# gotcha plugs for blue fish, leader?



## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

all my life, i have been taught to use a wire leader. no matter what. for blue fish. 

It seems to make common sense... since... well... THEY HAVE TEETH. 

now, i do use a shock leader 15lb mono to 50lb mono. Still i will not take anybodys word for it. That a blue fish, cannot bite through 50lb mono. that is the most bull crap i ever heard. They will snip that crap right off.

Even when i go to the tackle shops nearby my fishing spot, i asked them. My online forum guys tell me to use 80 mono or fluoro? and they all say, nope. a blue fish will bite that right off. just cut it right off. 

Idk what fluoro even is, but if it ain't wire. i don't trust it when it comes to fish with teeth. No way. doesn't make logical sense, common sense, or critical reasoning, or comprehensive thinking, or conclusive thinking. It just doesn't. 

So i tried a wire leader with a barrell swivel and snap lock thingy. But idk if it can give the same movement to the gotcha plug as regular line?


what do you guys think? maybe i was jigging it wrong, i was a pier. 

Also i fish mostly at night... so i bought the glow in the dark ones LOL. that could be why as well...


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## Surfmantom (Jun 6, 2012)

Use mono, you may get cut off every now and then but you can catch Spanish mackerel and other leader shy fish. Just use 50lb mono leader. Or 80 if you want.


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## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

^ yea... but i don't want to get cut off... is there another solution?

do you think wire leader makes that much difference?

there are no spanish mackerel from where i fish, and that is not in intended species. 

Also i fish at night. they don't see jack. And blue fish... probably don't care.


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## hugehail (May 25, 2013)

Wire leader cuts down on the lure action. 40lb fluoro is great for Spanish with loop knots instead of metal clips.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

KevinImX0 said:


> ^ yea... but i don't want to get cut off... is there another solution?
> 
> do you think wire leader makes that much difference?
> 
> ...


 What size are these bluefish,up to say 2lbs? If so,mono should do fine as long as you check it after a fish hits it to make sure it's not frapped up badly... You'll get a better action,and if you pay attention should be able to save your plug from getting cut off.. I've fished a gotcha all day on the pier and hauled in bluefish most of that day with the same plug,changed out leader a few times but it did the job without loosing the plug..
If you insist that bluefish are going to cut you off,use some VERY LIGHT coffee colored wire,say 30lb.. Tie it straight to mono,by haybailing to lure,then making a u turn bend in the wire,and tie it to your mono with an Albright.. I have used this and it will give the good side to side action that a gotcha should give,and you can catch bluefish to your hearts content without getting cut off.. Course it can kink and break if you do not pay attention and change it out when needed as well...


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## CJS (Oct 2, 2006)

I use 20-40 lb fluoro and retie when necessary but a short single strand leader probably won't cost you many bites, especially fishing at night. I have used a short wire leader when I get tired of getting cut off, but when the second spanish is caught and I haven't gotten bit, I am going back to 30lb fluoro.

When I hear people talk about wire leaders, I think black coated wire with big barrel swivels and snaps. I have a hard time beleiving that a spanish could look at one of those without shying away.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

If these are blues under five pounds, I'd stick to using 30# flourocarbon. You will occasionally lose a lure here and there, but as long as you're diligent about checking the leader after each fish you'll be fine. You may save a plug or two by using wire, but you'll loose lots of fish because the action of the lure isn't as good as with flouro or mono.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

I use a 20 piece of leader material some like to use a trace of wire but I think that the wire hinders the action of the Gotcha plug. Most of the time a blue will bite the tail hook on the plug like biting the tail off of a fish enabling it to swim so I don’t worry to much about loosing a plug using this theory,


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

sand flea said:


> If these are blues under five pounds, I'd stick to using 30# flourocarbon. You will occasionally lose a lure here and there, but as long as you're diligent about checking the leader after each fish you'll be fine. You may save a plug or two by using wire, but you'll loose lots of fish because the action of the lure isn't as good as with flouro or mono.


30# flouro is all I use and like said here check it often and you will be ok.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

I use 20lb mono/fluro for spanish, 30 for spanish/blues, and 50 for just blues


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

30# mono, cheap stuff, ain't no way imtossing flouro a t blues.as for cut offs, expect to lose anything you throw in the ocean


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## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

alright guys, thanks. well since i already use a 50lb mono shock leader. looks like im good for now, we shall see how my next trip goes...


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

KevinImX0 said:


> alright guys, thanks. well since i already use a 50lb mono shock leader. looks like im good for now, we shall see how my next trip goes...


There is no way you need a 50 lb shock leader with 15 lb mono main line. You're throwing at most a 2 oz max plug, usually 1 oz, not power casting 4-8 oz of lead.


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## pierfisher9678 (Jun 12, 2009)

haha darn did u say 15 to 50 wow..i think that's a little over kill for what u are trying to catch


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

hugehail said:


> Wire leader cuts down on the lure action. 40lb fluoro is great for Spanish with loop knots instead of metal clips.


This also. A loop knot will let the plug swing free and give it better action. If you tie it off directly with a uni or cinch knot it will make the lure swim funny.


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## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

SmoothLures said:


> There is no way you need a 50 lb shock leader with 15 lb mono main line. You're throwing at most a 2 oz max plug, usually 1 oz, not power casting 4-8 oz of lead.


well im trying to prevent cut offs... soooo and since i already set up all my rods with a 15 to 50 shock leader... its fine. unless such thick mono would hinder the lures movement???


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## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

pierfisher9678 said:


> haha darn did u say 15 to 50 wow..i think that's a little over kill for what u are trying to catch


its for casting, 4oz. 10lb per oz. well thats what they say here...


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## KevinImX0 (Dec 25, 2011)

NC KingFisher said:


> I use 20lb mono/fluro for spanish, 30 for spanish/blues, and 50 for just blues


He uses 50.....


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

pierfisher9678 said:


> haha darn did u say 15 to 50 wow..i think that's a little over kill for what u are trying to catch


Not when you don't want to use wire. I use 30 fluro or 50 mono as got-cha plug leaders and retie at any sign of abrasion.


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## CJS (Oct 2, 2006)

A true shock leader with a gotcha plug is overkill. If you shorten your leader so that the knot does not have to run through the guides you will gain casting distance and get better action from the lure.

When you are creating a lot of power with long rods and heavy (3 oz plus) plugs, you may need the protection of a shock leader when using mono running line (vs heavy braid) but I don't think it is necessary with a gotcha. 

No need for heavy tackle with gotcha plugs, small blues and spanish are a lot of fun on LM bass tackle.


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## kayak456 (Jun 5, 2012)

i use a 6 6 medium rod with a 2000 or 3000 size reel and 10 pound braid. then 2 feet of 30 pound leader straight to the braid, and a loop knot to the gotcha. have a shockleader is stupid because he will be cutting you off at the plug, not 15 feet from it. no one use a shock leader for pluggin and you will look silly if you do


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## GC Since73 (Jun 3, 2012)

I use the same thing you do, kayak 456, except with a 7' medium rod. I have caught plenty of blues with a wire leader but I have had a couple of occasions at Johnny Mercer Pier (very clear water), where the blues didn't want to hit my gotcha with a wire leader. Switched to mono with loop knot and immediately started catching fish. Even picked up some undersized trout last time. Only time I really have felt the need for wire with blues was the big Hatteras blues at Nags Head back when they used to blitz the pier. They didn't care what you threw.


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## bloodworm (Jan 5, 2007)

Your not gonna get any where w a shock leader and a gotcha try a 50 or 80lb mono leader at 12 18 inches long and you'll be fine


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

KevinImX0 said:


> He uses 50.....


yeah ,but he's just talking about the bite leader.50 as a shock on a small-med spinning reel sounds like a nightmare of coils waiting to happen.when working the jig you incorporate a bit of slack line into the process,thus giving that stiff 50 a chance to wrap itself and cause a "wind knot".i run 12# main line mono to 30#bite leader,i attach with a snap swivel for easy change outs,use a king sling knot when i got time to tie,when they're hitting fast and you gotta tie on quick ,i use a uni-knot


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