaguar Blue Label Leader material. 

[WI_Angler1989]

32 minutes ago, mattkenzer said:

I always use a Fluorocarbon Leader material designed for that purpose .... I prefer the Maxima Fluorocarbon Leader.

I do not use Fluorocarbon Line for leader material.

 

So you opt for a specific fluoro leader? Idk of I've seen a leader specific line before.

7 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Seaguar Blue Label Leader material. 

 

That's one of their more affordable lines too, isn't it?

[J Francho]

https://www.seaguar.com/saltwater/fly-fishing.html

 

It's not inexpensive, but it's way tougher than reel fill line.

[mattkenzer]

9 minutes ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

 

So you opt for a specific fluoro leader? Idk of I've seen a leader specific line before.

 

That's one of their more affordable lines too, isn't it?

Sorry for the confusion ..... I prefer the actual Fluoro Leader material which is designed to be much more abrasion resistant than regular fluoro spool line.

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, mattkenzer said:

Sorry for the confusion ..... I prefer the actual Fluoro Leader material which is designed to be much more abrasion resistant than regular fluoro spool line.

Yep, and also a bit less stretch and has greater shock/impact resistance.  In other words, less apt to break on a sharp hookset.

[WI_Angler1989]

Awesome, thanks guys! I've never used a leader line specifically, so I always just assumed it was a smaller spool for those planning on using a little at a time. Good to know!

[mattkenzer]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Yep, and also a bit less stretch and has greater shock/impact resistance.  In other words, less apt to break on a sharp hookset.

Exactly. ^^^^^^

[TnRiver46]

I use stren 100 percent flouro. When the lure gets stuck it's pretty hard to break the 12 lb. Usually it will straighten the hook on a small tube before it breaks. 20 lb power pro, Albright knot, and 12 lb stren leader 

[FryDog62]

I found Tatsu to be one of the better fluorocarbon lines for toughness, just dam expensive.  I will say I use another line more often because I find it even more abrasion resistant and better knots.... Yo-zuri Hybrid.  

 

I know not 100% Fluorocarbon but it is tougher and has less stretch than fluorocarbon.  

 

I fish a lot of rocky rivers, skip around dock posts, and also some zebra muscle infested lakes and I haven’t found any fluorocarbon as tough as YZH.  A little thicker, down size a little if you need to, still extremely tough.

[Team9nine]

The only unbiased comparison I've seen between leader line and main line (using Seaguar Red Label) showed no difference in abrasion resistance between the two. Certainly not saying that's the case with all line types, but enough evidence to make you wonder. I'd like to see more similar testing before drawing an absolute conclusion.

 

In the mean time, if I specifically need abrasion resistance in a leader, I just use a particularly abrasion resistant main line (Toray Superhard), but more frequently just go with a high end main line leader.

[tkunk]

I fish around zebra mussels, and I don't see much of a difference between any of the high quality brands. If I get any kind of a snag, I'll either break off or have to retie 95% of the time.

 

The only thing that's consistently helped me is to use heavy leaders for bottom contact lures like tubes and jigs. In really nasty areas, I'll go as high as 20 lb test. I still lose lures and have to retie all the time, but there's less chance of losing a fish when I get bit after popping my lure out of a snag.

[Spankey]

I'm using the Stren fluoro also. Others may well be better. The Stren was easy to get and serves the purpose. I change my leader material often and most times premature.

[A-Jay]

4 hours ago, Spankey said:

 I change my leader material often and most times premature.

X2 ~ 

I prefer to refer to it as "Timely". 

Which seem much more desirable than "Too Late".

A-Jay

 

[Turkey sandwich]

11 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I found Tatsu to be one of the better fluorocarbon lines for toughness, just dam expensive.  I will say I use another line more often because I find it even more abrasion resistant and better knots.... Yo-zuri Hybrid.  

 

I know not 100% Fluorocarbon but it is tougher and has less stretch than fluorocarbon.  

 

I fish a lot of rocky rivers, skip around dock posts, and also some zebra muscle infested lakes and I haven’t found any fluorocarbon as tough as YZH.  A little thicker, down size a little if you need to, still extremely tough.

 

Exactly this.  I've found that I'm using FC less and less for everything except really finesse applications in clear water.  Most of my leaders are 8-12lb Hybrid and it stands up against rocks, wood, shell beds, toothy critters, etc as well as, if not better than any of the more expensive FC I've used.  And it's cheap. I'm even considering using it for streamer fishing on the fly rod.  So long as you don't care about memory, it's killer.

[Frenchman83]

I have used red label in 8-15# for a few years without complaints.   I recently bought some 20# Blue Label leader material for toothy fish and really liked it for ice fishing leaders.  Will probably start using that more in the smaller spools.

[WI_Angler1989]

Thanks for all the input, guys! I've got a little bit left of a few FC lines that I'll use up, then I may try YZH since I have a big spool of it for other reels. 

[waymont]

I'm a Seaguar Blue Label Leader guy too

[Abby]

I use Seagur Blue Label for steelhead and salmon in the rivers. Good stuff

[ww2farmer]

Everyone can like what they like, for whatever reasons they see fit................BUT.....to say a using fluoro reel fill line for leader material is somehow a substandard choice is just plain wrong.

 

I have plenty (more than most) exp. using Red Label as leader material, and it is without a doubt perfectly fine for this application. Hundreds, if not thousands of big largemouth dragged out from nasty super abrasive metal, wood, and rock cover, and big smallmouth caught on light leaders that have been dragged over and through  zebra mussle infested areas gives me all the evidence I need to base my opinion on.

 

If you want to buy leader specific fluoro............rock on. If not, regular fluoro from a quality mfg. will be fine too.

[Further North]

I have several choices, depending on where and how I'm fishing.

 

1. I have a spool of Sunline Sniper.  Good stuff
2. I have a couple spools of Lake Forks co-poly.  I like that better than the Sniper, but that's just preference.
3. I have a couple spools of Seguar STS leader material...this is mostly heavier stuff, gets used on fly rods.  I like it better than the Lake Forks...but again, it's usually heavier.
4. ...just to shake things up, I have a few spools if tieable wire (mostly Tyger Leader) for when there's pike and musky around.

 

[Fish the Mitt]

Red Label (non Leader Material)

[FishDewd]

I've been using red label the last few months. Seems to work fine for me. I don't think I've ever seen a leader specific fluorocarbon in stores afaik. Never noticed a blue label Seaguar anyway.

[desmobob]

On 2/28/2018 at 12:49 PM, portiabrat said:

I fish around zebra mussels, and I don't see much of a difference between any of the high quality brands. If I get any kind of a snag, I'll either break off or have to retie 95% of the time.

 

The only thing that's consistently helped me is to use heavy leaders for bottom contact lures like tubes and jigs. In really nasty areas, I'll go as high as 20 lb test. I still lose lures and have to retie all the time, but there's less chance of losing a fish when I get bit after popping my lure out of a snag.

 

I fish primarily in water with low visibility and lots of zebra mussels.  I use 17lb. and 20lb. Seguar AbrazX main line as leader.  I buy expensive dedicated leader material for my saltwater fishing but, for some reason, I can't make myself spend the extra money on it for my everyday fishing at home.  

 

Tight lines,

Bob