Simple Trick To Help Strengthen Your Leader (The Business End)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
How can you prevent losing a fish because your leader gets worn down by a fish’s mouth or teeth?
Should you just use a heavier or wire leader?
The answer is “The Business End” which is a shorter, stronger leader attached to your existing leader for extra support.
Check out more here!!
Simple Trick To Help Strengthen Your Leader [VIDEO]
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Equipment Used:
- Reel: Shimano Stradic FL 3000
- Rod: 7’10 Century Weapon MH Power Fast Action
- Line: 10lb Daiwa J-Braid 8-Grand
- Leader: 20lb leader with 30lb Business End (Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon)
- Lure: Slam Shady 2.0
- Hook: 3/0 Owner Weighted Twistlock Hook 1/8 ounce
- Vessel: Hobie Outback Pedal Kayak
The Business End
An added, shorter end of leader to your line will save your existing leader and keep you from having to constantly re-tie after fighting snook or tarpon.
Leader strength of 20lbs or less is not preferred when targeting snook or tarpon.
These fish have rough mouths and jaws and can easily wear through thinner leader.
Also, your hook placement plays a role because if you hook the fish deeper in its mouth, your line will be rubbing against the jaw more than if it was hooked in its lip.
You can keep your main leader anywhere from 18-24 inches depending on personal preference.
The business end addition to your leader should be no less than 6-8 inches.
A common misconception with this type of rig is that the knot is too close to your lure and it will spook the fish.
Some anglers also feel the different leader sizes are visibly noticeable to a fish.
This is not the case as the lure is still just as effective with the thicker leader line and on top of that you have additional support against the tough mouths of fish.
Do you have any questions or comments about leader lengths and types?
Leave them in the comments section below!
And if you know someone who wants to learn more about how to strengthen their line leader, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Good one Tony.
Thanks Jan!
Not sure I understand the value of a heavier “tippet” ….Why not just use a heavier leader, as I do. I see an extra knot as tedious and an extra potential failure point. JMHO
It’s very situational. If you’re already rigged up with light leader like I was, It would have been a waste of leader to tie on a whole new one. A thinner leader with a small section of heavier tippet will be more stealthy than a full thick section of heavy leader if the fish are a bit spooky. Capt. Peter Deeks uses this rig all of the time and has caught world record fish.
Hey Tony, great video. Where were you fishing?
Hey Bill!
Here is a link to the full Insider Report that this footage is from, which shows exactly where I was:
https://saltstrongdev.wpengine.com/insiders/fall-snook-trends-report/
Nice goin Tony! A simple fix that works!!
Thanks Bob!
40lb has always been my minimum for targeting snook. But the snook I’m fishing for are 90% slot to overslot. I started fishing with a friend a few years ago and he only throws 80lb fluorocarbon. And he always caught as many fish or more. We would throw the same lure/color and I would almost never get more strikes then he would using a lighter leader myself. And the snook would still chaff up 80lb pretty good.
Good stuff!
Good info Tony, I don’t think the fish see the leader at all, most seem to be hitting from behind anyway. Heck of hit there at the Yak to get your heart pumping.
Thanks Lance!
Do you use a loop knot to tie to the lure?
Hey Steve!
Yes I use a loop knot for just about all artificial lures.
Awesome Tony ! Very nice snook.
Thanks Stan!
It’s the gill plates that also cut line.
Yep that is another way they will break you off. I would say the majority of the time for me it has been a rub through the leader from the mouth. Some snook have rougher mouths than others.
How do you get so many monsters to just come up right to the kayak? Ninja like stealth I guess. Great video.
Haha beats me! They must smell the dr juice all over the yak!