I have been using bucher tackle premium leaders. Mainly 7 strand and single piano wire jerkbait ones. Do any of you have a certain preference, should I go to a different one? I also attach my lures to leader with a Bucher heavy split ring, any suggestions if that is good or bad is welcome.
If there are better leaders let me know, all feedback welcome 🙂
Bryan
Making your own is a lot easier than you would think. You can buy all the stuff to do it and make them for about a tenth of what they cost pre-made. This makes it a lot easier to tie on a new one when yours get frayed or kinked. I have been using home made flouro, straight, and multistrand for a three seasons with no failure. I have however had several manufactured leaders fail and cost me lures 👿 FWIW I NEVER use snap locks of any kind Split rings on both ends I personally use wolverine triple 600#s. Are they bulky? Yeah, but I have yet to break one open. When the fish are biting they will eat a chair leg attached to a rope so I don't really worry about the visibility issue.
Kevin
I make all of our leaders. Get components at Stamina, Cabelas , Bass Pro shops, Rollie and Helens etc. I make Floro and 7 Strand . Also have done some 49 strand Surflon. Use all Stainless Rings,Snaps or swivels. Hardened steel rings or snaps that have been plated are Junk and will get pitted where the plating gets rubbed off or scratched. As for single strand I would recomend Stainless steel wire or Titanium. Piano wire is very corrosive, rusts fast and where there is rust there will be weakness. The company I work for has every type of Wire there is available in Manufacturing. For marine use Stainless steel is the best hands down. Kingfisher
I build my own and have been forever, it's cheap but most importantly I trust them.
For all casting applications except finesse jigs I use 105lb Mason Single strand wire. The benefit of the 105# wire is that it is flexible like a sevenstrand but much smaller diameter. One end of the leader has a swivel (Spro or Sampo) and the other gets a solid ring (available from Thorns). Then I attach a large Bucher split ring to the solid ring, the split ring is then used like a snap. I'll change the split rings on my leaders a few times each season. The reason for the solid ring is to stop the leader from working into the split ring.
I don't like flouro for casting applications but do use it for trolling.
Ill second what Will just said, Much cheaper and most of all I trust my work . Mason makes a lot of good stuff. My stranded stainless wire is Mason .021. I will have to try some 105 single. Most single stuff is a little stiff for me(small baits) . I have some .009 single 302 Stainless which I use to make spring bobbers for ice fishing. The guy I work for spooled a reel with that stuff for trolling small cranks for Walleye. He was getting a 5" spoonbill minnow down over 20 feet with it. You can feel the teeth all the way up the line to your hands its so sensitive.Kingfisher
My finesse jigs are leadhead jigs, J-mac, Booyah or other type jigs from 3/8 to 3/4 oz. Larger jigs. 1 – 1.5 oz. that will be used to "swim" are just attached to my regular single strand leaders.
For a finesse leader I'll use a Tyger Wire leader tied directly to the jighead. The other end gets a solid ring for a line tie. When I change jigs I cut the wire at the jig and re-tie the new jig on the same leader. I'll start with a leader that is about 18" to accomodate the cutting and re-tying.
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