Leader length

[The Incredible Hull]

Someone told me, that in a strong current system, say Hawkesbury for example, that I should be using a longer leader of say 2 meters.

So judging by how he said it, a slightly shorter leader for not so strong current areas. Is there any sort of reason for this, or is it just to make the bait look more natural?

Last night I tied on new line and leader, made my leader 2.5 meters long - fishing Hawkesbury tomorrow - is 2.5 meters too long?

[PRED-ATOR]

Someone told me, that in a strong current system, say Hawkesbury for example, that I should be using a longer leader of say 2 meters.

So judging by how he said it, a slightly shorter leader for not so strong current areas. Is there any sort of reason for this, or is it just to make the bait look more natural?

Last night I tied on new line and leader, made my leader 2.5 meters long - fishing Hawkesbury tomorrow - is 2.5 meters too long?

I dont know if leader makes a difference in current. My decision on leader length is determined by my fishing application e.g. if im live baiting for kings near rocks and reef, i will use a longer and thicker leader. Basically anywhere i know i can get busted off on reef or rock i will use longer thicker leader.

If im bream fishing, and using surface lures i will use a 2metre length of mono leader. If im using SP or vibes, i will use fluro of the same length in a very light thin diameter.

For me, if i know theres current, i think the sinker you use is more important. If your fishing baits in high current in the hawkesbury (so im assuming near or under the rail/road bridge in brooklyn) i use a star sinker or a bean sinker on 1 metre of leader.

Cast at the eddies formed at the pylong and your bait wont move as much (you will need to be anchored behind the eddie though otherwise your line will catch the current) you will have a good chance at jewies.

Hope this helps,

Cheers

[The Incredible Hull]

I dont know if leader makes a difference in current. My decision on leader length is determined by my fishing application e.g. if im live baiting for kings near rocks and reef, i will use a longer and thicker leader. Basically anywhere i know i can get busted off on reef or rock i will use longer thicker leader.

If im bream fishing, and using surface lures i will use a 2metre length of mono leader. If im using SP or vibes, i will use fluro of the same length in a very light thin diameter.

For me, if i know theres current, i think the sinker you use is more important. If your fishing baits in high current in the hawkesbury (so im assuming near or under the rail/road bridge in brooklyn) i use a star sinker or a bean sinker on 1 metre of leader.

Cast at the eddies formed at the pylong and your bait wont move as much (you will need to be anchored behind the eddie though otherwise your line will catch the current) you will have a good chance at jewies.

Hope this helps,

Cheers

yer thats where I always am, at the railway bridge - so your advice is excellent

what do you mean by eddies? If say its a run in tide, I normally would anchor about 20 meters from those free standing pylons, so my bait/live bait would drift roughly under the railway bridge and I'd lock it there - but it's definitely still catching the current... do you mean to anchor more backwards and have my bait in between the free standing pylons?

[Catchin Jack]

I normally go by 1.5-2 times the length of my rod for all situations.

[PRED-ATOR]

No Worries champ,

The eddie is formed where the water hits the pylon and goes around it. You will see the water behave differently in that spot. The way i get a bait there is by anchoring on either side of the bridge depending on the way the tide is going.

Lets just say the tide is running out, i will anchor on the side of the bridge that is closer to the brroklyn boat ramp, that way i can let my bait drift into the eddie formed around the pylon. The current pushing against it usually lets it sit there. If your using slab baits, make sure there stream line so they look natural in the current. E.g if your using a whole mullet fillet, cut a line through the middle of the flesh but no the skin, fild the fillet and hook it on one side it will look really tasty in the current! : )

[The Incredible Hull]

I normally go by 1.5-2 times the length of my rod for all situations.

wow... rod generally are over 2 meters long, I thought I went overboard.

So do you cast that or drop it?

[PM79]

I use anywhere from a rod length or double, casts just fine.

[The Incredible Hull]

No Worries champ,

The eddie is formed where the water hits the pylon and goes around it. You will see the water behave differently in that spot. The way i get a bait there is by anchoring on either side of the bridge depending on the way the tide is going.

Lets just say the tide is running out, i will anchor on the side of the bridge that is closer to the brroklyn boat ramp, that way i can let my bait drift into the eddie formed around the pylon. The current pushing against it usually lets it sit there. If your using slab baits, make sure there stream line so they look natural in the current. E.g if your using a whole mullet fillet, cut a line through the middle of the flesh but no the skin, fild the fillet and hook it on one side it will look really tasty in the current! : )

Oh you mean similar to "butterflying" a bait?

Yer I have a few frozen 30cm+ mullets I caught last week and a live one.

I was about to fillet the frozen ones, however GregL tells me to butterfly the whole lot! So I will definitely give that a go as well.

Thanks again

[Catchin Jack]

wow... rod generally are over 2 meters long, I thought I went overboard.

So do you cast that or drop it?

I use that length for casting lures, plastics etc mainly.

[SiNH]

I use that length for casting lures, plastics etc mainly.

I think dpham is referring to fishing with deadbait. Having any leader over 1m attached to the swivel will make casting near impossible I would think.

[PRED-ATOR]

Oh you mean similar to "butterflying" a bait?

Yer I have a few frozen 30cm+ mullets I caught last week and a live one.

I was about to fillet the frozen ones, however GregL tells me to butterfly the whole lot! So I will definitely give that a go as well.

Thanks again

Im not referring to butterflying, but butterflying is awesome. I butterfly tailor and slimey mackeret and they go hard on the jewies and snapper.

What im referring to - Picture a fillet on the table flesh up and skin down, run your knife through the middle of the fillet all the way to the skin but dont cut into the skin. Fold it at the cut and hook it.