Dude I've been browsing TH-cam for fishing advice and all I found was mostly technical blabber. Until i found this channel I didn't learn anything. Just bought a simple rod as a kit and was looking for some info how to start easy and not spend too much money. Two of your videos explained everything I needed to know. Straight to the point and zero bullshit. Gold standard in informative videos. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this feedback. Welcome, and I am glad you enjoyed the videos. Check out our Learn How to Fish playlist - there's a lot of good stuff there to get you up and running. th-cam.com/play/PLcXAWxBLRzoLwZtDQEhuaHby0yQM_wHhU.html
@@FishingwithNat thank you for the playlist. I'm gonna binge watch everything you recorded. Your videos are a goldmine for fishing advice. I ordered just 15, yes just 15 quid worth of accessories for my kit rod instead of spending around a 100 in the fishing store because before I didn't know what I'd really needed. Damn man, your videos are so good. I don't know how to express my gratitude for your channel. Top class. Who knew starting fishing can be so easy!
This may sound basic to many fishermen, but for someone who is spreading my knowledge from bobber/earthworm fishing to cast bait....this is very helpful. especially when going into large fishing stores like BPS and becoming overwhelmed with all the choices. Your instructions and examples are easy to follow and understand. Thank you!
Thank you. Check out our Learn How to Fish playlist for many more videos that should be helpful to you. th-cam.com/play/PLcXAWxBLRzoLwZtDQEhuaHby0yQM_wHhU.html Thanks for the feedback!
Exactly my thoughts. This channel made me actually decide on what I need to start fishing. I was still unsure after a month of watching other videos for advice until this guy explained everything so simply and clearly. What a gem!
I was lazy on my last fishing trip and left my braided line attached straight to my trout rig. That was the only pole to catch fish in the group. I love that you need to experiment and even go against what you think sometimes.
Awesome as always. You know how much I love the FG. Takes a bit of time to tie but it goes through guides very nicely thanks to the slim profile. Btw, after tying it for a year and mastering it, I have never had my line break at the FG. Always on the terminal end or elsewhere.
Only 18in for the leader? I kept using 10ft and my knots kept causing issues with my casting. Now a shorter leader makes sense. Thanks for the tip man. Keep up the great content!
Yeah a leader knot can skip along your guides. It can impact your casting distance and just be downright annoying. A longer leader is great for trolling when you don't have to keep passing it through your guides, or if you're fishing really clear water and you're confident that you need the line to be as invisible as possible for many feet away from the lure.
and i suggest using FG knot because it's thinner than double uni knot. now i can feel less tractions thru the guides edit: but FG knot needs some practice to master but it worth the time
I’m using 20 lb braided as my primary line. What pound fluorocarbon line would I pair with this to stay as close to the 20 lb limit of my primary braided line? Would I pair 20 lb fluorocarbon line with 20 lb braided line? Thanks for this super video. Subscribed. ChatGPT answered: When using a 20 lb braided primary line, a good rule of thumb for selecting a fluorocarbon leader is to choose a leader with a pound test that is slightly higher than your main line. For a 20 lb braided line, a 25-30 lb fluorocarbon leader is often a good choice. This ensures that the leader is strong enough to handle abrasion and provide some extra strength, while still maintaining a balance with your main line.
It really depends on how much abrasion resistance you need from your leader. If you're fishing around lots of rocks or toothy fish, you might want to bump up the weight of your leader to help with that. If I'm fishing open water or for non-toothy fish, I usually have a leader of equal weight to my main line.
Mono is far more abrasion resistant, as Salt Strong proved a while ago. Fluoro is very slightly less visible but unless you’re in crystal clear water I don’t think it’s less visible enough to matter. It also stretches as much as mono, contrary to the marketing, and is less resistant to shock. Overall I don’t see much point to fluoro and I will definitely be using mono as a leader especially in tannic water like here in Florida.
Thanks for the discussion. I am skeptical of the invisibility claims as well. I made this video last year to examine the difference between fluoro and mono underwater th-cam.com/video/vMNuKp-RNEs/w-d-xo.html
You forgot how brittle FC can get and how more often than not snaps in casting due to losing its strenght and flexibility, once its damaged. Mono is the best, just have to find very oily, and very soft one, so knots can slide tight and nicely. I know a guy that is fishing only with mono in crimping tandem with very short wire leader. Unless the fish snagged the lure in the getaway, he never lost a fish. His weakest system never goes under 20 pounds mono. We once went light trolling for small bluefish, leerfish, bonitos and tunny and we didnt find any, but on the way back thru channel he left his gear in sea and hooked 12kg amberjack on his lightest system. If any of us hooked it, it would be waste of time. He is using smaller reel with less line cuz he will tire the fish very fast and she wont drag out so much.
I have a couple of videos about swivels and snaps, and many knot videos. Check out my Learn How to Fish playlist - lots of good stuff in there. th-cam.com/play/PLcXAWxBLRzoLwZtDQEhuaHby0yQM_wHhU.html Your swivel should always be rated for at least the strength of your strongest line (main line or leader). It doesn't need to be any stronger than that since your line or leader would break first anyway.
I've never tied my own leaders. In the past I've just used steel leaders, usually black. But recently have started using fluorocarbon ones that are premade with snaps and swivels.
@@FishingwithNat Yeah but steel ones immediately bend out of shape and become a bit of a hassle. And it can be difficult to find the right leader. I'm kind of particular. lol
You're a life saver, bro You make the best videos the rest of the videos out there. Just plain suck. Thank you for doing this also, If you could, please make a video on how to not get the weight and the bait tangled together LOL. My bait and my weight always get tangled together.😂 Even when their feet apart.😂
Thanks - I really appreciate the feedback. The best advice I have for keeping your bait and weight from tangling is to cast in a very smooth motion. The jerkier your cast, the more the weight and bait will spin during the cast and potentially tangle with each other. Even with the best of casts, you'll still occasionally get a tangle because the weight is always going to fly faster than the lighter bait and that puts your bait close to your main line.
I was lied to lol you don't need a leader for bass and pike they said... only to have little success without one. Steelhead are my go to fish, but I wish I used fluorocarbon in all situations! Thanks for the awesome vids, keep them coming!
Awesome video. I’m pretty new to fishing, but experienced enough that I should’ve been catching more fish. I was using braid in clearer water, switching to about 15” of flouro leader has helped a ton. Nobody has ever taught me this. Thank you!
New fisherman here. Basically a leader is just an extension of your main line which can be made of another stronger material like braided but the leader can be whatever you need it to be for the type of fish youre trying to catch as long as it's (ideally) clear so they can't really see it in the water. Also, depending on the strength of your main line (let's say 18 pounds test) you could use a lighter leader for smaller fish or a heavier one for bigger fish. Did I understood correctly? Thank you!
Sort of. Braided line really isn't used for leaders. A lot of people use braided line as a main line and either fluorocarbon or monofilament line for leaders. Those lines are transparent and less visible in the water. You could use a lighter leader for smaller fish, or a heavier leader for fish with sharp teeth or if you're fishing around a lot of rocks that may cut your line.
Would the pre-made fluorocarbon leaders with swivels be good for a wacky rigged senko setup? Not sure if I should go with line to line or swivel style, but I really like the sound of premade for the sake of convenience.
Generally, no. The weight of the swivel will impact how well you can create the twitching action of the wacky rig. It will still work, but realize that when you first feel weight on your line during a twitch, you might actually be twitching just your swivel, not your senko.
what use braid at all on spool ? why not just mono and a flour leader ? Doesn't braid wear your rod loops down ? what are the advantages of having braid ? Help me out here ? trying to figure out a good striper set up for lure fishing. , im catching em with just 20 lb. mono right to lure but this leader stuff got me curious to try a flour leader for less visibility , can you suggest a good lbs combo and types of line for this ?
Braid is extremely strong with a thin diameter. 20lb braid has the equivalent diameter of 6lb mono, so it can cast a ton farther than 20lb mono, you can have more line on your spool, and it has much less memory. Check out my video on types of fishing lines th-cam.com/video/4OWs0s8PYUQ/w-d-xo.html . 20lb or 30lb braid with a mono/fluoro leader would be good for stripers.
I thought braided was more abrasion resistant because I heard that’s what to use strong around lily pads because it will cut through them and mono will stretch and break?
The idea is that braid will potentially cut through lily pads. Braid is best for fishing in heavy pads because it is very strong and has no stretch, so you can horse a big fish out of there quickly before it wraps you up.
@@nessfittraining9679 I still use a short leader in heavy pads because there are a lot of pike and musky here and a lot of my local lakes are pretty clear. But many people run straight braid to their lures when fishing in heavy cover.
Probably not but in really clear water, it might turn a few fish off. A longer leader to position the swivel clip / snap swivel a bit further away may help with that.
Currently looking for some flourocarbon to use as a leader with my 15lb braid. What lb flouro would make sense? Was thinking anywhere between 8-12lb but was curious as to what would make the most sense/how to pair the two lines
15lb would be balanced, but you can use a heavier leader for more abrasion/teeth resistance if you're fishing around rocks or toothy fish like pike. If you're finesse fishing for bass, you might want to go with 8 or 10lb fluoro for less visibility.
@@FishingwithNat Ah I see. I am planning to use it on a 7 foot, medium fast spinning rod for general use (no specific techniques in mind). Sounds like anything in the 10-15lb would work aside from the other conditions you mentioned that would require a stronger line. Thanks for the reply and videos, they are always really helpful!
@@hiphip808 I would agree. Keep in mind that your setup is only as strong as your weakest link, so a 10lb leader will eliminate the extra strength of your 15lb line. But 15lb braid is a good all-around weight that allows you to fish a lot of different baits/techniques for a variety of fish, and adjust leader weights as needed.
0.40mm fluoro (which is about 20lb test) will give you some protection against pike, but a big pike can bite through 50lb fluoro (I've had it happen). If you want to be nearly certain that any size pike will not bite through your leader, I'd go with 60lb fluoro, which is about 0.70mm, or just use a steel leader at that point.
Hey Nat, I'm new to fishing and am going to try out the beginner lure types that you recommended. Would it be a good idea to always use a swivel (so that I do not have to cut my main line every time I change out a leader) and use clips with lures (so that I don't have to keep retying the leader line, or would they affect the performance of certain lures)?
Swivels and snaps/clips can be very useful and sometimes essential. Check out my video on Fishing Snaps and Clips: th-cam.com/video/RM-mmBS_yO4/w-d-xo.html and the one on The Best Way to Attach a Lure to see how different approaches affect lure performance underwater: th-cam.com/video/mRShF5tYMDo/w-d-xo.html
Fluorocarbon is best. Thick monofilament will work too but you can get more abrasion resistance from fluoro compared to the same diameter monofilament.
Caught countless bass on just a Walmart setup with hook n worms as a kid, seems like in fishing the only thing you truly NEED to catch fish is a lure or bait on a hook and some fishing line
If you're topwater fishing where there are pike, bowfin, musky, or snakehead, I would definitely suggest using a leader. Just 4-6 inches is usually enough - you just want to keep those sharp teeth away from your main line.
Thanks for the comment. From my experience with the fluoro and mono lines I've used, I believe the fluoro has held up better against abrasion. It's the main reason I continue to use fluoro, but I agree that it's not a big difference and I'm not sure whether I'll replace the fluoro when it's gone or just stick with a variety of mono weights for leaders.
I like Berkley Big Game monofilament for leaders or Seaguar fluorocarbons. My YoZuri fluorocarbon is more flexible but I think it gets cut more easily too. Berkley Big Game alnk.to/aLIvAmJ Seaguar blue label fluorocarbon alnk.to/btnxgHL
If you want to tie leaders for whatever useful or ridiculous reason go for it. If it gives you confidence and has some utility, even if it's just that you like the way it looks, I'll defend you tooth and nail for it. What I'm not going to sit there and listen to is, "it's better because they can't see it," as if the lateral line sensory system isn't a thing. They don't need to see it. They can feel it. They 100% know it's there. They know your boat is there too. They also don't care if your radio is on so long as it isn't violently pounding. Depending on the species it gets their attention (many catfish seem to like a certain level of noise in my experience). They also know that inline spinner, paint job, swivel, hook hanging out of it, and the speed, depth, and manner it moves through the water are all nonsense and fully observes it all. They hit it anyway if their instict is properly provoked. But a visible line could tip them off? Not all the other stuff? Hard doubt. Very hard doubt. A good way to increase fishing success is to reject the illusion that you're tricking a fish via its observations and embrace the reality that you're attempting to trigger an instinctive response. I fully defend all other reasoning for using a leader, but not that one. That's nonsense.
That's a good point and good discussion. I certainly agree that a fish's lateral line will detect that there is a lure vibrating and displacing water nearby. But I think a fish will often make a conscious decision based on appearance of whether or not to strike a bait. This is likely impacted by how hungry the fish is too. More hungry = more willing to strike just about anything that could be food. You can see this concept in action by tossing small pebbles near a school of bluegills or bass. The fish will detect a pebble as it breaks the surface and falls through the water, and many of the fish will rush over to see it. Most will stop short as they see the pebble and realize that it isn't food. A few might bite the pebble and quickly spit it out. If you keep tossing pebbles by these fish, eventually none of them will bite them. Their vision, not their lateral line, is telling them that it isn't food and they shouldn't bite it. I will continue using less-visible leaders because I do think that fish use their sight to make a final decision of whether to bite a lure. The lateral line system gets them close and then they rely on other senses (smell or taste in some species) to make a decision. I have caught fish on straight braid to a lure before, I've caught fish on bare hooks, and I've caught predator fish on chunks of bread. So it certainly happens that fish strike baits due to predatory instinct or maybe their intense hunger caused them to disregard their other senses that normally help them discern food vs. non-food.
@@FishingwithNat I'm not knocking anyone for leaders and I'm a huge fan of doing anything that you think will result in more success. I'm not trying to get anyone to stop using leaders. I can't even make the claim that I don't use leaders at all because I still tie snells and use wire when I'm too much of a coward about losing a favorite topwater lure. At the end of the day I think fish are way more instinct driven than we think they are and way less cognitive than we tend to give them credit for. Even if the visibility of a leader meant absolutely nothing I doubt it'd hurt in any way if it was harder to see. Ultimately I guess I'm just getting revved up about pretty much nothing. 😂
@@danorris5235 I agree - I don't think it would hurt anything. There certainly are drawbacks, like the extra time spent tying leaders and the extra expense of the leader line.
When I fish with a crappie or a pickerel rig in the river by my house it has low visibility so I go 40lb braid --> 40lb stainless leader to 40lb mono --> 10lb mono on my weight. That way if I snag my weight I lose just the weight not my whole rig.
@@FishingwithNat My whole pickerel rig is made of the 40lb mono. Where I fish, the water is murkey, fast moving and filled with a variety of fish species, you can hook a small 2lb goldeye on that rig or you can get a 50 lb lake trout on the same so I set the rig up based on the biggest fish I am likely going to catch. The 10lb mono is for my weight only, there is a lot of structure beneath the river where I fish that you can easily snag a rig on, and your weight is going to be the thing that gets you stuck. The smallest weights we pitch are 2oz weights because of the water speed, during spring I have pitched 6oz weights before so its a balance between needing things to be strong but have a weak point that you can reasonably break off to retrieve most of your rig.
You can use a fluorocarbon main line to fill the entire spool but it's very expensive and tends to have a lot of line memory. It likes to jump off of the spool and cause big tangles. You're better off with a braided main line and a short section of fluoro/mono leader.
Fluro is not cut or abrasion resistant compared to mono. It is deser but that does not make it tougher. Lead is denser than steel but not as tough. Same with fluro.
Thanks for your comment. I've noticed that there is variation in the abrasion resistance of different types of fluoro of the same weight. Some fluoro lines are marketed as being very soft and supple, which makes them easier to cast but from my experience, also easier to cut. My 20lb fluoro leader (Seaguar blue label) is harder to cut than my 20lb Berkley Big Game mono.
Use the lightest leader that you can that's appropriate for the situation. You need to consider the weight of your main line, rocks or other things that cause abrasions, and toothy fish. And consider the other things mentioned in the video.
It would make sense to keep the line strength consistent throughout. You can also choose to use a thicker leader for more abrasion resistance with teeth, rocks, or shells.
I use 30-50lb fluoro for muskies pretty often on a medium power rod. With a lighter setup like that, there isn't as much tension on the line and the leader is not as prone to get sliced. But if I'm casting for really big muskies, I will go to a 12" steel or titanium leader. Those big ones will even slice through 100lb mono. Steel or titanium is pretty much the only option.
It's all about doing what you can to preserve the natural appearance of the bait to the extent that you can. The hooks, split rings, and plastic lip on a crankbait are all very visible and unnatural, but a predator sees variation in its prey all the time - different shapes, sizes, colors, body parts. I think a highly visible line pulling the bait is more suspicious than the hardware attached to the bait, but only the fish really knows whether it cares at all. I think it likely depends a lot on the water clarity, time of day, and species of fish.
LMFAO! Fish are caught on alabama rigs with tons of gear visible. Suggesting that fish can not only see the line, but also understands what the line is, utter BS!!! Total BS video.
@@marcuslinton310 Video is ok, i did not bash the video. Im bashing humans that generally in fishing overthink things abnormally. Point of my comment is, fish sees everything and fish does not only bite when its hungry. Most of times, fish bites cuz its irritated, or its defending its teritory, or its just inspecting the gear. If fish was leading a hungry life it wouldnt be fat and it surely wouldnt be in high numbers thriving. I am saltwater fisherman with decades of observation. Now, these facts can differ for freshwater fish, i can not deny that. What is your personal experience ?
LMFAO! Fish are caught on alabama rigs with tons of gear visible. Suggesting that fish can not only see the line, but also understands what the line is, utter BS!!! Total BS video.
Right - that's a common question. How much does it really matter when the lure has a bunch of hooks and split rings hanging all over it, or a big plastic bill on the front? There are likely situations when the line visibility is important, and situations where it isn't. This could be impacted by the individual fish species, weather conditions, water conditions, lure, and more.
You could but fluorocarbon is very expensive and can be hard to cast. The diameter of braid is about 1/3 of fluorocarbon of the same weight. Check out my quick video on the types of fishing lines and when/why to use them th-cam.com/video/4OWs0s8PYUQ/w-d-xo.html
Dude I've been browsing TH-cam for fishing advice and all I found was mostly technical blabber. Until i found this channel I didn't learn anything. Just bought a simple rod as a kit and was looking for some info how to start easy and not spend too much money. Two of your videos explained everything I needed to know. Straight to the point and zero bullshit. Gold standard in informative videos. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this feedback. Welcome, and I am glad you enjoyed the videos. Check out our Learn How to Fish playlist - there's a lot of good stuff there to get you up and running. th-cam.com/play/PLcXAWxBLRzoLwZtDQEhuaHby0yQM_wHhU.html
@@FishingwithNat thank you for the playlist. I'm gonna binge watch everything you recorded. Your videos are a goldmine for fishing advice. I ordered just 15, yes just 15 quid worth of accessories for my kit rod instead of spending around a 100 in the fishing store because before I didn't know what I'd really needed. Damn man, your videos are so good. I don't know how to express my gratitude for your channel. Top class. Who knew starting fishing can be so easy!
@@papiezguwniak I really appreciate the feedback and I'm glad my videos have been so helpful to you. Good luck fishing!
@@FishingwithNatI heard a story once down here in Texas,someone needed a piece of chain with a meat hook to catch a 90lb. catfish.
@@galvinstanley3235 That's a heck of a strong leader! I'd probably reach for some 100lb braid to 100lb mono/fluoro leader instead though.
This may sound basic to many fishermen, but for someone who is spreading my knowledge from bobber/earthworm fishing to cast bait....this is very helpful. especially when going into large fishing stores like BPS and becoming overwhelmed with all the choices. Your instructions and examples are easy to follow and understand. Thank you!
Thank you. Check out our Learn How to Fish playlist for many more videos that should be helpful to you. th-cam.com/play/PLcXAWxBLRzoLwZtDQEhuaHby0yQM_wHhU.html Thanks for the feedback!
Exactly my thoughts. This channel made me actually decide on what I need to start fishing. I was still unsure after a month of watching other videos for advice until this guy explained everything so simply and clearly. What a gem!
@@papiezguwniak Thanks
I have fished different techniques a lot for 13 years and this was still useful information
Thank you Nat! There's a lot of watered down videos out there and every time your videos get straight to the point! You are much appreciated Sir!
Thank you and I appreciate your feedback
Thanks for the info! I wondered why people use a heavier leader, now I know.
I'm glad you learned something! Thanks for the comment.
I was lazy on my last fishing trip and left my braided line attached straight to my trout rig. That was the only pole to catch fish in the group. I love that you need to experiment and even go against what you think sometimes.
Interesting - thanks for sharing. How heavy was the braid?
@@FishingwithNat I believe 8lb. It was attached to one of thoes steel braded trout rigs from Walmart
Concise and answered pretty much every question I had on the topic. Thanks!
Great - thanks for the comment.
I love how short , and informative these videos are . I don’t need a 30 minute video babbling 😂😂. Thank u
I'm glad you enjoy my videos. Thanks for the feedback.
Only vid I've seen on how to sett up a leader that tells you how much to put on 18-20 inches thank you
Glad I could help
Awesome as always. You know how much I love the FG. Takes a bit of time to tie but it goes through guides very nicely thanks to the slim profile. Btw, after tying it for a year and mastering it, I have never had my line break at the FG. Always on the terminal end or elsewhere.
Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.
100%, FG makes a huge difference in smooth casting.
I got some line for a leader at bass pro and was wondering why I needed it I’m glad I found this
Perfect - thanks for the comment.
@@FishingwithNat your welcome
Thanks for sharing this information buddy! Enjoyed watching this. Keep up the good work my friend. Looking forward to more great content.
Thanks
Only 18in for the leader? I kept using 10ft and my knots kept causing issues with my casting. Now a shorter leader makes sense. Thanks for the tip man. Keep up the great content!
Yeah a leader knot can skip along your guides. It can impact your casting distance and just be downright annoying. A longer leader is great for trolling when you don't have to keep passing it through your guides, or if you're fishing really clear water and you're confident that you need the line to be as invisible as possible for many feet away from the lure.
and i suggest using FG knot because it's thinner than double uni knot. now i can feel less tractions thru the guides
edit: but FG knot needs some practice to master but it worth the time
I’m using 20 lb braided as my primary line. What pound fluorocarbon line would I pair with this to stay as close to the 20 lb limit of my primary braided line? Would I pair 20 lb fluorocarbon line with 20 lb braided line? Thanks for this super video. Subscribed.
ChatGPT answered:
When using a 20 lb braided primary line, a good rule of thumb for selecting a fluorocarbon leader is to choose a leader with a pound test that is slightly higher than your main line. For a 20 lb braided line, a 25-30 lb fluorocarbon leader is often a good choice. This ensures that the leader is strong enough to handle abrasion and provide some extra strength, while still maintaining a balance with your main line.
It really depends on how much abrasion resistance you need from your leader. If you're fishing around lots of rocks or toothy fish, you might want to bump up the weight of your leader to help with that. If I'm fishing open water or for non-toothy fish, I usually have a leader of equal weight to my main line.
Mono is far more abrasion resistant, as Salt Strong proved a while ago. Fluoro is very slightly less visible but unless you’re in crystal clear water I don’t think it’s less visible enough to matter. It also stretches as much as mono, contrary to the marketing, and is less resistant to shock. Overall I don’t see much point to fluoro and I will definitely be using mono as a leader especially in tannic water like here in Florida.
Thanks for the discussion. I am skeptical of the invisibility claims as well. I made this video last year to examine the difference between fluoro and mono underwater th-cam.com/video/vMNuKp-RNEs/w-d-xo.html
You forgot how brittle FC can get and how more often than not snaps in casting due to losing its strenght and flexibility, once its damaged. Mono is the best, just have to find very oily, and very soft one, so knots can slide tight and nicely. I know a guy that is fishing only with mono in crimping tandem with very short wire leader. Unless the fish snagged the lure in the getaway, he never lost a fish. His weakest system never goes under 20 pounds mono. We once went light trolling for small bluefish, leerfish, bonitos and tunny and we didnt find any, but on the way back thru channel he left his gear in sea and hooked 12kg amberjack on his lightest system. If any of us hooked it, it would be waste of time. He is using smaller reel with less line cuz he will tire the fish very fast and she wont drag out so much.
Hey do you have a vid on swivels like what kind and what size to use for pike, walleye, or trout and what knot to use and stuff?
I have a couple of videos about swivels and snaps, and many knot videos. Check out my Learn How to Fish playlist - lots of good stuff in there. th-cam.com/play/PLcXAWxBLRzoLwZtDQEhuaHby0yQM_wHhU.html
Your swivel should always be rated for at least the strength of your strongest line (main line or leader). It doesn't need to be any stronger than that since your line or leader would break first anyway.
I've never tied my own leaders. In the past I've just used steel leaders, usually black. But recently have started using fluorocarbon ones that are premade with snaps and swivels.
Steel leaders are good for toothy fish like pike and muskies. Pre-tied fluoro leaders are good for all kinds of things and are certainly convenient.
@@FishingwithNat Yeah but steel ones immediately bend out of shape and become a bit of a hassle. And it can be difficult to find the right leader. I'm kind of particular. lol
@@codster9 I agree. Bent/kinked steel leaders are annoying.
Highly informative. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad it was useful to you!
Impressive video, excellent coverage and explanation
Thank you - I appreciate the comment
This video help me setup my first bait caster for pike fishing and trout
Awesome. Good luck fishing!
Great information. Thank you for this and I won't forget.
Thanks
You're a life saver, bro You make the best videos the rest of the videos out there. Just plain suck. Thank you for doing this also, If you could, please make a video on how to not get the weight and the bait tangled together LOL. My bait and my weight always get tangled together.😂 Even when their feet apart.😂
Thanks - I really appreciate the feedback. The best advice I have for keeping your bait and weight from tangling is to cast in a very smooth motion. The jerkier your cast, the more the weight and bait will spin during the cast and potentially tangle with each other. Even with the best of casts, you'll still occasionally get a tangle because the weight is always going to fly faster than the lighter bait and that puts your bait close to your main line.
I was lied to lol you don't need a leader for bass and pike they said... only to have little success without one. Steelhead are my go to fish, but I wish I used fluorocarbon in all situations! Thanks for the awesome vids, keep them coming!
Thanks for the comment
Putting braid to fluro leaders on my spinning combos and some strong mono maybe 30 lb stren
That's how most of my spinning combos (and baitcasters) are set up
Awesome video. I’m pretty new to fishing, but experienced enough that I should’ve been catching more fish. I was using braid in clearer water, switching to about 15” of flouro leader has helped a ton. Nobody has ever taught me this. Thank you!
Awesome - glad I could help. Thanks for the feedback.
👍
New fisherman here. Basically a leader is just an extension of your main line which can be made of another stronger material like braided but the leader can be whatever you need it to be for the type of fish youre trying to catch as long as it's (ideally) clear so they can't really see it in the water. Also, depending on the strength of your main line (let's say 18 pounds test) you could use a lighter leader for smaller fish or a heavier one for bigger fish. Did I understood correctly? Thank you!
Sort of. Braided line really isn't used for leaders. A lot of people use braided line as a main line and either fluorocarbon or monofilament line for leaders. Those lines are transparent and less visible in the water. You could use a lighter leader for smaller fish, or a heavier leader for fish with sharp teeth or if you're fishing around a lot of rocks that may cut your line.
what an incredibly fun channel to browse through. easy sub from me
Thanks - I appreciate the comment 🙂
Would the pre-made fluorocarbon leaders with swivels be good for a wacky rigged senko setup? Not sure if I should go with line to line or swivel style, but I really like the sound of premade for the sake of convenience.
Generally, no. The weight of the swivel will impact how well you can create the twitching action of the wacky rig. It will still work, but realize that when you first feel weight on your line during a twitch, you might actually be twitching just your swivel, not your senko.
Another great video. No BS, just great info!
Thanks - I appreciate it.
Awesome info !
Thanks - I appreciate it
what use braid at all on spool ? why not just mono and a flour leader ? Doesn't braid wear your rod loops down ? what are the advantages of having braid ? Help me out here ? trying to figure out a good striper set up for lure fishing. , im catching em with just 20 lb. mono right to lure but this leader stuff got me curious to try a flour leader for less visibility , can you suggest a good lbs combo and types of line for this ?
Braid is extremely strong with a thin diameter. 20lb braid has the equivalent diameter of 6lb mono, so it can cast a ton farther than 20lb mono, you can have more line on your spool, and it has much less memory. Check out my video on types of fishing lines th-cam.com/video/4OWs0s8PYUQ/w-d-xo.html .
20lb or 30lb braid with a mono/fluoro leader would be good for stripers.
Professional information right there.
Thanks - I'm glad you enjoyed the video
I thought braided was more abrasion resistant because I heard that’s what to use strong around lily pads because it will cut through them and mono will stretch and break?
The idea is that braid will potentially cut through lily pads. Braid is best for fishing in heavy pads because it is very strong and has no stretch, so you can horse a big fish out of there quickly before it wraps you up.
@@FishingwithNat so if I am fishing lily pads then I shouldn’t use a leader?
@@nessfittraining9679 I still use a short leader in heavy pads because there are a lot of pike and musky here and a lot of my local lakes are pretty clear. But many people run straight braid to their lures when fishing in heavy cover.
I dont feel confident with my knots so is there a huge disadvantage for using premade leaders attached to swivel clips?
Probably not but in really clear water, it might turn a few fish off. A longer leader to position the swivel clip / snap swivel a bit further away may help with that.
Currently looking for some flourocarbon to use as a leader with my 15lb braid. What lb flouro would make sense? Was thinking anywhere between 8-12lb but was curious as to what would make the most sense/how to pair the two lines
15lb would be balanced, but you can use a heavier leader for more abrasion/teeth resistance if you're fishing around rocks or toothy fish like pike. If you're finesse fishing for bass, you might want to go with 8 or 10lb fluoro for less visibility.
@@FishingwithNat Ah I see. I am planning to use it on a 7 foot, medium fast spinning rod for general use (no specific techniques in mind). Sounds like anything in the 10-15lb would work aside from the other conditions you mentioned that would require a stronger line. Thanks for the reply and videos, they are always really helpful!
@@hiphip808 I would agree. Keep in mind that your setup is only as strong as your weakest link, so a 10lb leader will eliminate the extra strength of your 15lb line. But 15lb braid is a good all-around weight that allows you to fish a lot of different baits/techniques for a variety of fish, and adjust leader weights as needed.
What width flurocarbon should be for pike to not ne able to bite trought? I usred 0.30 fluro as keaderzso far
0.40mm fluoro (which is about 20lb test) will give you some protection against pike, but a big pike can bite through 50lb fluoro (I've had it happen). If you want to be nearly certain that any size pike will not bite through your leader, I'd go with 60lb fluoro, which is about 0.70mm, or just use a steel leader at that point.
@FishingwithNat thanks a lot i couldnt decide wich one to put on but now il' put on steel leader
@@leonadric2493 Steel or titanium is a good bet when you're dealing with a lot of pike or muskie
@@FishingwithNat yea there are a lot of pike in local lakes
Hey Nat, I'm new to fishing and am going to try out the beginner lure types that you recommended. Would it be a good idea to always use a swivel (so that I do not have to cut my main line every time I change out a leader) and use clips with lures (so that I don't have to keep retying the leader line, or would they affect the performance of certain lures)?
Swivels and snaps/clips can be very useful and sometimes essential. Check out my video on Fishing Snaps and Clips: th-cam.com/video/RM-mmBS_yO4/w-d-xo.html and the one on The Best Way to Attach a Lure to see how different approaches affect lure performance underwater: th-cam.com/video/mRShF5tYMDo/w-d-xo.html
@@FishingwithNat Thank you so much!
Great video thanks 😊
You’re welcome...thanks for the feedback!
What leader would protect me from pike but still let me catch bass?
Thick fluoro
Fluorocarbon is best. Thick monofilament will work too but you can get more abrasion resistance from fluoro compared to the same diameter monofilament.
i still dont see a big difference between mono and flouro just more expensive and a bit faster sinking which u can add weight .. @@neonwhitea.1548
Wire is best, tieable wire tied into the main (FG or Alberto knot) line is the best option for wire. If a swivel is needed, tie it in at the end.
Very informative video
Thanks
Caught countless bass on just a Walmart setup with hook n worms as a kid, seems like in fishing the only thing you truly NEED to catch fish is a lure or bait on a hook and some fishing line
Yes, a cheap rod with some worms will catch fish all day long!
All day. You won’t feel all of the bites, but you can definitely catch them on an ugly stick
Is the leader line still needed in top water fishing? I'm targeting snakehead
If you're topwater fishing where there are pike, bowfin, musky, or snakehead, I would definitely suggest using a leader. Just 4-6 inches is usually enough - you just want to keep those sharp teeth away from your main line.
@@FishingwithNat thanks
From the testing I've seen, Flouro will break before mono 100 % of the time when it comes to abrasion.
Thanks for the comment. From my experience with the fluoro and mono lines I've used, I believe the fluoro has held up better against abrasion. It's the main reason I continue to use fluoro, but I agree that it's not a big difference and I'm not sure whether I'll replace the fluoro when it's gone or just stick with a variety of mono weights for leaders.
Im using a 23lb whiplash 8 main braid , what lb leader do you recommend and brand?
I like Berkley Big Game monofilament for leaders or Seaguar fluorocarbons. My YoZuri fluorocarbon is more flexible but I think it gets cut more easily too. Berkley Big Game alnk.to/aLIvAmJ Seaguar blue label fluorocarbon alnk.to/btnxgHL
if my rod is rated for 20-30 line, can i use a 40 lb leader line without worrying about it
Reply
Yes. If you use 20 or 30lb line as your main line, that will be your weak point so you could use a 100lb leader and it would be fine.
If you want to tie leaders for whatever useful or ridiculous reason go for it. If it gives you confidence and has some utility, even if it's just that you like the way it looks, I'll defend you tooth and nail for it.
What I'm not going to sit there and listen to is, "it's better because they can't see it," as if the lateral line sensory system isn't a thing. They don't need to see it. They can feel it. They 100% know it's there. They know your boat is there too. They also don't care if your radio is on so long as it isn't violently pounding. Depending on the species it gets their attention (many catfish seem to like a certain level of noise in my experience).
They also know that inline spinner, paint job, swivel, hook hanging out of it, and the speed, depth, and manner it moves through the water are all nonsense and fully observes it all. They hit it anyway if their instict is properly provoked. But a visible line could tip them off? Not all the other stuff? Hard doubt. Very hard doubt.
A good way to increase fishing success is to reject the illusion that you're tricking a fish via its observations and embrace the reality that you're attempting to trigger an instinctive response.
I fully defend all other reasoning for using a leader, but not that one. That's nonsense.
That's a good point and good discussion. I certainly agree that a fish's lateral line will detect that there is a lure vibrating and displacing water nearby. But I think a fish will often make a conscious decision based on appearance of whether or not to strike a bait. This is likely impacted by how hungry the fish is too. More hungry = more willing to strike just about anything that could be food.
You can see this concept in action by tossing small pebbles near a school of bluegills or bass. The fish will detect a pebble as it breaks the surface and falls through the water, and many of the fish will rush over to see it. Most will stop short as they see the pebble and realize that it isn't food. A few might bite the pebble and quickly spit it out. If you keep tossing pebbles by these fish, eventually none of them will bite them. Their vision, not their lateral line, is telling them that it isn't food and they shouldn't bite it.
I will continue using less-visible leaders because I do think that fish use their sight to make a final decision of whether to bite a lure. The lateral line system gets them close and then they rely on other senses (smell or taste in some species) to make a decision.
I have caught fish on straight braid to a lure before, I've caught fish on bare hooks, and I've caught predator fish on chunks of bread. So it certainly happens that fish strike baits due to predatory instinct or maybe their intense hunger caused them to disregard their other senses that normally help them discern food vs. non-food.
@@FishingwithNat I'm not knocking anyone for leaders and I'm a huge fan of doing anything that you think will result in more success. I'm not trying to get anyone to stop using leaders. I can't even make the claim that I don't use leaders at all because I still tie snells and use wire when I'm too much of a coward about losing a favorite topwater lure.
At the end of the day I think fish are way more instinct driven than we think they are and way less cognitive than we tend to give them credit for.
Even if the visibility of a leader meant absolutely nothing I doubt it'd hurt in any way if it was harder to see. Ultimately I guess I'm just getting revved up about pretty much nothing. 😂
@@danorris5235 I agree - I don't think it would hurt anything. There certainly are drawbacks, like the extra time spent tying leaders and the extra expense of the leader line.
When I fish with a crappie or a pickerel rig in the river by my house it has low visibility so I go 40lb braid --> 40lb stainless leader to 40lb mono --> 10lb mono on my weight. That way if I snag my weight I lose just the weight not my whole rig.
Interesting. Why do you put the stainless leader in between your 40lb braid and 40lb mono? Why not just go from 40lb braid to 10lb mono?
@@FishingwithNat My whole pickerel rig is made of the 40lb mono. Where I fish, the water is murkey, fast moving and filled with a variety of fish species, you can hook a small 2lb goldeye on that rig or you can get a 50 lb lake trout on the same so I set the rig up based on the biggest fish I am likely going to catch. The 10lb mono is for my weight only, there is a lot of structure beneath the river where I fish that you can easily snag a rig on, and your weight is going to be the thing that gets you stuck. The smallest weights we pitch are 2oz weights because of the water speed, during spring I have pitched 6oz weights before so its a balance between needing things to be strong but have a weak point that you can reasonably break off to retrieve most of your rig.
@@BType13X2 I see. Thanks for the explanation.
I use a inshore rods because they have bigger eyes than freshwater rods making it easier to cast long leaders
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Can you just fill the whole reel with flurocarbon leader line and use that??
You can use a fluorocarbon main line to fill the entire spool but it's very expensive and tends to have a lot of line memory. It likes to jump off of the spool and cause big tangles. You're better off with a braided main line and a short section of fluoro/mono leader.
Can you make a freshwater fishing tier list?
Did you mean gear list?
thank you for this
Happy to help!
Fluro is not cut or abrasion resistant compared to mono. It is deser but that does not make it tougher. Lead is denser than steel but not as tough. Same with fluro.
Thanks for your comment. I've noticed that there is variation in the abrasion resistance of different types of fluoro of the same weight. Some fluoro lines are marketed as being very soft and supple, which makes them easier to cast but from my experience, also easier to cut. My 20lb fluoro leader (Seaguar blue label) is harder to cut than my 20lb Berkley Big Game mono.
So what should i use so the fish wont snag it, but still will bite?
Use the lightest leader that you can that's appropriate for the situation. You need to consider the weight of your main line, rocks or other things that cause abrasions, and toothy fish. And consider the other things mentioned in the video.
@@FishingwithNat Okay, i get it now, Thanks!
Sounds good bro
Thanks and good luck fishing!
If Im using 50lb braid for surf fishing would I use 50lb leader?
It would make sense to keep the line strength consistent throughout. You can also choose to use a thicker leader for more abrasion resistance with teeth, rocks, or shells.
30 or 50 pound leaders for muskies? That's pretty light - most ski anglers I know use at least 80 lb at a minimum.
I use 30-50lb fluoro for muskies pretty often on a medium power rod. With a lighter setup like that, there isn't as much tension on the line and the leader is not as prone to get sliced. But if I'm casting for really big muskies, I will go to a 12" steel or titanium leader. Those big ones will even slice through 100lb mono. Steel or titanium is pretty much the only option.
I'll use the steel leader on a heavy power rod with 50lb braid.
Thanks for this video great
Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for the comment
When to use brown mono?
Green or brown lines are intended to be used in green or brown water so that they blend in better.
i love this guy
haha thanks
Are you telling me the fish can see the line but not the big black hook?
It's all about doing what you can to preserve the natural appearance of the bait to the extent that you can. The hooks, split rings, and plastic lip on a crankbait are all very visible and unnatural, but a predator sees variation in its prey all the time - different shapes, sizes, colors, body parts. I think a highly visible line pulling the bait is more suspicious than the hardware attached to the bait, but only the fish really knows whether it cares at all. I think it likely depends a lot on the water clarity, time of day, and species of fish.
Great thanks
You're welcome. I hope you enjoyed the video.
❤❤❤ 3:28
I'm glad you enjoy my end screen. :)
I like using braided with a leader.
Me too
According to humans, fish see leader BUT NOT the 3 pairs of triangle hooks haha
Right
LMFAO! Fish are caught on alabama rigs with tons of gear visible. Suggesting that fish can not only see the line, but also understands what the line is, utter BS!!! Total BS video.
@@marcuslinton310
Video is ok, i did not bash the video. Im bashing humans that generally in fishing overthink things abnormally. Point of my comment is, fish sees everything and fish does not only bite when its hungry. Most of times, fish bites cuz its irritated, or its defending its teritory, or its just inspecting the gear. If fish was leading a hungry life it wouldnt be fat and it surely wouldnt be in high numbers thriving. I am saltwater fisherman with decades of observation. Now, these facts can differ for freshwater fish, i can not deny that. What is your personal experience ?
Thank you
You're welcome
Thanks
Glad it was helpful to you!
Are you saying that fish know what fishing line is?
They don't know what fishing line is, but they may find it suspicious, especially in clear water or on heavily fished waters.
LMFAO! Fish are caught on alabama rigs with tons of gear visible. Suggesting that fish can not only see the line, but also understands what the line is, utter BS!!! Total BS video.
Can they not see the hook though😅
Right - that's a common question. How much does it really matter when the lure has a bunch of hooks and split rings hanging all over it, or a big plastic bill on the front? There are likely situations when the line visibility is important, and situations where it isn't. This could be impacted by the individual fish species, weather conditions, water conditions, lure, and more.
Why not just run Flora-carbon
You could but fluorocarbon is very expensive and can be hard to cast. The diameter of braid is about 1/3 of fluorocarbon of the same weight. Check out my quick video on the types of fishing lines and when/why to use them th-cam.com/video/4OWs0s8PYUQ/w-d-xo.html
*WHAT* is that.... Thing... You used to join those lines? It looks like a lego block.
Depending on the knot used and the line weights (especially the leader line), the joining knot can be pretty fat.
🎉🎉🎉
Thanks
@@FishingwithNat have a good one! I’m just starting and your videos have helped me tons!
@@FishingwithNat thank you for taking the time to reply
@@Ice_box714 Awesome - thanks for the feedback! Good luck fishing.
We'll CATCH you next time. Sorry im a goof.
Yep, catch you then! 🙂
It’s been my 50 year experience that fish don’t give two hoots about line visibility or thickness.
Thanks for the feedback. It seems to matter around here for some species/situations--especially trout fishing.
@@FishingwithNat … if the fish ain’t biting, it has nothing to do with the line.