leader
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Newbies Corner
Forum Description: If you're new to fishing this is the place to ask any questions about getting started ...
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51789
Printed Date: 10 Jun 2026 at 9:44pm
Topic: leader
Posted By: MupeT
Subject: leader
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2010 at 9:54pm
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what is a shock leader? ------------- Feal The Fear And Do It Anyway |
Replies:
Posted By: snapazapa
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2010 at 10:42pm
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Shock leader is basically an extra length of line attached to your main line,lets say your line is 10kg,you attach 20/30kg line to it so as to absorb the stresses on the line while casting,you can generate alot of power with some of the new surf casters nowadays,usually i made it twice the length of the rod,when i upgraded to a powerplay i found i was snapping the trace off so had to use a shock leader,hope this helps ------------- Live life to the fullest... |
Posted By: Kiwicaster
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2010 at 10:43pm
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A shock leader is a length of heavier mono or braid attached to your main line to take the "shock " of the cast. Its typically long enough to go the full length of the rod and go around the reel 6 or more times. The strength of the shockleader is determined by what sort of weight your casting and what sort of area your fishing . Normal 3 to 5 oz weights over mainly sandy beaches a leader of around 15kg is fine.Bigger weights and/or rougher areas going up to 20 kg is not a bad idea. |
Posted By: got no boat
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 12:55pm
| What is the best way to tie them? Any one got pics? |
Posted By: MupeT
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 6:00pm
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so is a shock leader difrent to ya trace?
like you have main line swivel trace (thats heaver than ya main line) sinker... ledger rig ------------- Feal The Fear And Do It Anyway |
Posted By: snapazapa
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 6:50pm
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Main line=shock leader=trace ------------- Live life to the fullest... |
Posted By: NZTurtle
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 6:51pm
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Yep, shock leader is between mainline and swivel. Trace on the end from swivel. Also helps with braid and not slicing your finger off...
Used to use blood knot to blood knot for nylon IIRC. Make sure you have casting guides and it sometimes helps to position the knot so it comes away without disrupting your mainline - otherwise you break off and that sorta negates the need for a shock leader  ------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Kiwicaster
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 6:59pm
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Theres a lot of knots you can use for the mainline to the leader .I use a uni knot to uni knot most of the time . If you put "shock leader knot " into google you will get a lot of results pick out a few different types and try them out. So you find the knot that works best for you and whatever line you are using Ideally the knot will be one you can tie with cold wet hands and gives high strength . |
Posted By: snapazapa
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 7:56pm
havent used my surfcaster for a while but i think i use to tie back to back unis.
http://www.eaglebusiness.com/~jam/roddiper/printbacktoback.htm - http://www.eaglebusiness.com/~jam/roddiper/printbacktoback.htm ------------- Live life to the fullest... |
got no boat wrote:Posted By: MupeT
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 9:18pm
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so then does that mean the "shock leader" is wound on to the real (up to the swivel) as well ay?
will the knot not get caught in the guieds? then obstructing the cast?
also is it always needed to have a shock leader?
------------- Feal The Fear And Do It Anyway |
Posted By: xsspeed
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 10:46pm
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I've been using the slim beauty knot, search for that on youtube. Or else search slim beauty in the walkabout section and its in there (thats where I came across it)
Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YsH1gJJRLw - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YsH1gJJRLw
Edit: Yep just mainline knotted to the shock leader, not always needed, but helps on lighter line to prevent bust offs when you load up your cast.
I am using tapered shocker leader (a slightly different approach to shock leaders - I don't recommend them around the rocks as I found out) and lost one on fri night thanks to the mother of all snags, then nest cast was just trace>swivel>mainline and loaded up the cast as per usual and CRACK trace went flying out to sea.
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Posted By: ancient mariner
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2010 at 11:28pm
| Back to back unis are bloody good knots, especially if you double up the mainline before tying it. Not sure about surfcasting, but I use them for straylining, rockfishing and they travel through the guides with ease and never had one bust! |
Posted By: Kiwicaster
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2010 at 7:48am
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Yes the leader goes around the reel at least 8 or more times then the full length of the rod and then a a meter or two more. You dont want the swivel getting too close to the tip ring as theres a possibility of the swivel causing damage to the tip ring if you wind it into it. The knot can catch a bit some times but if you set it up so the knot is as small as poss its rarely a problem. The distance that you may lose from it is more then made up for with the fact that you can realy lean into the cast and hit it rather then just lobing it and hoping it dosent crack off. The other thing with the leader is at the last part of the fight when your trying to drag the fish in once you have the leader on the reel your now fighting the fish with 15kg line rather then 6 kg. |
Posted By: snapazapa
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2010 at 5:37pm
dont need to use it if ya dont want to,i found i had to,never had any problems with the knot catching,it does pull down quite small,i was fishing muiruwai so needed 4/5oz sand grabers hence why i needed the s/leader.
i left enough on the reel(s/leader) to grip when casting. ------------- Live life to the fullest... |