Braid to FC - how long a leader?

[Mike89]

I've been fishing with braid for a few months now and have since the beginning used about x2 rod lengths for my fluoro leader. Somewhere along the line (no pun) I settled on this as the standard length for an FC leader, whether it was advice from the tackle shop or videos online. I remember seeing this 1.5-2x the rod length several times, once in a blackfishing video.

Recently I've been noticing other fishos who use braid have much, much shorter lengths of FC attached to the braid. Sometimes they run braid to swivel also, with only the trace being FC.

So, interested to see what the more experienced people here do.

Thanks

Edited September 11, 2015 by Mike89

[Captain Spanner]

No matter what length rod I'm using (including the beach) I run a touch over a rod length. I have the leader knot just above my finger when casting so I never have the leader knot on the spool. Except my kingfish jigging and downrigging setups that I don't cast. They have anywhere from 3-6 metres on them.

[stevefish]

I don't like the connection to be on the spool if I'm casting. So the leader starts about a rod + 1 foot or so.

As the leader gets scuffed or I retie jigs Itshortens down.

Once the leader gets below about 5 foot for bream or 4 foot for lizards I'm starting to lose confidence. So if the bites stop I tie a new leader or run it down a bit further if the bites keep coming.

Kings are much the same.

No swivels in my rig.

[Krispy !]

Connecting braid to leader with a swivel is the weakest connection you can ever make will always snap on a big fish. Braid o leader knot I use an improved Albright and just over a rods light so about 8-9 ft of fluorocarbon never had a problem with this

[Crossfire63]

All depends on what your doing.

If your lure fishing, chucking soft plastics or hardbodies the rig your using is fine and pretty much what most people use. You may want to learn the FG knot for the connection.

If your using baits in currents and need to use a swivel than the other method is fine. If you normally use 5 turns on a Uni or Blood knot for mono or FC use 10 turns on the braid side

[big Neil]

I use a little over a rods length of leader attached to my braid with a FG knot and cast lures and spinnerbaits all day into some very rugged territory. Defo no swivels and check the leader regularly for damage from fish or the rugged structure. Apparently the FG knot is the strongest and finest to use for leader to braid connections. Cheers Neil.

[Guest 4myson]

I've always fished with 3x the length of my rod no matter what rod or what I'm chasing ( I like to have the knot on my reel when I'm bringing in something decent ) I've never had any issues with casting or winding in ( Practise your knots ) But I did a seminar last week from a well Known Fisherman that swears you should only use a leader the length of fish your targeting .... Jewie 1.2m , Bream 40cm & so on .... Each to his own I guess . I will not change my setup as this suits me perfectly & have never had issues.

[Mike89]

All depends on what your doing.

If your lure fishing, chucking soft plastics or hardbodies the rig your using is fine and pretty much what most people use. You may want to learn the FG knot for the connection.

If your using baits in currents and need to use a swivel than the other method is fine. If you normally use 5 turns on a Uni or Blood knot for mono or FC use 10 turns on the braid side

Thanks - I've been looking for some new knots to learn, especially for heavier lines. I'll have to look up the FG knot - isn't there another called the RG or something?

I join braid to mono with a modified Albright - 5 times around one way, through the loop, and 5 the other way and again through the loop. If I do it nice and slick it is a good slim knot, but sometimes if it bunches up having it in the spool can cause the line to get caught on the knot in casting.

What do you mean 10 turns on the braid side?

[Mike89]

@ Big Neil - might be a newbie question, but why definitely no swivel on that rig?

I've always fished with 3x the length of my rod no matter what rod or what I'm chasing ( I like to have the knot on my reel when I'm bringing in something decent ) I've never had any issues with casting or winding in ( Practise your knots ) But I did a seminar last week from a well Known Fisherman that swears you should only use a leader the length of fish your targeting .... Jewie 1.2m , Bream 40cm & so on .... Each to his own I guess . I will not change my setup as this suits me perfectly & have never had issues.

I'll probably keep using my x2 setup as well. How often do you change your leader then? I change mine probably about once every 5 or 10 sessions, I tend to go pretty often (lucky enough to have the time at the moment ) though so I'm not sure if I should do this more regularly.

A fishing seminar? Where do I get tickets to something like that? Did you learn much?

I've also heard this - except with the addition of 30cm or so to the length of the target fish. To me it seems like a super short leader, I'm not sure how confident I would be but I guess everyone figures out what works for them.

I had a guy I was being friendly with on Wednesday incessantly telling me that I needed to raise my float stoppers above the swivel to fish deeper rather than use a 2+ metre trace below the swivel. He didn't seem to get the concept that different people have different methods that they are personally confident with!

Another question: does the 'leader' length also include the length of the trace too?

Thanks for the input guys, nice to have a broader picture of what everyone is doing.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Mike89

[rockfisherman]

2 m.... Gives you enough for a few changes, and if it gets damaged somewhere along the length of the leader, snip it off and put on another 2 m

Harry

[adamski]

Hmmm, interesting feedback. Until recently I'd always used under a rod's length as I thought having the knot on the spool might affect casting, plus I was told for some species like flathead they'd take a lure with as little as a foot or so of leader. Now that I'm catching a few more fish and learned to tie the FG though, I use a longer leader so that I can re-tie if it gets worn through.

[Guest 4myson]

@ Big Neil - might be a newbie question, but why definitely no swivel on that rig?

I'll probably keep using my x2 setup as well. How often do you change your leader then? I change mine probably about once every 5 or 10 sessions, I tend to go pretty often (lucky enough to have the time at the moment ) though so I'm not sure if I should do this more regularly.

A fishing seminar? Where do I get tickets to something like that? Did you learn much?

I've also heard this - except with the addition of 30cm or so to the length of the target fish. To me it seems like a super short leader, I'm not sure how confident I would be but I guess everyone figures out what works for them.

I had a guy I was being friendly with on Wednesday incessantly telling me that I needed to raise my float stoppers above the swivel to fish deeper rather than use a 2+ metre trace below the swivel. He didn't seem to get the concept that different people have different methods that they are personally confident with!

Another question: does the 'leader' length also include the length of the trace too?

Thanks for the input guys, nice to have a broader picture of what everyone is doing.

The seminar was Free, targeting Kings & snapper around Sydney through a Tackle store I use in Wetherill Park A--zon outdoors they hold them pretty regulary. You always learn something ... And in regards to my leaders I like to change it before every outing probably a bit over-cautious.....

[Guest Guest123456789]

My 2 cents: Mike 2 metres or more.

FG knot is bloody hard to learn. Netknots.com has the best FG Knot guide. There is also a YouTube video where a guy sitting in a Tinnie explains how to do it, Tinnie man is great. I can't tie an FG knot on braid lighter than 10lbs

When out fishing or for light braid I will use a uni to uni knot. FG knot is too hard to tie on a boat or in a breeze on the rocks. 10 turns on the braid side, 4 turns on the fluro. It's close to 100% breaking strain (believe me I've tested it!).

[Crossfire63]

The Big unit has a good way to tie a FG knot

[John'O']

Ive had 10 metres for bobby corking pleenty of times and no probd

[Mike89]

This FG knot looks like origami to me! I'll have to set some time aside to practice it.

[John'O']

I cant remember the name of my knot but

Through the loop then 14 times round on ghr braid. Pinch snd hold the endthen reverse 4 times back and back through the loop. Very compact tight snd super strong knot

[Koalaboi]

I used to have over a rod length but found issues with the knot running through the rod runners when casting which usually meant a tangle problem sooner or later. I now have about 2 feet, maybe a bit more, so that the knot doesn't have to fly through the rings

I have had no problems since changing to a shorter length FC leader tied on to the braid.

KB

[big Neil]

Mike 89 the reason why I don't use swivels is that it's just something else to get you snagged when fishing with lures/ spinnerbaits among the stumps. However if you are bottom bashing a swivel may help eliminate line twist /knots. Still need to be careful not to wind the swivel into the rod tip, though. Neil. ps heading out now to try for a few yellowbelly...or carp if there's no yellas

[rockfisherman]

Mike 89 the reason why I don't use swivels is that it's just something else to get you snagged when fishing with lures/ spinnerbaits among the stumps. However if you are bottom bashing a swivel may help eliminate line twist /knots. Still need to be careful not to wind the swivel into the rod tip, though. Neil. ps heading out now to try for a few yellowbelly...or carp if there's no yellas

Yep I don't use swivels in this scenario, and at the end of the day I take off about 15m of braid and wind it in whilst pinching it between my fingers, this pushes alot of the twist to the end and right out

Harry

[big Neil]

Good advice Harry.

[DerekD]

Firstly been fishing with braid to fluorocarbon for about 10 years and refined my setup as I worked out what did and didn't work for me.

I don't like the braid to leader knot (I primarily use the uni to uni knot as it is quick and easy for me to tie and has been reliable) going through the runners. I figure a knot passing through at casting speed bumping against the guides can't be good (I have absolutely no scientific or anecdotal evidence to support this). As a result I use generally about 1m and definitely less than a rod length for my leader. Gives me enough length to change out lures a few times during a session or two without having to retie the leader. I catch enough fish in my sessions to have come to the conclusion that a shorter leader doesn't put off the fish.

There is a second reason for keeping my leader shorter. I often fish light gear with soft plastic lures. Nature of the environment I fish is such that I will snag up at times. When I do and can't get the lure back the majority of the time as I gently load up the line it will break at the join knot. I don't want to lose two or three rod lengths of relatively expensive fluoro. Losing 1m I don't mind.

Avoid using a swivel. If you are fishing with lures which require a fast retrieve you really do not want that swivel hitting your guides if you miss time it due to bad visibility. Can result in a trip to the fishing shop to replace a cracked or damaged guide or even worse a broken rod tip. If you have to use a swivel look at the palomar knot. Have found this to be an extremely strong knot for braid.

When I have two lines that are being difficult to join I will change to the surgeon's joiner knot. Essentially you have the lines side by side and then do a 3 or 4 times over hand knot.

Regards,

Derek

Edited September 14, 2015 by DerekD