# Shock Leader vs. Regular Leader



## nymickey

Greetings and Salutations !

I plan to fish off the beaches of West Palm Beach next week.

I have a 12 ft. surf road with 20 lb. test as the main line.

I am a newbie, and I've never used ANY leader ... always just tied everything to the main line.

I was told I need to " tie a leader knot like the Albright Knot or a Uni to Uni knot. This attaches the shock leader to the main line, then you put a short leader and a hook at the end. The sinker usually goes on a slide on the shock leader, or at the very end of your leader with hooks on dropper loops above it." 
So does that mean there are THREE lines when they say " then you put a short leader and a hook at the end " does that mean you are tying ANOTHER leader to the shock leader ?

So I'm still struggling with this whole concept of leaders and shock leaders. What is the difference?

Is there any way someone can provide a diagram or maybe list the order of how a set-up would go?

For example, main line - swivel - 50 pound monofilament. And then I guess all hooks, sinkers and tackle would be tied to the 50 pound monofilament ???


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## BLACK ADDER

NYMICKEY, 
As a fifty year plus heaver fisherman, would suggest you use shock line. 20lbtest good idea for mainline. I have used Albright and uni-uni knot, both of which have cost me big fish. My current knot is a loop of double line (maybe 18" tied with a spider hitch) on the main line, then tie in the shock line with a uni knot. Yes,, this gives you two knots at the join, but greatly strengthens the knot. Has never been a problem for me. Length of shock line should be from spool to tip of rod, then down to reel again. Tying these knots is pretty easy with a good free tutorial like SPIKE'S KNOTS, which is from Australia and has many good pictures. The terminal end of the shock line is tied to terminal tackle, of which I cannot comment as I don't know what you are fishing for.(If you have problems finding SPIKE'S KNOTS, GOOGLE up "Australian Braid".
Secondly, the MECCA of heaver fishing is Cape Hatteras...Try GOOGLE up Cape Hatteras Drum Fishing Rigs.

BA


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## Tommy

nymickey said:


> Greetings and Salutations !
> 
> I plan to fish off the beaches of West Palm Beach next week.
> 
> I have a 12 ft. surf road with 20 lb. test as the main line.
> 
> I am a newbie, and I've never used ANY leader ... always just tied everything to the main line.
> 
> I was told I need to " tie a leader knot like the Albright Knot or a Uni to Uni knot. This attaches the shock leader to the main line, then you put a short leader and a hook at the end. The sinker usually goes on a slide on the shock leader, or at the very end of your leader with hooks on dropper loops above it."
> So does that mean there are THREE lines when they say " then you put a short leader and a hook at the end " does that mean you are tying ANOTHER leader to the shock leader ?
> 
> So I'm still struggling with this whole concept of leaders and shock leaders. What is the difference?
> 
> Is there any way someone can provide a diagram or maybe list the order of how a set-up would go?
> 
> For example, main line - swivel - 50 pound monofilament. And then I guess all hooks, sinkers and tackle would be tied to the 50 pound monofilament ???


You have a running (main) line, usually 15-20 lb test. If you are powercasting (any type of hard cast) then please use a shock leader. The light running line can break under load and cause injury to those around you. The shockleader requirements are based on how much weight you are throwing. A rule of thumb is 10 lbs for every oz of weight. So a 4oz sinker would require 40 lb shock. There should be enough shockleader to give you a minimum of 8 wraps on the spool and with your sinker/rig in the cast ready position. At the end of your shockleader you tie on whatever terminal tackle rig you are fishing. Could be a two drop bottom rig or a fishfinder style sliding rig or whatever you prefer. 

Hope this helps

Tommy


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## Anchorite

Just to clarify, your main line will tie directly to your shock leader - no swivel needed. The double uni knot you mentioned accomplishes this, and I did use it starting out, but it is preferable to use a knot that is more low profile so it goes through your rod guides without catching on them (the same reason you definitely do not want to use a swivel attaching main line to shock leader). If you do attach a second leader (can call it a bite leader or terminal rig etc) that is where you would probably use a swivel to prevent line twist. Keep in mind you want only the shock leader to bear the forces of throwing your lead so be mindful that the lead is on the shock leader and not whatever lighter leader you attach after.

For example, I usually have 20 or 30lb braid on my main line with an FG knot to an 80lb monofilament shock leader. I have a sliding clip I attach the lead to and a swivel at the end of the shock leader that keeps the slider on the shock leader...can use a plastic bead between the slider and swivel if the slider can slip over the swivel. My terminal rig is usually 20 or 30lb flouro that I attach to the other end of the swivel. For double drop rigs I just replace the flouro with more 80lb mono to essentially extend the shock leader.

Main line --> FG knot --> shock leader ---> sliding lead clip --> uni knot to swivel --> uni knot to terminal rig


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## BarryB91

I have been fishing the surf for almost 40 years. Mostly Brigantine New Jersey. So I am not a newby. What I do not understand is why you use a mono shocker. The mono makes a bigger knot. I use 80 lb. braid as my shocker and 20 lb. as my running line. 
Just my opinion. 
Oh no idea of what knot I use. I will try to explain the knot I make a loop in the shocker and wrap the other line around the loop five times, then go through the hole I made and back through the new hole I just made. I have been NEVER had this knot fail.
Just passing this on


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## NH Paul

Some reasons I use mono is because it's thicker and less likely to cut a hand when pulling in a fish on the pier or beach. Also a braid that is thin but rated higher than the mono shockers others close by are using can cut through their lines, not a way to make friends.


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## BPReeds

reading up on this....most guys say you need the stretch of the mono on the cast....Braid doesn't stretch......I think it would depend on how aggressive your cast is.......I don't know....I do not like mono over 40#s on my reels....just too thick....the only knot I found that works is the blob knot.....Not usually recommended for surf casting...but I have never had a break off......I try to use a smooth cast.....


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## Cold_Beer839

Not good to use braid when fishing close to other fisherman. Braid will cut their lines if they are fishing with mono. Also mono is easier to untangle if you get afoul of somebody else's mono line. Use braid if you are out by yourself.


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## BPReeds

surf fishing with braid can be a real pain in the neck.....overall.....tangles are impossible to deal with.......I used braid for a few years, happy to switch over to mono......some really nice low memory mono available these days.....


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## js1172

I like the spider hitch to a Yucatan knot for a shock leader/main line connection
js


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## Tommy

One great thing about fishing, there is more than one way to do just about anything....

My opinion,

ALWAYS use a shock leader when powercasting (basically any cast that generates good distance). The safety factor outweighs the PITA factor tenfold. Rule of thumb is 10 lb test for every ounce of weight (total payload). For practical application, 50-60 lb test handles all I need, including 8nbait. Check leader OFTEN for abrasion and nicks and check your knots as well. I use mono shockleader for the following reasons; 1- gives a little stretch on a powercast, 2 - Good abrasion resistance, 3 - When you are landing a big fish and you get the leader several wraps on your spool, you can grab the leader without fear of getting braid cut....

You need a minimum of 8 turns of leader on spool when cast ready.

Tommy


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## BPReeds

good advice......your right.....we need to use them...like it or not...............


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## O'Shaughnessy

No swivel needed-- I tie a spider hitch in the main line (creating a double-line/loop) and a Tunks knot to the end of that with 80lb. shock (Tunks is in the white Ande monofilament book but I'm unsure of the page #). Never had any trouble with it. Slim beauty knot also works well. Plenty of videos online, let us know if you need help!


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## flathead

> One great thing about fishing, there is more than one way to do just about anything....


Exactly..........to each his own

Been fishing the sand and planks over 50 years..............I've used several different shock knots.............currently uni-uni............and tied properly and with the correct drag tension, have not had a knot fail.........The late Mike White of Hatteras Jacks taught a group of fellow fishermen his version of the slim beauty back in the '70s for 15# mainline to 40# shock for use with level wind reels and those guys caught big drum using that knot on 6500s for decades with no problem. I like the spider/double surgeons to a no name best.


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## surffshr

it depends on the weight you will be throwing. 2oz or less you don't really need a shock line unless what you are fishing for has alot of teeth. 3 or 4oz 30lb shock would work OK. more than that go at least 40lb shock but not more than 50lb unless you are fishing in a crowd then maybe 60lb.
unless you want to risk a serious hand cut don't use braid use mono.


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