Salmon leader storage

[Rockin Johnny]

How do you store your leaders? Do you coil them up and stick em on a board? Do you wrap them around a pool noodle? Do you cut em up and re tie them in the spring? I have noticed my fluorocarbon gets brittle after a few years, do you chuck it all out and start fresh next year?

 

[Rain City]

How do you store your leaders? Do you coil them up and stick em on a board? Do you wrap them around a pool noodle? Do you cut em up and re tie them in the spring? I have noticed my fluorocarbon gets brittle after a few years, do you chuck it all out and start fresh next year?

Fresh every year. Also stopped using fluoro, not worth the risk of an overheated knot going brittle. I like pool noodles for hootchies and teaser heads. Spoons I just wrap loops in the line and feed the hook through the bead chain. I don't usually have more than a handful of anything pre-tied.

 

[Rockin Johnny]

Fresh every year. Also stopped using fluoro, not worth the risk of an overheated knot going brittle. I like pool noodles for hootchies and teaser heads. Spoons I just wrap loops in the line and feed the hook through the bead chain. I don't usually have more than a handful of anything pre-tied.

I had two hogs bust off half inch behind the knot this year. Maybe this is what you are talking about with the flourl?

 

[Rain City]

I had two hogs bust off half inch behind the knot this year. Maybe this is what you are talking about with the flourl?

100%. It's strong if you don't nick the line or use too little spit when cinching the knot down. I just found it to be too finicky for me. And salmon aren't leader shy, so why bother?

 

[EstevanPoint]

No need to be stingy on leader material. Think about how much we spend on gas/food/etc... Leader line is a rounding error on those expenses. Retie your gear consistently. Why risk losing a fish to save a couple of cents? If you like fluoro and are retying consistently, then it's not a major issue, but maxima is the safest option.

 

[Howzer]

Regarding the leader 'storage' issue.
I use pieces of plastic straw I've kept (remember them?), I cut about 1.5 in long and I coil the leaders and pass the loops through the straw...

 

[Macdeep]

I've used pool noodles, those blue foam boards, cork boards, misc foam boards... Not sure why I have so much pre-tied. I rarely use more than 4-5 spoons and 2-3 hoochies to cover the whole season over a few locations.

Always retie for each season. But I also always miss a few and learn the hard way that old leaders with rusty knots do not hold for more than 1-2 fish...

Always Maxima Ultagreen. 30 or 40lb for spoons, 40 and heavier for hoochies. Getting away from fluro once I use up my last spool of 40lb.

If fishing has been hot, I do my best to re-tie leaders every night, and check leaders after the 2nd or 3rd fish and every fish after that. My crew loves to let the gear flop on the floor while everyone stomps around in a bonking frenzy. Seen some pretty chewed up leaders that I caught before they were sent down, but I always miss a couple.

One night bite, I had 3 break offs with one crew who was particularly hard on my leaders and gear despite my "encouragement" to pay attention and keep the gear off the floor...

 

[sly_karma]

100%. It's strong if you don't nick the line or use too little spit when cinching the knot down. I just found it to be too finicky for me. And salmon aren't leader shy, so why bother?

Fluoro is good choice for jig leaders, nice and stiff so it stands off from the more supple braided main line. Pretty much eliminates tangles and hangups.

 

[SpringFever2359]

No need to be stingy on leader material. Think about how much we spend on gas/food/etc... Leader line is a rounding error on those expenses. Retie your gear consistently. Why risk losing a fish to save a couple of cents? If you like fluoro and are retying consistently, then it's not a major issue, but maxima is the safest option.

This^^ maxima 40lb,, I lost track of how many leaders I retied last weekend in alberni, soo many fish to the boat/hits and lost, none to snapped leaders though, I retied after every fish while driving, hope I didn't cut anyone off
When stored before a trip they are secured with the plastic straws

 

[Skins88]

I like the leader boards in the plano cases. I do like to have a lot of options ready to go. Maxima 40lb for leaders. I'll re-tie gear after every trip or two. Once a year I go through the box and redo what needs to be done.

 

[Rockin Johnny]

I like the leader boards in the plano cases. I do like to have a lot of options ready to go. Maxima 40lb for leaders. I'll re-tie gear after every trip or two. Once a year I go through the box and redo what needs to be done.

Wow, great set up. Did you put those boxes together yourself or can you buy them like that?

 

[Skins88]

I bought the boxes and boards separate.

 

[Aquaholic]

Wow, great set up. Did you put those boxes together yourself or can you buy them like that?

Dollar Store carries those.Near the tool section at my local name brand location.

 

[Steplift]

I put mine in small zip lock baggies then into a large one. Keeps everything organized you can see through the bag and know what’s in them. One big bag for anchovies one for herring and another for skirts. Keeps my lines untangled and ready to roll lol.

 

[Whole in the Water]

I stick my spoon and hootchie leaders (28" to 6 ft) into 3-4 inch plastic straws. For my 6-9 ft teaser head leaders I use a 5-6" by 1 inch corrugated plastic sheet board with V-shaped notches cut into both ends and wrap the the leaders onto this. Then I just lay them in my various species specific tackle box trays that fit into my tackle box. Keeps things well organized.

 

[RageWelding]

This is how I do it with cheap chamber sealer bags.

 

[RBL]

I just tie up a few and wrap them on flashers so I have a few ready to go and then tie any more I might use while fishing. Any time I’ve coiled up a leader and pushed it through a straw or something I always find a way to get it all tangled up or a knot in the line.

 

[scott craven]

For the spoon/plug guys, no need for multiple leaders.
Use a bead chain, length of mono and a duolock snap.
You can change lures in a few seconds, no tangled leaders.

 

[Rockin Johnny]

I just tie up a few and wrap them on flashers so I have a few ready to go and then tie any more I might use while fishing. Any time I’ve coiled up a leader and pushed it through a straw or something I always find a way to get it all tangled up or a knot in the line.

I have a flasher holder on my bait table and I always have a bunch ready to go. I am always a little concerned with the kinks that it puts into the leaders tho, even when I wrap it lightly. Not sure if it has a real effect on salmon tho…..?

 

[RBL]

I have a flasher holder on my bait table and I always have a bunch ready to go. I am always a little concerned with the kinks that it puts into the leaders tho, even when I wrap it lightly. Not sure if it has a real effect on salmon tho…..?

Never had an issue. You dont want to wrap it so hard it stretches the line or anything.