Shock Leader... Yes or No?

Member Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Teesside

Hi

I am really new to all of this so all advice welcome.
I will be using 18lb line with a 3oz weight, this will be my max due to my illness. I have been told that as I will be using a small weight there will be no need to add a leader to my line.

I will be beachcasting mainly and I will try to avoid areas that are busy until my confidence grows. I would also like to pier fish and think that is where my problems might start.

Thanks for your comments. Dave... happy

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:25 pm

Hi mate, Although you are using only a 3oz weight personally I would still use a shock leader, a length of 30 or 40 line would suffice.

The rule of thumb is normally 10lb line to every oz of weight IE 5oz = 50lb shock leader.
Cheers
Keith big grin

Member Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Teesside

rabbi2 wrote:

Hi mate, Although you are using only a 3oz weight personally I would still use a shock leader, a length of 30 or 40 line would suffice.

The rule of thum is normall 10lb line to every oz of weight ie 5oz = 50lb shockleader.
Cheers
keith big grin

Thanks Keith.

Appreciated.

Regards Dave..

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 3:19 pm

the 10lb per ounce 'rule' is for people built like brick outhouses doing full blooded pendulum casts.... you mention illness so I imagine you don't fit in to that class....if you are using 3oz I guess you are not using a stiff distance rod.
I use 3oz weights on 18lb leaders with bass rods and it's fine, completely safe.....never had a snap off yet..... and if I did it would head off safely seaward and not dangerously up the beach like it does when morons pendulum cast on crowded beaches.

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:01 pm

I agree with Haddock, I use 20lb line and never had a problem with 3 oz sinker even though I do OTG casting which is fairly powerful. If I am going to 4 or 5 oz though I do use a 50 lb shocker.

Member Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Teesside

Hi Everyone

My thanks to all of you, I am so pleased to have found this site, response to my messages has been 100% . I hope to get started very soon. I am really looking forward to getting out and about.

MY THANKS TO YOU ALL.

Regards Dave...

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:14 pm

Just to add if fishing off a peir a big cast does not help as fish hunt and take cover from the peir.You would be casting away from most fish so may be just my opion but no leader there.Hope that helps.

CHEERS

DAZ

Member Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Teesside

Thanks Wannacatch.. Appreciated.. Dave

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:01 am

imho,its always better to be safe than sorry.so just use a minimum of 50lb shock just to be on the safe side,it only takes one crackoff to really hurt somebody sad

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:08 am

the leader isnt just there to act as a shock absorber. it will also help out with any rocks around that will damage your line. 18lb line pulled in over a few rocks will quickly become 10lb and then lower again and could see it fly off. the leader will help out with abrasion and keep your casts safer. better safe than sorry. on my bass rod i use 10lb line with 30lb leader with 3oz leads. im only casting 30-40 yards max so the 10lb would probably be ok but any rubbing off a rock will wreck it. the 30lb leader is purely for abrasion on this set up.
better safe than sorry, not only with peoples safety in mind, but also with the chance of loosing a fish of a lifetime.

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:15 am

who was talking about rocks ? scuffed and abraded leader is just as dangerous as scuffed and abraded mainline.... probably more so because of the false confidence in it.
add a leader, add another knot which is always a point of weakness.
If a cast of 40 yards with 3oz needs a shock leader then someone is doing something wrong....... for those distances a stronger line straight through would be easier.

Member Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 14 Location: Teesside

Hi

Again my thanks to all replies, I am amazed at the response and the very useful answers I have recieved.

Kind Regards
Dave happy

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 12:14 pm

tensenervoushaddock wrote:

who was talking about rocks ? scuffed and abraded leader is just as dangerous as scuffed and abraded mainline....

the guy is obviously new to fishing so wont have a proper idea of the ground he is casting over. even clean beaches can have the odd rock that will damage the mainline.

the point i was trying to make is that if he gets a scuffed mainline it will deteriorate down to a very low breaking strain, with a leader on, any scuff will probably still keep the leader stronger than the mainline, if not it will be well noticable.
and a well tied knot isnt as much of a weak link like some people reckon.

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:03 am

tensenervoushaddock wrote:

the 10lb per ounce 'rule' is for people built like brick outhouses doing full blooded pendulum casts.... you mention illness so I imagine you don't fit in to that class....if you are using 3oz I guess you are not using a stiff distance rod.
I use 3oz weights on 18lb leaders with bass rods and it's fine, completely safe.....never had a snap off yet..... and if I did it would head off safely seaward and not dangerously up the beach like it does when morons pendulum cast on crowded beaches.

That may be all well and good but the 10lb per ounce rule seems to be accepted everywhere as best code of practice.
With no disrespect if the OP is not the best of casters what is to say that the cast will not be snatched or the bail arm will snap over sending the lead along the pier? surely for piece of mind it would be better to tie the extra knot required to attach a shockleader.
IMho a shockleader can also be a benefit when fishing a pier if a larger fish such as conger is hooked or a big clump of weed needs to be dead lifted up the edge to save damage to the rod.
An experienced angler fishing a safe spot may well be fine with no shockleader but someone new to the sport should take the precautions available to him.

Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 12:26 pm

andy1_i wrote:

imho,its always better to be safe than sorry.so just use a minimum of 50lb shock just to be on the safe side,it only takes one crackoff to really hurt somebody sad

And possibly get anglers banned from that location?We should all take care when in close proximity to the public,as Andy says,it only takes one crackoff-I for one will continue to use an appropriate leader even though I don't pendulum cast.
Tight lines,Mick