What Makes a Leader a Leader?
One of the most significant breakthroughs in fishing over the past few decades has been the substantial improvement of fishing lines. Specialized lines like ultra-strong and micro-thin braided lines and virtually invisible fluorocarbon lines have allowed all anglers to experience better performance and get more fish to bite. Combining braid with a fluorocarbon leader has become the standard in fresh and saltwater environments, blending the strength from braid with a host of benefits from fluorocarbon.
It is possible to use any line as a leader, whether fluorocarbon or monofilament. Still, a dedicated leader line possesses characteristics that help anglers get the best performance from their bait or lure. The proper leader allows anglers to get more bites and land more fish.
So, what makes a leader a leader?
Put simply, specialized leader materials are designed to withstand shock in short pieces while maintaining strength and abrasion resistance. Longer lengths of fluorocarbon line were developed as mainlines - to be spooled onto a reel to make casts which requires a softer feel for better manageability. Also, unique formulations of different resins allow Seaguar to develop fluorocarbon lines with characteristics that work well in short pieces, according to Seaguar General Manager Gerry Benedicto.
"In general, fluorocarbon lines, made for use as a leader, have a stiffer body and are less supple than mainline fluorocarbon lines," he said. “These characteristics translate into better overall knot strength and better sensitivity. This has been true since 1971 when we introduced the first fluorocarbon leader for saltwater anglers.”
Line stretch is another difference. "Often, leader lines will have less stretch than a mainline fluorocarbon. Less stretch can be a big positive in that it enhances feel and quick reaction hooksets," he added. "Leader lengths are shorter so there’s also less material which reduces line stretch.
The general trade-off with leader lines that are stiffer with less stretch is more line memory. "There can be more coiling," said Benedicto. "This is why we use shorter lengths of leader material and a leader spool with a shallower arbor than our mainlines. More wraps will cause memory issues, even when taking it off a leader spool." Seaguar offers more than a dozen leader options and, depending on the item, they are available in 25, 50 and a maximum of 100-yard leader spools.
So while power fluoro leader lines like Inshore, STS and the new Pounce Bass Leader are built with shock absorption and high-impact strength at the forefront, items like Gold Label, Blue Label, Grand Max and Fluoro Premier undergo a double structure process to make the leader material softer and thinner so the bait presentations are more natural.
What is Double-Structure Fluorocarbon?
Double Structure is an exclusive Seaguar process that fuses two different 100% Seaguar fluorocarbon resins into one solid line that offers the best combination of strength and flexibility. There is a softer exterior resin that enhances knot strength and a high-density interior resin that improves tensile strength and sensitivity. This will enable lines to have smooth knots while still maintaining excellent strength.
In practical sense double structure leaders like Gold Label, Grand Max, Fluoro Premier and Blue Label are very manageable on the water and with thinner diameters, they enhance bait presentations without sacrificing any strength. “These best-in-class leaders give you more flexibility,” note Benedicto. “In clear water and on days when the bite it tough, you can downsize pound test which can make presentations more natural to encourage more bites.”
Angler Perspectives
Mark Davis, Gerald Spohrer, and Brandon Palaniuk, three professional anglers with varying angling backgrounds, say the right leader is essential for getting the best performance from your lures or bait. Each can point to several instances where leader size and type matter.
As the host of BigWater Adventures, Mark Davis has traveled the globe chasing colossal fish. His line selection has proven critical to his success in getting the fish to bite and, just as importantly, bringing them to the boat. He's meticulous about his gear selection, including the line type and pound test he uses for fluorocarbon leader material.
Davis will select the pound test and specific leader material based on where he's fishing and the target species. "A fish like a roosterfish does not get down into structure and break you off, whereas a grouper or snapper or something like that will actively dig down there around that structure because that's their safety zone," he said. "So, if I'm fishing for roosterfish, I have no problem dropping to a 30 lb Seaguar Gold Label because of how thin it is. That will get me more bites because they are notoriously line-shy, and I'm good with it because I know I'll be fighting them in open water."
Major League Fishing pro Gerald Spohrer competes in bass tournaments for a living, but most of his free time is dedicated to saltwater fishing in Louisiana. He has a unique perspective on choosing the right leader. While selecting the right leader material and size is essential for both, he can think of several instances where it's critical in the salt, including when splicing into a hollow-core braid.
"The main thing with fluorocarbon leaders in saltwater is the size and the diameter, which is why a dedicated leader material makes a difference," he said. "One example is splicing a fluorocarbon into 200 lb Seaguar Threadlock braid. Sometimes, you are tuna fishing and need a 200 lb fluorocarbon leader. Some fluorocarbons just won't fit, whereas a thinner diameter leader like Seaguar Premier will splice just fine."
Like Spohrer, two-time Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk utilizes a leader-specific fluorocarbon line for bass fishing. He has several reasons for this, primarily the added strength and lure performance gains that he realizes with Seaguar Gold Label.
"It's much thinner, so 10 lb test Gold Label has the same diameter of many lines that are 6 or 8 lb test," he said. "You can get away with a much heavier line and not sacrifice anything. It's also very strong and ties knots well because it's so soft."
Choosing the right line, both braid and fluorocarbon leader, boils down to matching the conditions and what you are trying to do. Each situation can vary, but the proper line will give your lure or live bait the best performance, leading to more fish caught.