Backleads - The How & The When

[poledark]

Newt, you have PM,

Den

[Jim Gibbinson]

By preference I'll not use backleads, but there are circumstances when they are useful eg. floating weed, floating sticks/branches (broken off in high winds), boats, windsurfers, jet-skiers, swimmers, water birds etc. Just occasionally to prevent a hooked fish fouling my other line ("line", not "lines" because I very rarely use more than two rods these days). Got to be careful, though - if the line is held taut over a gully or somesuch, the backleaded line becomes a serious liability. Potential problems, too, where there are flints or mussels that can damage the line.

 

As with so many things, it's a case of "horses for courses" - backleads can be useful, and very occasionally are indispensible, but most times I think their use is best avoided.

[TheMargins]

As Jim says, 'horses for courses'!

 

One thing I beleive needs to be considered when using backleads, if you have a sizeable fish on and it does cross you other line(s), then it can be a nightmare sorting it out! As least without backleads it is relatively easy to pass one rod under the other to sort the potential mess out - this can't be done with backleads on the line!

[cheekymonkey]

i just think its a case of what u feel most confident doing.....if u catch well using them..u will use them...and if u dont...u wont use them.....personally i do use them....always have done...

[scoop]

any one fort about usin a really slack line instead of backleads???? i used to use backleads all the time but then my mate put me on to slack lines which i now use in most of my angling....bite detection is pukka and my catch rate has gone up...fishing slack means no worrys about line going over bars and up and over weed like it will with a backlead pullin it tight

Edited December 25, 2005 by scoop