shockleader problems

[FearTheHands]

This is the knot I always use & the only time it lets me down is if I've not tied it well!

 

I would recommend buying the 'Sea Anglers step by step guide to bait & rigs' as it has lots of useful info for novices to experts. Well worth it at only £7

 

 

[ 19. July 2005, 08:59 PM: Message edited by: FearTheHands ]

[flattiefanatic]

Yep, agree with FearTheHands. I use the same knot, very strong and one of the least likely to smack the guides on a cast.

[five bellies]

Almost the same knot as mine but i use the moulten blob not a knot on the leader.

[MeNtALjAmBo]

thanks for all the info

[taimen]

Ok - let’s get a few things straight...

 

Jimmy Albright, for whom it’s named, figured out the knot that bears his name for attaching a light, often 15 lb test, leader to a heavier line (not the other way about) for light tackle fishing for 100 lb -plus tarpon in the Florida Keys. I knew Jimmy towards the end of his life and he’d fall about laughing t0 hear about 60 lb leaders for, lets face it, the fish we catch from the shore here in the UK. (Actually he wouldn’t be laughing..he was a miserable old sod when I knew him...)

 

The Bimini Twist is a big game trolling attachment developed, as the name suggests, forbluefin fishing in the Bahamas away back in the ‘30’s...

 

 

Lighten up, guys, literally. The deeper water holds more fish, does it? Well yes, if you count pouting, baby coalfish, dogs etc etc as worthwhile fish. But the last time long casting was needed for serious fishing was when Les Moncrieff developed it away back in the 60’s for big cod in the very special circumstances of Dungeness (huge tidal eddy, 120 years out) - and those fish have long gone.

 

The truth, of course, is that all this shock leader stuff is related to match angling for small - often absurdly small - fish at a distace. If this is your bag (pun intentional) go ahead and try to cast as far as you can with a 6 ounce lead on a 60 lb leader with tiny hooks and baits. It beats trainspotting I suppose, but not by much.

 

In this case, though, why not just switch to tournament casting? And leave those little fish to the little boys

[Guest conger tamer]

Taimen

i do a lot of conger fishing casting up to 1-1/2pounds of bait/lead sometimes 50/60yards,try that without a leader!! oh yeah the leader is 80lb as i dont fish for weeny fish see.

muppet! everyone needs a leader unless using 1oz leads

[taimen]

Are you seeing anybody about this?

[Spur-Hound]

You dont seem very diverse Taimen.... There arent many situations that i can think of where a leader will not come in handy!

[taimen]

All this shock leader stuff seems to come back to the perception that long casting with heavy leads is important to catching fish - fish that are worth catching, that is. And it ain't - as any good bass surfcaster will tell you.

 

A lot of it has to do with the serious decline in the quality of our saltwater fishing in the UK, which has made many anglers turn to match fishing. Tackle-makers want to flog gear in spite of what's happened to our sport , and this is a great way to do it, aided and abetted by magazines that have to sell space to survive and so go along with this crap.

 

Not long since I took a champion British tournament caster, a very wellknown one, shore fishing for tope. We caught no tope but were plagued with dogs. To my amazement he was thrilled to catch them, insisted on pix being taken of him hoicking a bunch of them up. I wont name him because he is a nice guy, but this was a revelation to me...

 

PS Not diverse? beachcasting I love but also flyfishing, spinning, plugging et al.....

[Guest jay_con]

Those good tidal fish still exist in some areas of the country Taimen. Just because they dissapeared in some places doesnt mean they have everywhere. A good cast here in yourkshire can locate some good tidal cod when all else fails. I cant cast so never get them. But ive seen it done and its damned annoying.