Leaders are a preferred tool of many sports fisherman. Each kind of leader has a unique purpose. Whether you are a greenhorn or a weathered fisherman, recognizing that leaders (the line that connects bait and mainline) are a very useful tool under certain circumstances will help you be more equipped to establish which leader is suited to meet your needs.

Do I really need a leader?

You may one of many who doubt whether or not a leader is in fact a needed piece of equipment. Although they are not a mandatory solution in every situation, a leader can be a valuable part of keeping your main line safe and sound. Not taking advantage of a leader can give rise to a snapped line during a battle with an aggressive fish.

Utilizing Leaders

If you are dealing with a species that is a bit line shy, a leader can be invaluable. Because leaders can be made from any type of line, for line-shy fish you’d be best served with a fluorocarbon leader. The reason for fluorocarbon leaders is two fold – fish such as false albacore, bonito and mackerel have extremely good sight and they tend to also have great visual acuity. If for any reason your bait looks at all out of the ordinary, these fish are simply going to by-pass it and move on to other areas.

The principle behind fluorocarbon is clear-cut. Fluorocarbon offers a very tiny amount of light refraction, a clever way of hiding the line from the fish. A twenty-pound fluorocarbon leader is perfect, since the fish that you’d fish for using this kind of leader for have a tendency to average less than ten pounds. Seeing as these fish have a propensity for going after baitfish as a primary food source, a fluorocarbon leader can be the best tool to maximize your catch. For optimal results, make certain that you use a lead no smaller than three feet but no larger than four.

Fans of braided lines will find that monofilament leaders will be their choice. This leader has lower visibility than a braided line and flexibility that won’t be found with a braided line. Monofilament leaders also absorb the shock of a fighting fish, and are ideal for those who prefer the lighter graphite or fiberglass rods. The monofilament leader should be crafted with a minimum length of three feet and a maximum length of five feet. This will help land a large fish on a short line.

Sports fisherman especially those who enjoy pike, barracuda, bluefish and muskellunge are fully aware of the oversized teeth these breeds sport. Combine these teeth with their love of a fishing line and chances are that you’re preference would be a steel leader. Steel leaders are crafted from twenty or thirty pound weight – and are highly visible. For more aggressive fish like bluefish you’re safer with a forty to sixty pound weight and if barracuda is your preference you’re better of with something even heavier as a barracuda is likely to snap through a single strand of eighty pound leader as if it were regular line. The lighter weight is ideal of pike and muskies (they have needle like teeth) and the heavier the better is ideal for bluefish and barracudas.

Do not make a judgment error and use the wrong type of leader for the fish you are hoping to land. The correct leader will just about always mean the difference between a victorious fishing expedition and a fruitless outing. In fact, many experienced fishermen have learned that it doesn’t hurt to bring a selection of leaders in case the opportunity arises to make use of them. Keep in mind: the wrong leader can make the difference between a fish tale and having fish for dinner (or bragging rights).

Fishing can be a very exciting and relaxing sport. Making sure you have proper equipment such as Penn Fishing Reel, Daiwa Fishing Reels, and Shimano Fishing Reel can be extremely helpful.