Ocean Coho Leaders
- Thread starter Greggor
- Start date
15 lb Maxima UG here
Maxima UG is definitely stronger than the test rating. I was unable to break off a harbor seal with 12lb. Had to straight rod him in to be able to have someone cut the leader!
One would think it would be difficult to break with any kind of bend in the rod. Perhaps one would up-size to compensate for nicks, wind knots you don't remove during hot action, line entanglements with rocks or equipment?
One would think it would be difficult to break with any kind of bend in the rod. Perhaps one would up-size to compensate for nicks, wind knots you don't remove during hot action, line entanglements with rocks or equipment?
I fish 15 simply because that's what I've used for years and never had any reason to change.
I've fished 12 here and there and there really isn't much difference. Largest Salmon I've ever caught on a fly rod I was using 12. Ive also fished 20 and noticed no difference there either. 15 is just what I've always used and I'm a creature of habit.
Whether it's 12,15, 20 etc it's not like breaking off fish should be happening without some sort of other variable like a frayed section or something. That stuff is strong as hell and we aren't fishing for GTs here. We're not putting that much pressure on our leaders when fighting any of these fish.
I broke off a pink right at the end of the day yesterday using 15, but I was really putting the wood to it and I'd fished that same leader for a few trips in a row and it had caught many fish, made god knows how many casts, and had no doubt been frayed and worn.
As my manual dexterity wanes on cold beaches, I pre-tie leader w/fly rigs for loop to loop connections. Easy enough to change out.
However, I worry about mono aging(weakening) if I don't remember when I tied the rig. I've heard fluorocarbon does not age nearly as fast, and is abrasion resistant. This along with it being less visible to the fish. Hmm.
Hope to hear some fluoro advocates chime in.
However, I worry about mono aging(weakening) if I don't remember when I tied the rig. I've heard fluorocarbon does not age nearly as fast, and is abrasion resistant. This along with it being less visible to the fish. Hmm.
Hope to hear some fluoro advocates chime in.
I use flouro. I'll use just a straight piece or attach it as tippet material on a used leader.As my manual dexterity wanes on cold beaches, I pre-tie leader w/fly rigs for loop to loop connections. Easy enough to change out.
However, I worry about mono aging(weakening) if I don't remember when I tied the rig. I've heard fluorocarbon does not age nearly as fast, and is abrasion resistant. This along with it being less visible to the fish. Hmm.
Hope to hear some fluoro advocates chime in.
Seems to work fine. I use 16 or 20 for Coho.
Early season 15 lb Seaguar STS fluorocarbon. Still got snapped off by a king, but part of that was my fault. I’ll bump it up to 17 lb come mid month.
The fish aren’t leader shy, so use whatever leader material and lb test you’d prefer.
SF
The fish aren’t leader shy, so use whatever leader material and lb test you’d prefer.
SF
Blackdogfishing
Smolt
The salmon are not usually leader shy in the salt. For tippet I use 01x trout hunter fluorocarbon. I am used to using fluoro for all my other types of fishing. If I am fishing waiting period salmon I will use a lighter tippet. Those fish are weird so using a lighter tippet eliminates that variable as to why they might not bite.
Yeah, I should have noted in my previous post that the leaders are for actively feeding fish. Staging coho are a whole different animal….that can drive you crazy when they are in lock jaw mode and then decide to go on the bite for 10 minutes per day.
SF
If nylon leader material is properly stored (out of the sun; not in a bag or tote in your greenhouse effect car, and your rod and reels are left in your house when not in use and not in your gun rack) then I don't believe (no scientific data to back this up) your Maxima is going to degrade to any noticeable extent. If you have doubts then switch to flourocarbon that won't biodegrade in sunlight - some of the huge coils of flouro I find tangled in the brush lakeside is testament as to how flouro is around to stay.However, I worry about mono aging(weakening) if I don't remember when I tied the rig. I've heard fluorocarbon does not age nearly as fast, and is abrasion resistant. This along with it being less visible to the fish. Hmm.
For the nothing it's worth - I use Maxima on my deep water (freshwater) leaders, it's unbelievably strong and amazingly abrasion resistant; I can't say the same for some of the flouro I've used as I think it's easily broken with abraided or nicked.
I would bump it up. I lost some nice fish last September on 12# maxima UG. All or most were my fault to one degree or another (windknot, clamping down too hard on a hot fish, etc.), but I could have helped myself by increasing the margin for error. Been very happy with the 4'-6' chunks of 15# Seagur flouro I've been running this year. I'd be confident with 15 or 20# maxima too.
One thing that is worth doing is to check your loop knot from time to time over a day of fishing. I used to use 12 lb Ultragreen pretty much all the time and lost several really nice fish that snapped me off.
It wasn’t at the actual knot itself but on the loop where it meets the hook. That area of your leader takes a pretty good beating or wear over the course of a day from hook eye, if you ding the beach on your back cast etc.
I had caught several fish both times before the failure and had fished the same fly and leader all day. Lesson learned.
I started clipping the fly off and re-tying it again during the day of fishing.
SF
Good advice for sure, I've noticed over the last couple weeks of fishing if I'm getting tired, amped up on the action etc I'm definitely making some contact with the beach from time to time and need to check my setup. I'm having a little flare up of tendonitis in the forearm/elbow so taking a week off instead of attempting to push thru which I've done in the past and made it much worse. Older now days and trying to be a little smarter, we'll see if I can stay away from the beach or if I cave!
greenriver
Smolt
why UG vs Cameleon?
Yeah... I rarely lose flies on the beach, but I do lose fish to damaged hook points when I forget to check them after whacking the beach, a tree, a piling....
Barbell eyes usually end up twisted halfway around the shank before I'm done, no matter how much glue/UV resin/etc. I put on them while tying.
I lost a couple nice fish (resident coho?) to a dulled hook point yesterday. Too bad, since those were my only two bites. Pretty quiet in Area 13 yesterday, but a very nice morning for fishing. Maybe another week will get things cranking....
Barbell eyes usually end up twisted halfway around the shank before I'm done, no matter how much glue/UV resin/etc. I put on them while tying.
I lost a couple nice fish (resident coho?) to a dulled hook point yesterday. Too bad, since those were my only two bites. Pretty quiet in Area 13 yesterday, but a very nice morning for fishing. Maybe another week will get things cranking....
