# shock leader???



## ddratler (Oct 14, 2007)

i see many people talking about shock leaders for distance casting and have a couple of Qs

what is the purpose of a shock leader?
what pound line should it be?
and how long should it be?


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Purpose: So you dont crack off and kill someone with an errant 6oz sinker flying at 200mph ( I have seen one go into a car door.)

Lb Test: As a general rule 10lb test per oz of lead, I.E. 6oz=60lb test...etc

Length: Assuming you have a 12' rod and a conventional reel,your shock leader needs to be at least 27'. The longer the rod the longer the leader. General rule is 2 X the rod length plus 3'.


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## curtisb (Jul 21, 2004)

The way I do it is for fishing 5 times around the spool then the length of the rod. For Tournament casting I go 8 times around the spool then back down the length of the rod. The 10 x the weight of the sinker is the common rule for shock leaders.

CB


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

Make sure it's mono. Don't let anyone talk you into using braid. Braid has no stretch and defeats the purpose.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

5-8oz you can get away with using 50lb mono. for fishing
for tourney power casting maybe at least 60lb +

get a quality brand tho. dont get some cheapy southbend or eagleclaw stuff for 1$

sufix cajun BBG.. all good.


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

bigedd,got to disagree.braid shocker on braid running line is perfectly acceptable for casting.been doing it that way for years with no problem.


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## Justfshn (Nov 22, 2007)

i have a question, does the shock leader serve for any purpose other than not breaking your line off when casting? say your using 4 or 5 oz wieght wouldnt it be better just to have the whole line spooled with 40-50 lb line rather than a few feet of it tied with a knot that may fail?


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## N topsail fisher (Feb 13, 2005)

Tying on just the shock leader instead of filling the entire spool with the larger line allows for longer casts.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

with a correctly tied knot. you get about the main lines rated strength, plus some.


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

sgt.bunghole,i have some conventional reels spooled with 40-65 b p/p.on them i don't use a shocker.
light running line with shocker on my spinners is mainly for distance and more line capacity.


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

The shock leader also serves a second purpose in fishing situations. From the beach the shocker won't break off if run over a bar or over rocks by a running fish. If you're on a pier a heavy shocker can be a big help if the fish wraps a pylon or needs to be hand-lined up to the deck.

And having your whole reel spooled with 40 or 50# test mono will dramatically reduce your casting distance. With braid line you won't have that problem but braid is not allowed in tournament casting.


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

fish bucket said:


> bigedd,got to disagree.braid shocker on braid running line is perfectly acceptable for casting.been doing it that way for years with no problem.


Totally agree with FB. looking back at posts on this forum and FSF, I've been promoting 65# or 80# Power pro for my shock leaders for several years. It makes a real small knot when married up to 17# Sufix. When leadering a larger fish or ray, just loop your slime rag around your hand and grip the leader such that it is not wrapped around your hand and you can release cleanly if needed. Similar to wiring a billfish. Note: I only surf fish; no piers, so would not recommend using braid as a shocker for reels on piers. Maybe others who pursue fish from piers would feel otherwise.


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

Sealevel we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Beat the issue to death on this thread awhile back: http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44039&highlight=shock+leader&page=4

Two big reasons: Foremost, if putting some umph behind my cast and for some reason the line tangles with braid and your rod tip the braid will probably win everytime. With 50# mono you've probably got a better shot at not breaking the tip of an expensive rod (relative to individual wallets). 

Secondly, handling a fish with braid even with a rag of some kind, if you lose control of the fish you could easily get a nasty cut.

I think sometimes we tend to go too far in improving our fishing when sometime well enough is good enough. I've not had a break-off with 50# mono, to me that's good enough.

Tight lines!:fishing:


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

BigEd, we've disagreed on many things and you may think that I am saying this just to piss you off . . . but I use braid "casting leader" for all my surf reels . . . you can ask any of the guys I fish with.

I run 20 lb. braid main line to a 65 lb or 80 lb casting leader which is then attached to my rig. I feel as though it loads better and I can get out to the fish when I need to. I know this has been beaten to death, but this is just what I do . . . 

Traditionally, everyone uses mono 10x the lead their throwin'. 

P.S. I use nothing but the swinging double axe handle chop cast and there is 0 possibility it can go "down the beach" hitting anybody in the noggin'.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

it that braid snarls a knot on your striper guide. say bye bye to your rods tip. or the entire top half in my case.

with enough force. the braid will yank the tip right off the butt.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Not if you use lowrider guides.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

ya but not everyone has like 120$ for guides.

i can get a factory rod with new concept alconites for that money.

this only happens with braid BTW.

cause with mono. itll just snap the mainline at the knot. and everything is fine.

all you lose is 20' leader , HSnB

not half your rod.


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## obxflea (Dec 15, 2007)

*Damn Yankees*

only yall yankees use *bad-word* power pro.... I use all mono on my heavers, or drum rod.. Not sure what yall yankees call it.. Please dont take this the wrong way, but if you use PP as a shock leader you are No Name calling... If you use pp on a conventional reel for drum, cobia, stripers, you are No Name calling... Mono is the only way to go, quit tryin to make a wheel round... *No name calling.. I fish with the best surf fishermen in the world, no power pro in sight..


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

*Play nice*
i've never seen you on my beach,so how can you fish with the best when they're all in nj?


i noticed that this is your 1st post so i'm hoping that it was all in jest.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

obxflea said:


> only yall yankees use power pro.... I use all mono on my heavers, or drum rod.. Not sure what yall yankees call it.. Please dont take this the wrong way, but if you use PP as a shock leader you are xxx... If you use pp on a conventional reel for drum, cobia, stripers, you are xxx... Mono is the only way to go, quit tryin to make a wheel round... Dxxx.. I fish with the best surf fishermen in the world, no power pro in sight..



In all the yrs I've fished,I learned one thing about equipment and techniques "never say never" unless ya want to miss the boat... Always open to new and better ideas,even at "middleagestatus"... I've tried it and don't like the way braid works in a stiff current baitfishing,or with conventional surf gear. That's just me though,many think it's great. I have no problem with what someone else uses or thinks is better,unless it ends up wrapped around my chit at night...  

PS I've fished with the best of the best,and I'm from down south as well..They ain't ALL from down south,there's a few that slip in from above the border as well.. 

Just my 2cents worth...


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

whoops.didn't see smiley face.you had me going.


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## rob762 (Oct 22, 2007)

I tried a PP shock leader yesterday on my anchor rod. Worked great, until....

I got frustrated with my live bait (kept swimming back to the pier) and decided to put him out on the bottom. Took off float, etc, ready, set cast....sssssssnnnnnnnnnaaaaaapppppp!!!

dumb dumb here, forgot to increase the spool tension a bit to account for the weight of the bait (remember, this was my anchor rod). PP shocker backlashed (yep, 20' can backlash) and off flew the rig and all. Amazing cast though, went a long way without having the line attached. ;-) 

Back to mono for next week....


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## Sea Level (Nov 20, 2005)

barty b said:


> Not if you use lowrider guides.


And not if you are paying attention to what you are doing!


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

Sea Level said:


> I only surf fish; no piers, so would not recommend using braid as a shocker for reels on piers. Maybe others who pursue fish from piers would feel otherwise.


On the piers, we will use 40' or so of a braid top shot. I wouldn't call it a shock leader or a casting leader because we use it on our fighting rods for kings that we don't cast. We will use 80-100lb test. That is just so that we have a chance if he gets an extra boost of energy at the pilings, you don't ALWAYS have them as tired as you thought.  On rods that I cast from the pier, for say a free trolley, I will usually use a mono shocker if I am going to put anything into the cast. There is a debate over whether the snap swivel on the leader has a tendency to catch the shock knot breaking the line. But that is another thread all together.


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## outfishin28 (Jul 15, 2005)

it also allows you to load the rod harder when when the cast initially starts. It also gives you a little stronger line to hold on to if you have to pull a nasty critter up on the beach. Oh and if you are like me and tend to blow up 3 out of 10 casts, it gives you plenty of time to practice tying your bimini twist or spiderhitch to a no-name knot. practice makes perfect.


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## terpfan (May 30, 2002)

obxflea said:


> I fish with the best surf fishermen in the world, no power pro in sight..


just because you fish on the best surf fishing water does not make you the best surf fishermen.  just because your water produce bigger fish does not make you better fisherman than your neighbor up north.


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

FNC not at all. The bottom line is we share ideas and ultimately use what works for us as individuals. 

It helps to explain our reasoning - why do we do something.

As far as paying attention to what we do - no one is perfect. We all make mistakes especially when the bite is on. I believe braid would make a mistake more costly to our gear our ourselves. JMO:fishing:


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## toejam (Jan 28, 2005)

The reason I don't use braid shock leaders is because I have had them "sawed off" by the surf action rubbing it againest the sand&shells while fishing just over the bar. Its resistence to abrasion is just too low. After you learn to tie good SL knots, mono SL's are no problem. But Braid is great for backing reels and casting lures.


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## nomadfl (Jan 7, 2007)

toejam said:


> The reason I don't use braid shock leaders is because I have had them "sawed off" by the surf action rubbing it againest the sand&shells while fishing just over the bar. Its resistence to abrasion is just too low. After you learn to tie good SL knots, mono SL's are no problem. But Braid is great for backing reels and casting lures.


I will agree totally with TJ on that subject....braid has it's place, and one of them is not a shockleader.


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## Centralpafish (Jul 5, 2007)

What about using florocarbon for a shock leader. The Ande 50# is soft, supple for knot tying and it is tough line on rocks, bars. PRICEY, but it is a good option for a shocker.
Just my .02, Philly Jack


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## nomadfl (Jan 7, 2007)

Philly Jack said:


> What about using florocarbon for a shock leader. The Ande 50# is soft, supple for knot tying and it is tough line on rocks, bars. PRICEY, but it is a good option for a shocker.
> Just my .02, Philly Jack


Phill Jack, about shock leaders ...don't go fancy, don't go expensive....keep it simple, just use 50lb, or 60lb. Striker ,or Andes if you are shooting lead uner 6 ozes. Any decent mono will do, use the same for your main rigs and droppers also ...Just KISS ....keep it simple sam opcorn:


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

just use any 50lb 60lb that wont get brittle too quickly.

ande bbg sufix cajun all very good.


DONT get LEADER MATERIAL. thats for hooks and trace. 50lb LEADER is wayyyy thicker then 50lb running line mono.

use 50lb running mono


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## toejam (Jan 28, 2005)

ooeric said:


> just use any 50lb 60lb that wont get brittle too quickly.
> 
> ande bbg sufix cajun all very good.
> 
> ...


You should be changing you SL often enough that becoming brittle should not be a worry whatever line you re use.... while I have been accused of over kill on this ( I don't like to fish over 8 hours on my SL's) there is alot of stress on a SL and its connection knot and tying on a new one is no big deal...... just one less thing to worry about when that 70 lb bull hooks up!


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## ddratler (Oct 14, 2007)

what knot do iuse to tye the shock leader on to my main line


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

I use an albright.


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## obxflea (Dec 15, 2007)

*shock knot*

I use an aussie braid to a nail, uni or a noname. in a hurry a spider hitch cannot be beat.. The only reason i use the aussie is i am extremely confident it will not break. All single line to single line knots are inferior. JMO.


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## mud (Sep 23, 2007)

Ande's backcountry is all I use for my shockers....Good stuffs


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

ANother thing about flouro for shock leaders is once it gets a nick in it, it's very prone to break. At least that's what I found when using Seaguar. I used to use 80 lb flouro as a leader/shocker for cobia when I had my boat. That stuff would get a nick or small cut and I broke it a couple times on my own testing it by hand. Regular 50-80 lb mono is good. I was a big fan of the Sufix Tri leader material, but I think it's junk now. Once it gets old, it gets VERY brittle. I'm back to Berkley Big Game mono. Works very well.


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## OBX Jay (Sep 3, 2007)

SGT.Bunghole said:


> i have a question, does the shock leader serve for any purpose other than not breaking your line off when casting? say your using 4 or 5 oz wieght wouldnt it be better just to have the whole line spooled with 40-50 lb line rather than a few feet of it tied with a knot that may fail?


One thing I haven't seen pointed out is: Your lighter running line, say 17# mono, has a much smaller diameter than 50# mono. That translates into MUCH less affect from current, wave action, weed/grass, etc. The SL provides the other benifits. 

The biggest thing I've learned about SL's is learn to tie a good quality knot that will pass through the guides without catching and ..... SNAP.

Good luck:beer:


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## wolfgang (Nov 7, 2007)

ooeric said:


> DONT get LEADER MATERIAL. thats for hooks and trace. 50lb LEADER is wayyyy thicker then 50lb running line mono.
> 
> use 50lb running mono


Is this pretty much a given? Or do some folks actually use leader material for shock leaders?


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

no no. 
just clarifying that box or small spools of leader material.. that is usually used for hooks or for windon leaders on a boat.

its pretty much a given.

the rate you change shock leaders after trip or ever few.

you cant afford to only buy 50yard spools of leader material.

you buy 1/4lb spools of 50mono.
where you get about 250-300 yards.

thick is no good when the knot rockets off your reel and thru the guides.

the knot will hit them harder then you getting kicked in the nutz by a pissed off woman.

the shocker's tag end clips the guide. gets snagged. say bye bye to your bait. say hi hi to a birdnest.


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## wolfgang (Nov 7, 2007)

ooeric said:


> the rate you change shock leaders after trip or ever few.
> 
> you cant afford to only buy 50yard spools of leader material.
> 
> ...


So it's not just the cost factor?...the leader material is actually too thick for use as a shock leader?

So the leader material should only be used for stuff like the short section between the hook and the barrel swivel on a fish finder/cannonball rig?


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Cost factor, suppleness, smoothness, availability all play a part. Use what's available to you, feels soft to you and is what you're willing to pay. A good monofilament line such as Ande Premium, Berkley Big Game or Sufix Superior will suffice for shock leaders. I've used all three (in the quarter pound spools) and have been satisfied. 

The key is to frequently inspect your shock leader, and retie the running line to shock leader knot as necessary. I typically change out shock leaders every 8-10 hours of fishing, or after every trip whichever happens first. If you feel the shock leader nicked up, or if the knot looks worn, retie.

Don't overthink it. Get some Big Game (quarter-pound spools, around $8) from Wally World in the appropriate strength (10lbs per ounce thrown), tie it up and go fishing.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

wolfgang said:


> So it's not just the cost factor?...the leader material is actually too thick for use as a shock leader?
> 
> So the leader material should only be used for stuff like the short section between the hook and the barrel swivel on a fish finder/cannonball rig?


yup. leader material should be kept simple. 

for hooks , traces, and rigs.

or if your fishing from a boat with boat reels.

other then that. on the surf. 50lb mono like berkeley big game clear. will handle anything.

you can try the BBG clear first and see if you like it.

alot of users also use it as a shocker. its round. smooth. and very durable.
i can bite it with my teeth. itll leave a mark. but wont break.
its cheap too. cheapest ive seen 50lb is about 6$ for a 1/4lb spool.


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## wolfgang (Nov 7, 2007)

ooeric said:


> yup. leader material should be kept simple.
> 
> for hooks , traces, and rigs.
> 
> ...


So what do you recommend to use for assembling fish-finder/cannonball rigs? Is there a particluar leader material that you prefer?


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

14-20lb main line > 
50lb shocker > 
(optional :: 4-5' 80-100lb mono ) you can get away with skipping this step and tying shocker straight to swivel on fishfinder) (for a cannonball, i would recommend this step) >
sinker snap >
swivel >
bead >
hook with 1-2" trace.


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

I totally agree on the good quality knot. I've been tying my SL knots the night before a trip, when I can sit and take my time tying it.

I've also learned it needs to be changed at least every outing. And for that reason the next time I buy 50lb its gonna be a 1/2lb or 1lb spool. I got a 1/4 spool a couple months ago and now I can see the end of it. I think the bigger spool would last all year and be cheaper per yard.

I lose fewer rigs and sinkers with a SL. I remember thinking I could get by with 2 or 3 oz on 14# mono. Not. Occassionally it would snap right off.


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