# Leader for shovelhead



## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

Im going to a pound to fish for shovelhead but the owner says that I cant use steel leaders, so i was wondering if 50 pound mono is strong and thick enough to use as a leader. Dont want them big ones chewing though my line. I felt there teeth before.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

I never have used a steel leader for flatheads, I have caught flatheads up to 50-lbs just using 30-lb test mono..Caught several 30-lbers using 15-lb test mono.


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## OhioCatman (Aug 4, 2004)

My normal setup is 25 lb mono mainline with a 40 lb flouracarbon leader. The flouracarbon is very stiff so it helps to keep the bait away from the mainline and it also helps keep it from wraping around the sinker like sometimes happens when you cast with mono as your leader also. But not only does it help with all that it is a heck of alot more abrasion resistant than regular mono.


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## shuvlhed1 (Apr 13, 2004)

30lb main line and a 25lb leader. Never had one chew through 25 before, and when the hook hangs in the river, I can get my sinker and swivel back.


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## OhioCatman (Aug 4, 2004)

I dont know about you but my sinker and swivel are cheaper than my hooks and sometimes bait. If I know I am fishing an area where I will get snagged up then I use a 3-way breakaway rig. Which is my mainline tied right to my hook and then i loop through a section of line through a regular swivel and brought back over the top of it so as to hold it in place and then I tie a sinker onto 12 lb mono that is half as long as the main line goin from where the swivel is to the hook. 95% of the time I will just lose the sinker and will get back the rest when I bring it in to check it, 100% if a fish picks it up and runs with it.


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## shuvlhed1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Could be true sometimes, depending on the type tackle. But on a slip rig, if the hook gets hung up, you are going to lose that and your bait anyways. And since your 25lb mainline will break WAY before 40lb leader, you will always lose it all. I know, I used to fish 20lb mainline and 40lb Big Game line as a leader for a few years.

Do you have any problems breaking line where you kink it through the swivel? I have thought about using a 3 way rig like this but haven't gotten around to trying it yet.


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## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

Thanks for the help i guess 50lb mono will be plenty, i may just use my main line to.


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## catfishhunter33 (Apr 6, 2004)

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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

He makes a valid point  .I use no leader in lakes by the way.......... C.K.


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## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

Yea i get what you mean. It wasnt the jaw pressure i was worried about its my line rubbing the little teeth they have.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I lost a thumbnail in 2001 from a 8lb channel chomp!  I had been grabbing them like that for long time and never been chomped. I never realized how hard they can bite down, but I'll still grab them that way if they're too big to get my hand around.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Carpfreak

I agree with Cat King about using no leader in lakes. A simple sliding egg sinker rig is simple and has less knots (possible weak spots).

I have caught a few big flatheads and the teeth cutting the line has not been a problem.

More people lose big flathead by trying to overpower them. Once they see the big fish they become too excited and tighten their drag or grab the line to force them to the net. They either break their line or rip the hook out of the big fish.


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