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[liketofish]

I use 20 pound mainline and 15 pound flourocarbon lead for almost everything now on my pin. People may think it sounds overkill, but I land fish quickly and still get a hell of a good fight out of them without stressing them to the max. It gives me the ability to turn fish if they are trying to go where I don't want them to as well... can put the breaks on without having to worry about breaking off. The 15 pound flouro I use is around the same diameter as 10 pound test, so it doesn't spook fish.

I started running 20 pound main and 15 lead when I started fishing high gradient canyon rivers for steelhead which made me turn to heavier line so they didn't leave the run and go down cascades/waterfalls, etc. It seems to work well for springs too, allows me to move them off bottom, and some of the places I fish for them, it isn't possible to chase if they leave the run, so once again I can put the breaks on.

I use 15 lb Seaguar fluorocarbon for leader in places I want to turn the fish too. But I don't know if my 15 lb Seaugar is as thin as 10 lb mono. If you use a different brand, can you recommend the name?

[Ian Forbes]

I works on the same principle as if I were to tie a rope and weight around you ankle and let you drag it around all day. Eventually you will get tired and lay down. Then I bonk you on the head with a big club. Fish get tired from making them work harder than they are used to working. They float in water and a heavy fish can be pulled by a much lighter line than would be needed to pull them onto the shore. That is why so many fish are lost when trying to land them. Choose a place to land them where the current works to your advantage rather than against you. You might have to follow a big salmon down the river until you find the ideal place to bring them to shore. If you are in a boat then you need a net.

[losos]

What line rating should the rod be? I have a 12-25lb 10'6.

That is perfectly all right. As other said 15 lb leader will give plenty of pull power. Just make sure ,if using levelwind, to adjust properly drag .I do it to about 80% of leader rating.
Look, I pulled 7 lb rainbows using 2lb leaders with ultra light rod if it can help you.

[chronicfisher]

That is perfectly all right. As other said 15 lb leader will give plenty of pull power. Just make sure ,if using levelwind, to adjust properly drag .I do it to about 80% of leader rating.
Look, I pulled 7 lb rainbows using 2lb leaders with ultra light rod if it can help you.

Thanks for the tip.good thing you mention adjust drag to leader rating, I would of adjusted to main line rating like a rookie and forgot about the lead.just curious at what point is a set up overkill?How hard do springs fight compared to chums?

[CohoJake]

How hard do springs fight compared to chums?

I thought that 40 lb spring was a chum for the first 5 minutes because of the head shaking.   

[losos]

Thanks for the tip.good thing you mention adjust drag to leader rating, I would of adjusted to main line rating like a rookie and forgot about the lead.just curious at what point is a set up overkill?How hard do springs fight compared to chums?

Don't use a container ship's winch and anchor  and you should be o.k. Seriously, some use 40 lb main line and imo it is an overkill,but that's me. Don't put on your setup a leader that has rating higher than your rod's maximum rating otherwise you're risking breaking rod.
 When you want to release a fish it is important to put it through as short stress time as possible giving her chance to quickly recover therefore heavier setup is better and that is conventional wisdom . Now there was article link ,I think here, about scientific research basically saying that no matter what when you let go of fish it'll die within 3 hours.
Chums or Dogs are very strong fish and they can put fight similar to Springs.

[losos]

I thought that 40 lb spring was a chum for the first 5 minutes because of the head shaking.   

My 27 lb just didn't move for a couple of minutes making me think it was a snag.

[chronicfisher]

Don't use a container ship winch and anchor

What's that?!

[losos]

What's that?!

My bad should be "container ship's winch and anchor".

[Spawn Sack]

I use 20 pound mainline and 15 pound flourocarbon lead for almost everything now on my pin. People may think it sounds overkill, but I land fish quickly and still get a hell of a good fight out of them without stressing them to the max. It gives me the ability to turn fish if they are trying to go where I don't want them to as well... can put the breaks on without having to worry about breaking off. The 15 pound flouro I use is around the same diameter as 10 pound test, so it doesn't spook fish.

I started running 20 pound main and 15 lead when I started fishing high gradient canyon rivers for steelhead which made me turn to heavier line so they didn't leave the run and go down cascades/waterfalls, etc. It seems to work well for springs too, allows me to move them off bottom, and some of the places I fish for them, it isn't possible to chase if they leave the run, so once again I can put the breaks on.

Do you mind sharing what brand of flouro you use, and what knot you use to tie your leader to the swivel? I'm a believer in flouro tippet for fussy trout in still waters. I typically use Seaguar Bluelabel in 4lb and the odd time 6lb. I just tie a improved clinch to the swivel or a tripple surgeon if tying line-to-line and I've never had an issue.

However in the river I've had nothing but issues with flouro. Many leaders busted off at the swivel. Most of the time I was using the same lb test I would be using in mono (typically 12lb, but heavier or lighter depending on the conditions). I tied several different brands but mostly Suffix or Seaguar. I was using the improved clinch knot and tried to be extra careful cinching it down and making sure the knot was very wet, etc. I switcehd to the Palomar after a fair but of online research (knot wars, etc) and had better results, but I find the palomar a pain to get seated right when pulling tight. In the end I just went back to good old Maxima UG for my leaders and all my breakage issues vanished, and IMO I catch just as many fish. I still have the spools of flouro in 12lb, 15lb etc and for kicks would like to give them another shot. Any words to the wise?

[Fish Assassin]

However in the river I've had nothing but issues with flouro. Many leaders busted off at the swivel. Most of the time I was using the same lb test I would be using in mono (typically 12lb, but heavier or lighter depending on the conditions). I tied several different brands but mostly Suffix or Seaguar. I was using the improved clinch knot and tried to be extra careful cinching it down and making sure the knot was very wet, etc. I switcehd to the Palomar after a fair but of online research (knot wars, etc) and had better results, but I find the palomar a pain to get seated right when pulling tight. In the end I just went back to good old Maxima UG for my leaders and all my breakage issues vanished, and IMO I catch just as many fish. I still have the spools of flouro in 12lb, 15lb etc and for kicks would like to give them another shot. Any words to the wise?

I've had the same problems. Since using the plain clinch knot, I've had less problems.

[Spawn Sack]

Look into the palomar knot. Download the Knot Wars app if you haver a smart phone. I find the knot easy to tie if you are going line to lure, as the knot needs to go over the lure. However if you want to tie a new leader to the swivel connected to your mainline, this knot won't work (at least not of me) as the mainline will prevent you from being able to tie the knot properly. I experimented with tying the knot to a swivel (not connected to anything) with the palomar, then connecting that to a duo-lock tied to the mainline. It worked, and I had few if any break offs with the flouro. However this is a LOT of arsing around especialy if you snap off a leader and want to get back to fishing ASAP. In the end I said bugger it and went back to mono and improved clich knots. I find I catch just as many fish adn have a lot more confidence to put the boots to a fish and not have to worry about a knot busting.

All this being said, I do like tinkering with my gear, new lines + knots etc, so I would like to give my leader spools of flouro another shot. Hoping for some good feedback from Every Day

[chronicfisher]

Dunno if this helps out but I've only used seaguard red floro and pline  floro.between the two I find seaguard red floro more limp and softer but can't a beating.the pline I find a little stiffer but takes a ton more beating then seaguard.

[NexusGoo]

Been using Berkley Vanish Transition Fluorocarbon for leader in 12 and 14lb for the last couple years on my baitcaster setup. I've found it to be extremely tough and I've hardly broken any leaders. Berkely also has Vanish Fluorocarbon but that stuff i'd stay away from. terrible results with that in comparison to the transition. Managed a nice 41lb chinook on the 14lb transition a couple of years ago.

[4TheKids]

Seaguard red fluoro is best I have found.

A cinch knot and fluoro will likely fail. Not good if you have a nice fish on. I only use palomar knots but this knot only works on the terminus. So here is what I do:
1) Main to a duolock with a palomar knot.
2) Leader to a swivel with a palomar knot.
3) Leader to terminal gear with a palomar knot.
4) Clip swivel to duolock.

The nice thing is you can pre-tie extra leaders so no knots needed while fishing (my eye sight sucks). Also, I like to limit my leader to 3 hours or so.