A reliable leader when predator fishing is absolutely essential. Nothing is more frustrating — or more avoidable — than losing the fish of your life because of a weak point in your tackle. In this article you'll find useful tips and tricks on the most common leader materials.
Choosing Your Leader
Depending on how and where you're fishing, some leader materials make more sense than others. Your choice should be based first and foremost on the conditions below the surface and the fish you're likely to encounter. One thing you should never do, however, is tie your lure directly to your main line.
At the end of the article you'll also find a video in which Enrico Di Ventura explains everything in detail with clear demonstrations.
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbon is popular with many anglers because it has the same light refraction index as water, making it virtually invisible to predators.
A word of warning, though:
This material develops weak points relatively quickly if it comes into contact with the sharp teeth of a pike, for example.
Fluorocarbon therefore only makes sense when you're fishing waters where large pike or sharp-edged rocks and mussels are unlikely to be a factor. There is one notable exception: so-called 'hard mono', or very heavy-gauge fluorocarbon from 1.00 mm upwards. This also works well for casting big baits, as it absorbs the forces during the cast.
On large rivers with rock formations below the surface, lakes with mussels on the bottom, or any water where genuinely large pike are a real possibility, wire is usually the only option.
Wire
Two types of wire trace are particularly well known: the 1x7 and the 7x7.
1x7 Wire Trace
The 1x7 consists of 7 intertwined steel cores, offering even greater abrasion resistance than the 7x7. It is, however, relatively stiff.
7x7 Wire Trace
If you want to fish your lure on a more supple trace — to give it better action and movement — reach for the 7x7. This material is made up of 49 steel cores twisted together, making it considerably more flexible, though also more prone to breaking under stress.
Titanium
For fishing with jerkbaits, among other lures, a titanium leader is worth considering. The stiffness of the material helps prevent the lure from tumbling during the cast. Titanium is also more robust than wire.
How to Rig a Leader
Leaders can be either tied or crimped.
For crimping, you'll need — in addition to your leader material — crimp sleeves, a snap, a barrel swivel, and a crimping tool. It's important to match the components so that their breaking strains are compatible.
Here's how it's done:
- Thread the leader material through the appropriate crimp sleeve.
- Slide the barrel swivel onto the wire.
- Pass the end of the leader back through the crimp sleeve and pull the loop tight so that the swivel can still move freely.
- Now use your crimping tool and press the sleeve shut with a firm squeeze. You don't need to crush it completely, but hard enough that it sits securely and the 'tooth marks' of the tool are clearly visible on the sleeve.
- Thread the second crimp sleeve onto the other end of the leader, followed by the snap.
- Pass the end of the leader back through that crimp sleeve as well, pulling the loop tight so the snap can still move freely.
- Almost there — pick up the crimping tool one last time and press the sleeve as described above.
- Finally, trim the protruding tag ends of the leader at both sleeves, and your predator trace is complete.
Fluorocarbon can also be crimped, by the way. Up to a diameter of 0.60 mm, though, tying a knot is the better choice. If you do want to crimp it, use only the flat jaw of your tool — not the pressure points designed for wire.
Expert Tip
Fluorocarbon straight off the spool has a well-known and rather annoying tendency to coil back on itself. There's a simple trick to deal with it: rub the fluoro briskly between your fingers to generate heat. At some point you'll notice it getting uncomfortably warm. That's exactly the right moment to give the material a firm stretch and hold it under tension for two or three seconds. You'll find that afterwards it stays much straighter.
Good luck building your own,
the Pike & Perch team!
