saltwater leaders

[Iglow]

I got some rolls of Zebco omnifex cheap mono from 50lb, 30lb,25,and 20 lb for tying some leaders plus some 17 lbs flourocarbon for tippet. Will that work? We've tied them with that stuff since the beginning of time for bream and bass fishing but I've never had a chance to catch a 20lb redfish on one. Is 50 too heavy? What's the lowest that will turn the flies over good?
I tied'em 36'' 50, 24" 30, 24" 20 and 36" 17 lb tippet with blood knot.

 

[Pilchard]

50 will turn over fine but it's overkill. Where are you fishing? If LA, you could run straight 50 and never spook a fish. If somewhere with more weary fish like Tampa Bay or Pine Island Sound, I would run 20lb flouro the whole way. Don't overthink it with redfish.... The fight is not long enough to justify some complex leader arrangement used in big game fishing like tarpon and pelagic species.

Also, I wouldn't use anything too cheap.... Buy a spool of Ande mono or flouro... No sense is missing the fish of a lifetime over a few $.

The key to your leader turning over generally has little to do with the type of leader and more to do with your technique. A clean double haul with tight loops will turn over a steel cable with a heavy fly.

Others will disagree.

 

[Rebel]

50 will turn over fine but it's overkill. Where are you fishing? If LA, you could run straight 50 and never spook a fish. If somewhere with more weary fish like Tampa Bay or Pine Island Sound, I would run 20lb flouro the whole way. Don't overthink it with redfish.... The fight is not long enough to justify some complex leader arrangement used in big game fishing like tarpon and pelagic species.

Also, I wouldn't use anything too cheap.... Buy a spool of Ande mono or flouro... No sense is missing the fish of a lifetime over a few $.

The key to your leader turning over generally has little to do with the type of leader and more to do with your technique. A clean double haul with tight loops will turn over a steel cable with a heavy fly.

Others will disagree.

I'm not disagreeing because I really don't know what's best. I've done fine with all sorts of mono and Fluorocarbon leaders from 20 - 50 pounds until I hook up with a spanish or King Mackerel. Their teeth are like razor blades. Reluctantly I have to tie on some wire leaders to keep from losing my lures.

 

[Pilchard]

I'm not disagreeing because I really don't know what's best. I've done fine with all sorts of mono and Fluorocarbon leaders from 20 - 50 pounds until I hook up with a spanish or King Mackerel. Their teeth are like razor blades. Reluctantly I have to tie on some wire leaders to keep from losing my lures.

It happens. Just have to get lucky to land a mackerel when fishing mono.

One trick to consider. Add a long shank j hook to your fly by hooking your main hook through the eye of the trailing hook If you are around mackerel. Strip the fly as fast as you can and you'll be lucky more often and catch them on the back hook.

 

[Soft Talker]

It happens. Just have to get lucky to land a mackerel when fishing mono.

One trick to consider. Add a long shank j hook to your fly by hooking your main hook through the eye of the trailing hook If you are around mackerel. Strip the fly as fast as you can and you'll be lucky more often and catch them on the back hook.

Turned a musky guy on to the old commercial Kingfish trick a few years ago. Incorporated the long "rigging" mustad into his streamer to hide. Caught quite of few of them damm toothy bast#rds doing this.

 

[Setterman]

You should be able to google leader recipes and find some pretty good ones. I'm lazy as hell and buy mine, add tippet and get after it. I don't fish over 20# in saltwater and will add knotable wire if targeting toothy stuff

 

[Pilchard]

I realized my original post on this thread could be misleading. When I said run 20lb the whole way, I meant there is no need for multiple knots. Run 6 feet of 30lb to 3ft of whatever you are going to attach to your hook and you'll be fine. The flies you are using are generally heavy enough to not need a fancy taper and unless you are sight fishing shallow spooky fish your leader doesn't need to be longer than 9ft.

Stretch your leader before casting and you'll be fine.

The only time I recognize a difference is tarpon fishing with a super long leader and a really light fly. The benefits of a more complex hand-tied taper make a difference in this scenario.

 

[7mm08]

Inshore:
Tapered leaders 8-10ft to 12-15# & then a 3 ft 20# fluoro tippet. Each knot represents a catch point for the darn oysters and a break as they are razor sharp. Keep knots to a minimum IMHO