Leaders & Lines For Different Conditions

Lately I've been experimenting with several types & ways of employing fishing leaders by also adjusting line test. It all depends on the conditions & presentation. I'll delve a little more about the application below:

Clearwater but snaggy conditions

Let's assume you are fishing at some pristine, clear, clean freshwater wild pond. Naturally, such waters would have plenty of underwater grass & would snag easily. An example would be Snakehead fishing at ex-mining ponds at Batang Berjuntai where the bottom is mostly sand based. In such conditions, we have to expect the fishes would behave accordingly:

• A - Water is clear, fish could easily see our terminal tackles. To minimize chances of spooking fish, we'll need to employ clear, transparent & thin leaders in the range of between 15 to 20lb test. Line to use would be 15 to 20lb braid below 0.20mm thickness. Leader length should be more than 1m long.
• B - Since there are plenty of aquatic plants in the water, we'll also need to employ fairly tough leaders in the range of between 30 to 50lb test. Line to use should be above 30lb to have enough strength to pull lures out of snags.

Now, the two points above is contradictory. Point A is referring to the need for finesse which means thinner terminal tackles. Point B is the need for tough leader & lines which means thicker terminal tackles. How do we satisfy both requirements? The solution is actually quite simple.

• By employing 100% Fluorocarbon leaders, we could employ thicker leaders in the 20 to 30lb range without compromising toughness. FC leaders are much tougher & abrasion resistant compared to traditional monofilament leaders. Further advantage of FC leaders is they are also highly transparent & is almost 100% invisible in water making it harder for fish to see.
• The choice of mainline is naturally braid. Since braid is much thinner than monofilament. Braid can be as thin as 0.18mm for 20lb test line which is the same diameter as 6lb monofilament line. This satisfy the need for finesse & also gives the angler confidence fishing with stronger lines.

Brackish but snag free conditions

Assuming you are fishing at payponds or even wild ponds after a heavy downpour the night before. Water  turns murky & brackish. Fishes would behave more passively by employing their lateral lines to detect vibrations, sense of taste & touch more compared to using their eyes since visibility will be minimal. In fact, fishes would almost overload their senses other than seeing making it even tougher to catch them since they could detect terminal tackles before coming to contact with one. The waters around the fishing area is relatively snag free too. An example would be the ponds at Sukida Resort.

So how do we employ leader & line set up?  Assuming we are fishing for Tilapia.

• Use thin leaders as thin as 10lb mono. Find the thinnest brand/model. In such situations, you may not even need to employ leaders if you are fishing with thin monofilament lines.
• Make sure leader & line is fast sinking. Having the leader & line sink straight to the bottom will minimize chances of spooking fishes. Braided line may not be ideal as they float.

Inshore surf fishing brackish conditions

When we're fishing in the surf, the current & wind will easily twist lines & make a mess if the leader & lines are too limp. Most inshore locations in the Klang area are brackish and often muddy. Just like species in freshwater, the fishes employ their lateral lines to detect vibrations, use taste & smell to find their way around the waters here. What this means is the angler can't use overly thin lines as they would be too limp but on contrasts, not too thick as well so as not to spook the fishes. Assuming we are bottom fishing for Croakers & Snappers.

• Solution for such conditions would be to use 20lb mono as mainline. Coloration is entirely up to the angler but I always employ clear color as I do regular night fishing along the surf. Wild fishes having to forage for food & fend against predators would have very good eyesight as well as night vision.
• As for leader, I would employ at least 50lb mono so that it can withstand strong currents as well as the strength to handle heavy weight sinkers.

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