# mono leader for flatheads



## MogadoreRez87

ive lined my big set ups with 40lb powerpro briad, and i want to use a 50lb mono leader, but i cant decide on what brand. I either want trilene big game clear or red cajun line. any suggestions?


----------



## smoothkip25

I use 60 pound berkley big game for leader with 50 pound berkley big game main line. Color doesnt matter to me. A big Flathead dont care what color your line is either. You fish lakes I take it?


----------



## M.Magis

Not enough difference between major brands to worry. They'll all work fine, especially when you're talking about no more than 2' of line.


----------



## ducky152000

It is ok to use mono when you are spolled up with mono, DO NOT, use a super line,dacron,anything with low stretch as a main line and then a mono leader, all the stretch will go to the mono leader and cause alot of lost fish, my budy chase did that 3 times a few years back, and it took 3 lost fish to figure out why he kept lossing fish, ask catfishhunter about doing that also, he lost a real nice river flat because he used a mono leader and his main line was dacron.


----------



## katfish

I am not familiar with your rigging or your fishing area. I only use leaders when fishing current areas. Quality mono should hold up unless frays weaken it. I check leaders when fishing current and quickly replace any nicked leaders. 

I normally fish lakes using no leaders. This eliminates extra connections that could prove to be problems. All tackle should be matched to conditions and drags set properly to insure no problems occur with rigging.


----------



## MogadoreRez87

im new to flathead fishing and i was jus wondering if the line spooks um or not. ill be fishing the tusc, not lakes, if that helps. a better question would have been what rigs do you guys use.


----------



## AkronCATS

I have not heard of a flathead coming from the Tusc much over 20 lbs. I don't think it will hurt you using 50-60 lb line, but I don't think it is necessary. I assume you fish Mogadore often (your id) have you heard of anyone catching flathead from there?


----------



## MogadoreRez87

nope, no flats in there, nice channels thou


----------



## ducky152000

AkronCATS said:


> I have not heard of a flathead coming from the Tusc much over 20 lbs. I don't think it will hurt you using 50-60 lb line, but I don't think it is necessary. I assume you fish Mogadore often (your id) have you heard of anyone catching flathead from there?


The tusc, was my stomping grounds for years until i realized it is very diffcult to catch sizeble flathead out of there, i then moved onto lakes, i cant tell you how many flathead i caught out of the tusc, hundreds for sure, but over 20 pounds very few, my biggest was 24.12 pounds out of the tusc, and i recall one nite catching 2 over 20 but that did not happen much, if you want to catch flathead the tusc and wills creek is a great place to fish just dont expect fish over 15 pounds very often. Good luck.


----------



## catfish_hunter

There are alot of decent sized flathead in the tusc river. My biggest on rod n reel is 27lbs. and I have caught them over 30 on limb lines. there are some dang nice flatheads in Moggy. Ive heard of several trophy flatheads and channels both coming from there. 

I spool up with 40-50lb big game mono and 25-30lb mono leader. Me and Ducky went out on the tusc one nite and I broke off a flathead that I would imagine was pushing the 30lb mark. I had 36lb dacron and 30lb mono leader and broke off 2 fish the same night that were trophy size for the tusc river!


----------



## ducky152000

catfish_hunter said:


> There are alot of decent sized flathead in the tusc river. My biggest on rod n reel is 27lbs. and I have caught them over 30 on limb lines. there are some dang nice flatheads in Moggy. Ive heard of several trophy flatheads and channels both coming from there.
> 
> I spool up with 40-50lb big game mono and 25-30lb mono leader. Me and Ducky went out on the tusc one nite and I broke off a flathead that I would imagine was pushing the 30lb mark. I had 36lb dacron and 30lb mono leader and broke off 2 fish the same night that were trophy size for the tusc river!


That was a sad nite even for me, those fish were deffently trophys for the tusc. Im just glad i noticed that you was using a mono leader or mybe you would of broke off on the other fish we caught that nite.


----------



## M.Magis

Okay, someone needs to explain how 18" of mono is causing problems. Even with the high stretch, the short length of the mono will still have less stretch than the main line, regardless what it is.


----------



## ducky152000

M.Magis said:


> Okay, someone needs to explain how 18" of mono is causing problems. Even with the high stretch, the short length of the mono will still have less stretch than the main line, regardless what it is.


 mono absorbs more shock and stretch than dacron and a short piece of mono tied would absorb all the shock and stretch therefore causing too much stress on the mono.


----------



## katfish

Brock

I'm with Magis on this one
Braid (even kevlar) has some stretch. Even if you were using a pool cue stiff rod and a drag that was too tight, you wouldn't put so much pressure on the mono to damage it. I dare say you couldn't break 50# test with your hands without cutting them.

I'm gonna let Chase spool on a bit of 50 and tie him to a tree and show me his equipment will break it. (Using his rods )

I find it more likely that the combination of several connections (knots on swivels and hooks) and damage done to line from the sinkers or current rubbing on rocks was the problem. The amount of connections is the most important reason I never use a leader unless absolutely necessary.

We were having trouble breaking lines once and Mike found the entire box of hooks we had malformed eyes with sharp edges that cut the lines when we put pressure on them. We figured there was a little bug in the dies the day they made those hooks and promptly threw them away.

Mike fell over setting a hook on a flathead. First I determined he hadn't broken any bones, then I laughed.

After some investigation we found that fishing our braid over rocks in windy weather had caused abrasions and weak spots in the braid. We turned our drags back till we could respool. 
My wife wasn't very lucky because before we respooled she hooked a big flathead. After she fought it for about 45 minutes Mike asked me if we should't tighten the drag so she could land the fish. I said no because if she broke that fish off after that long she would really be mad 

Most people would be amazed that I take over an hour to check and maintain rigs before setting flathead baits. Believe me when I tell you that the flathead have taught me to do all that or pay the price.


----------



## ducky152000

I dont kno? i do know i seen with my own eyes that every time someone would have a mono leader on and dacron as main line the mono would break as soon as they set the hook or durring the fight, ive seen this happen 5 or 6 times, What is the odds everytime there was a nick in the line or a bad knot from guys who could tie palomor knots in there sleep.


----------



## katfish

There is a possibility that the braid gets wrapped around the mono and slices it when the fish is struck but it seems improbable to happen every time.

All I say is hook that rig to a tree and show me


----------



## [email protected]#$carp

I use braid and at times use 20lb mono as a leader while catfishing and rarely have never had a break during a hookset. You should be fine with either brand as a leader.


----------



## M.Magis

Just some quick numbers: If I recall Dacron line has somewhere around 10% stretch, mono we&#8217;ll say 25%. These would be maximum numbers, so in a fishing situation where nothing is stationary the numbers would actually be less. Regardless, if we take 100&#8217; of line (longer than most people would cast, but a good even number) the Dacron would have about 10 feet of stretch, where as the 18&#8221; mono leader would have around 4.5&#8221; of stretch. Even a super line would have more stretch than that piece of mono.


----------



## smoothkip25

What is the difference between the Dacron and say Powerpro? Also what is the reasoning behind most of the lake fisherman using braid? Is it for the casting distance or the lower stretch and strength. Ive seen where most lake guys position there baits with a boat anyway. I know i rarely use braid for the reason i fish alot of rocky areas in the river and braid is terrible in rocks. Just curious for the reason it is used so frequent.


----------



## ducky152000

smoothkip25 said:


> What is the difference between the Dacron and say Powerpro? Also what is the reasoning behind most of the lake fisherman using braid? Is it for the casting distance or the lower stretch and strength. Ive seen where most lake guys position there baits with a boat anyway. I know i rarely use braid for the reason i fish alot of rocky areas in the river and braid is terrible in rocks. Just curious for the reason it is used so frequent.


most lake guys use dacron because of the low stretch, when you have a bait out 50 to 70 yds out, there is alot of stretch in mono causing a weak hookset, i fish with mono 99% of the time because it is stronger than dacron on the rocks and debries, but im the guy that runs as far as i can to get all the stretch out of the mono before setting the hook It works very well for me but sometimes i have to pass on great fishing spots or make a path for me to run on with a matchet and a hand saw, which is no fun in 90 degree temps.


----------



## smoothkip25

ducky152000 said:


> most lake guys use dacron because of the low stretch, when you have a bait out 50 to 70 yds out, there is alot of stretch in mono causing a weak hookset, i fish with mono 99% of the time because it is stronger than dacron on the rocks and debries, but im the guy that runs as far as i can to get all the stretch out of the mono before setting the hook It works very well for me but sometimes i have to pass on great fishing spots or make a path for me to run on with a matchet and a hand saw, which is no fun in 90 degree temps.


Id like to see that! LOL!


----------



## Booosh

so your saying my 65lb power pro to 50lb mono leader is losing me fish?

thats what ive always used mainly river fish...


----------



## M.Magis

Depends on who you're asking. Robby and I say no.


----------



## Kurtis

I am going to jump in here. I was fishing the Cablas tournament at Henderson Ky. Last year and I hooked a 53.65lb. blue cat,it took 20 min. to Get him off the uglyest bottem you ever saw. I use 50lb. Spider wire stealth as my main line and 50lb. Big game for my leaders (the mono makes better notts when snelling hooks) I have never lost a fish on a new leader. But one used for a short time will sometimes feel like it has been sanded from sand and rocks on the bottem. One more thing all I have to do to set the hook when useing braid is snap my wrist the low strech line does the rest.


----------



## Booosh

well ive never lost a fish from breakin off...but the biggest one i ever caught was 29lber so i guess i still have to wait and see




M.Magis said:


> Depends on who you're asking. Robby and I say no.


----------



## Catproinnovations

I say use a 200 yd. 30 lb test mono berkley big game leader  just dont forget your bead!


----------

