# shock leaders



## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

Any place near garden city that u can buy pre made bite leaders with shock leaders?

hard to find material here in ohio and i dont trusrt mynot tieng ability;and if i tried to crimp am sure i would prolly cut line.


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## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

not sure where to buy one, but, tying one on using an albright knot is not as hard as you might think. its a pretty simple knot to tie after you try it a couple times. and you can find the mono you need for it just about anywhere around here.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Shock/Bite Leaders*



c0ch3s3 said:


> not sure where to buy one, but, tying one on using an albright knot is not as hard as you might think. its a pretty simple knot to tie after you try it a couple times. and you can find the mono you need for it just about anywhere around here.


I never bought one, so can't really comment. I buy bulk monofilament and make my own. It's not hard to do. JMHO C2


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

What size bite leader? Are you after sharks? For your shock leader just go to Walmart or anywhere really and get a 1/4 lb spool of 50 lb clear Berkley Big Game for under 9 bucks. Practice practice practice til you get your knots right.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*practise*

therein lies the problem. Practise knot. lose fish . practise again. lose another . ONlly have one week so trying to improve the learning curve.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Wait til you're not busy, tie a knot, test it, cut it, tie a knot, test it, cut it, tie a knot, test it, cut it, tie a knot....ect.


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## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

Here is how to beat the learning curve. Are you fishing with a Spin caster or a bait cater.
If your fishing with a Bait caster Who needs a shock leader. Bah just tie on your rig and go to town. If a Spin caster change to braid, much stronger line for the same diamiter. Tie on your rig and go to town.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*leaders*

Yes am using power pro 30 lb. Wih spincaster.
few years ago lost at least 5 good hookups even with steel leaders.
so trying to improve catch ratio.


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## TimKan7719 (Apr 4, 2008)

Are you fishing for sharks? I use braid on my spin caster and I think i have 50lb power pro but only thing that has broke me off was sharks. What kind of knot do you use when attaching things it could be knot slippage Braid is a know for slipping with some knots.
Tight lines,
Tim


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*knot*

use double palomar
caught a couple decent sharks and a few blues during this time
at least one that i lost must have been a spinner shark i think cause 
it came out of water spinning like crazy


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## HStew (Jan 8, 2009)

july/august issue of "..... ......." THE MAGAZINE OF SALTWATER FISHING on the cover in real big letters right beside the photo of a jumping Dorado it says...BEST KNOTS ..44 tested top braid to mono connections ,step by step illustrations ..21 pros' knot picks & tying tips.


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## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

Google Fishing Knots 100's of how to . Also You tube.

That's the 1st thing you need to learn. Can't fish if you can't tie knots.

If your tying braid directly to mono the best knot is a Uni-to Uni 

If using a barrel swivel tie the braid to the swivel using a Polomar,Clinch knots have been known to slip.

A Clinch knot is fine if tying to mono.

There are many knots to choose from. All have there purpose.

It's a good idea to learn how to tie them all.


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## jhammon30 (May 3, 2010)

Albright knot always works for me...i use it to attach my shark rigs to my main line.


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## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

steveo said:


> therein lies the problem. Practise knot. lose fish . practise again. lose another . ONlly have one week so trying to improve the learning curve.


practice tying the albright knot at your house. once you tie it right, and actually pull on it a few times to test the strength, its not (no pun intended) going to slip, fish or no fish. i just dont think that anyone sells exactaly what you are looking for around here.


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## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

....and even if someone sells a bite leader with a shock leader attached to it already, you still have to attach it to your main line somehow, right? albright knot.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*leaders*

ok. was thinking shock leader would have swivel on end and mainline would have snap swivel on end. If not how do u make them up ahead of time?
I guess you would have to tie shock to mainline each time?


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

steveo said:


> ok. was thinking shock leader would have swivel on end and mainline would have snap swivel on end. If not how do u make them up ahead of time?
> I guess you would have to tie shock to mainline each time?


A shock leader goes from your spool, up your rod, down to the bottom guide give or take, with a few wraps on the spool. If you tried to cast it with a swivel you'd bust out your guides on the first cast. Shock leaders are to absorb the shock from throwing heavy payloads so you don't snap the lead off and send it flying and kill a tourist. 

You tie your main line to your shock leader with a knot, then tie your rig to the other end of your shock leader.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*leader*

ok i thouhgt if u had a ten foot pole u used a four foot leader and let that hang out of tip
so knot goes thru guides. thanks


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## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

Don't get confussed with a shock leader & a Bite leader. 

A shock leader usually is fishing with heavier weights & wraps around your spool a few times if using braid. 

A bite leader is 3 or 4' depending on the size of your rod.

If your tying mono to braid a uni to uni or an albright knot will work

If using a swivel tie the swivel to your braid using a Polomar Knot & the other end of your barrel swivel where your going to attatch the mono bite leader use a clinch Knot.

You never want to use a Clinch knot with braid it will slip almost every time. On the end of your leader you then can tie on a snap swivel.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

steveo said:


> ok i thouhgt if u had a ten foot pole u used a four foot leader and let that hang out of tip
> so knot goes thru guides. thanks


Nope, cause that'd defeat the whole purpose of the leader absorbing the shock (it'd just snap at the knot every time).


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*knots*

thanks for all the advice. tried albright with shoestrings and no problem. 
tried with 50 lbl test to braid..uhhh. all i can say is bricklayers fingers lol. will keep trying but actually have never broken off rig on backcast. guess that means i am not loading rod enough?


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## Flytyingguy1 (Sep 8, 2009)

steveo said:


> thanks for all the advice. tried albright with shoestrings and no problem.
> tried with 50 lbl test to braid..uhhh. all i can say is bricklayers fingers lol. will keep trying but actually have never broken off rig on backcast. guess that means i am not loading rod enough?


LOL the larger lb mono the thicker it is. No one ever said you can't use a needle nose pliers to pull the tab down tight! IMO the Uni-2-Uni is a better knot & it also won the best knot on Knot wars!


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## clinder (Mar 2, 2005)

ive seen and used up to 50yrds for shock leader to start with as it gets fread just cut a few yards off and keep goin.jmo though. especially on a 10 plus ft. rod.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

steveo said:


> thanks for all the advice. tried albright with shoestrings and no problem.
> tried with 50 lbl test to braid..uhhh. all i can say is bricklayers fingers lol. will keep trying but actually have never broken off rig on backcast. guess that means i am not loading rod enough?


What kind of weights are you throwing and what size running line? I can throw 3 and 4 oz bottom rigs on 14 lb test which given the general rule 10 lbs line strength/oz of lead would have me using a shock leader, which I don't, and I never snap off. It's all on how hard you cast. 

I'm not a fan of the albright. Give the uni-uni a shot, it's pretty simple and strong. Good knot to know.


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## steveo (Jan 9, 2009)

*knot*

ok will try uni to uni


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