# What is a shock leader?



## chimneymasterbassmaster (Aug 12, 2011)

What is a shock leader?


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

It is a mono leader designed to absorb the shock of the cast. Without a shockleader it is common for the "fishing leader" weight and bait to snap off during the cast.

The accepted formula is a shockleader with a strength of 10lbs for each ounce casted. ie, 3oz wight plu 2oz bait = 5 oz. You would want a 50lb mono shockleader.

Length of shockleader is 3-5 wraps on spool, out the tip and back to the reel

People use all kinds of knots to connect shockleader to running line. I use a simple overhand knot to uni

This is a must if you are trying to really sling anything over a couple ounces

Jc


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

jc said:


> It is a mono leader designed to absorb the shock of the cast. Without a shockleader it is common for the "fishing leader" weight and bait to snap off during the cast.
> 
> The accepted formula is a shockleader with a strength of 10lbs for each ounce casted. ie, 3oz wight plu 2oz bait = 5 oz. You would want a 50lb mono shockleader.
> 
> ...


X2, I use a pendulum cast and spool about 30 to 40 feet of 80lb just in case.
There's a lot of energy delivered to the first 5 foot or so of line hanging from and leaving the tip. 
This probably isn't necessary if using a rod without much backbone such as the ugly stiks.


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## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

x3 a leader about as long as the rod will do....


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## fabian31268 (Jul 31, 2005)

ive seen very few break offs with the leader tied directly to the mono and we sling 8 an bait. when we fished piers when they were still around we used shock leader to fight the fish if it went into the pilons.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

V-Bottom said:


> x3 a leader about as long as the rod will do....


On heavy baits or power casts you really want a few wraps of the shockleader around the spool or else the connection b/w the running line and shockleader will snap... It is just as much a weak link as the knot on the fishing leader with no shockleader... But you bring a good point. The heavier shockleader slows the cast and reduces distance so dont make it too long


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## chimneymasterbassmaster (Aug 12, 2011)

So, if I tie a 60lb mono "shock leader" about 30' long or so to my 50lb braid main line, I would then tie a 1 drop leader to the business end? Should I use short 30lb fluoro leader to the hook? Hoping to hook up with reds.

Thanks, Everyone!


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Gotta disagree with y'all. Shock leader is needed when you use braided line, because braided line has no stretch. So one could use at least two feet of regular mono - not fluorocarbon - and some use longer ones called a shock "top shot." I use a shock leader for catching fish like reds and trout, freelining, etc. If I'm fishing light lines, I might use 14# shock leader for inshore fishing.

This is the opposite of a traditional rig with regular mono, where the leader is NOT a shock leader but is some hefty stuff that resists abrasion - and example would be jetty fishing for sheepshead, of toothy fish like Spanish mackerel. Some even use wire.

I think watch you're talking about is a special leader for surf casting long rods when using heavy weights and baits. That's really not a shock leader - lol, it could be weed whacker line!

Example - Capt. Woody sells a popular red snapper lure called the Snapper Slapper, and some were bending back and bending off the hooks. It turns out they were all using very heavy (65#) braided line and very tough leaders. The solution was to use a top shot of mono for a shock leader - and the problem went away.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

Go to any distance casting sight and search shockleader... This is surfcasting 101. Sorry Swells but you are wrong. This is simple physics. If you are using 20-30lb mono you can put way more stress than that on the line when casting hard. Especially when throwing heavier surfweights.

This does change with braid. To the OP... I do know a guy that casts heavy braid with no shockleader but I think he's throwing big poppers and under 3oz.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Shockleader*

I probably underdo things but I am trying to keep it simple. On my spin cast reels and surf rods(8' to 10'6") I have them spooled with 15 to 17lb. P-line. Some will call this too light but I have the pics to back this up so bear with me. My buddy and I have an ongoing discussion about this shock leader thingee. He thinks he needs at least double to triple the strength of shock leader in proportion to his spool(mono) which usually consists of 20-25lb. test on his reel topped off with 40 to 60lb mono shock leader. We both usually tie on the shock leader with a uni and lengthen it to about two rod lengths or 20' or so.
Where I also differ from most is that when fishing PINS the last few years I have gotten so ****** off at my crimps(as well as store bought and buddy made) failing that I have quit crimping drops, leaders, hooks, weights, et. al and have just been tying directly on to the shock leader. There is a website on something called Florida Surf Fishing(I think that is it) that shows a simple method of tying on your drops(short pieces of line to which you attach the hook) to your shock leader using a simple overloop knot as a stop and a uni knot for the drop. I have gone to this with also simply using a double unit type know for tying my spider weight to the end of my shock leader. I feel that these knots are more reliable than my old crimping/snap swivel routine.
I regress....so far the use of 25 to 30lb shock leader on my 15-17lb. P-line mono has resulted in very few failures over repeated casts using 3-5oz spider weights. The only downside is I will occasionally get a bite off from a toothy critter such as a shark or?
See you out there next week!!!
Mike


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

*Shockleaders*

Computer glitch?
These are helpful sites:

surfishingflorida.com
southernsurffishing.com/shockleader


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

Pierandsurf.com is another great site... Wealth of knowledge from NE surfcasters


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

jc said:


> Go to any distance casting sight and search shockleader... This is surfcasting 101. Sorry Swells but you are wrong. This is simple physics. If you are using 20-30lb mono you can put way more stress than that on the line when casting hard. Especially when throwing heavier surfweights.
> 
> This does change with braid. To the OP... I do know a guy that casts heavy braid with no shockleader but I think he's throwing big poppers and under 3oz.


Hey man cool, but I think we are maybe talking two different things here, although you could be right about what the good ole boys call a surf throwing rig for a long pole. I've never had a problem but there again I just use an 7'6" Terramar trout pole and I only fish artificial lures ...

... With what I call a shock leader on incredibly skinny 17# braided line, so it casts a mile.

Sorry for the confusion on my part, captain.
:cheers:


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

yup, definitely 2 totally different things... sorry for the confusion... wasn't trying to be a dick


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## fuelish1 (Aug 3, 2004)

I always thought a shock leader was mainly to prevent breakoffs to chaffing of the main line by a fish (ie= using heavy mono for a shockleader)


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

fuelish1 said:


> I always thought a shock leader was mainly to prevent breakoffs to chaffing of the main line by a fish (ie= using heavy mono for a shockleader)


that is a top shot.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

http://www.google.com/m?gl=us&sourc...&spell=1&ei=XPB_TqCnJ5L4sQL0jQE&ved=0CBMQBSgA


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

http://www.stripersonline.com/wiki/leaders-shock-leaders-and-leader-knots

All you'll ever need to know (and then some) about shockleaders


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## chimneymasterbassmaster (Aug 12, 2011)

Thanks, Everyone!


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## Torpedo (May 21, 2004)

Old school surf shock leader page...
http://www.nickaway.com/Pages/shock_lead.htm

JC and JR are right, however, JC 5-8 wraps around the reel and the line down back to the reel is great. I usually add a little more due to cutting bruised line and replacing leaders. For smaller rigs I prefer tapered pre-cut shock leaders such as these...
https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/varivas-tapered-shockleaders-127.html
Also, a short length of mono or flourocarbon is more commonly referred to as a bite leader.


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## Torpedo (May 21, 2004)

jc said:


> yup, definitely 2 totally different things... sorry for the confusion... wasn't trying to be a dick


Yeah, sure.


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