# How to store your pre-made leaders???



## Pathfinder (Jun 9, 2004)

I'm looking for suggestions on storing my pre-made leaders. I use about 18" of 20lb. flourocarbon with a small 50lb SPRO swivel on one end and a 5/0 kahle hook on the other. I usually store them in a ziploc, but this makes for a tangled mess. I try to keep about 8 made up on the boat. What do you guys do?Thanks in advance for your ideas.


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## Slim-N-None (Sep 16, 2005)

i read in a magazine (saltwater sportsman) that a hollow pool noodle with a cut down one side made a really good leader storage device, also if you have the hard wire ones you can use the solid noodles and just push the wire in. I've never tried it, but i don't see why it wouldn't work. I think if i used the hollow noodle, i would cut it about 5-10" longer then i would use, and run me a zip tie around each end to "seal it" then run a piece of velcro around the middle to keep it closed (guess you could describe it as a taco with a slit down the middle). to top it off if you drop it it'll float and it's easy to store. plus with summer running out they should be goin on sale. one other thing, if you do do it, I would put all the hooks at one end and mark it on the outside so you know which end you can reach in to and not get stuck.


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## mako17 (Jul 30, 2007)

We use a CD case and put one leader in each CD slot. Coil the leader and use a tie-wrap to keep it looped.

I would imagine the ziplock bag cases for soft plastic baits would work even better since they will keep it dry.


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## Jim-Bo (Jun 14, 2005)

I bought a gross of 2"x2" plastic bags at a grocery supply for a couple of bucks.
this works well. I make the leader & put in baggie - Keep a bunch in my tackle box. I have enough bags for life!


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Leaders??? Why?


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## Oceola (Mar 25, 2007)

Leaders, why? Well for me I don't feel like tying knots in the dark or when bouncing around in the surf. I just keep my plain 18" leaders, made up with a very small 40# bbl swivel on one end and a norton quick clip on the other end, in zip lock bags.
My snelled hook flounder rigs are a different story. I make up the rig with 1/0 through 3/0 VMC Flounder hooks with the down turned eye, and 18" 10# or 20# fluorocarbon leaders snelled to the hook (It's easy once you get the hang of it) and a small loop (Surgeons knot) on the other end.
Years ago I bought several of those long, round, green and white plastic hook holders, the ones with the notches on one end for the hook and the round slit rubber line holder on the other end. I haven't seen any in the stores in years but if I wanted one I would make it out of a piece of 1" pvc, slits on one end and a slit round rubber piece screwed to a pvc cap on the other end.
I keep these in a tube of 2" PVC pipe, capped on one end and a screw in plug in the other. One for 10# (Fishing over rocks or shell) and one for 20# for fishing over sand/soft bottom. When the flounder are biting I just remove the leader end from the snap swivel on the main line and they go into the cooler, w/ hook and leader. Just clip on another snelled rig to the Carolina rig snap swivel with the bead/weight, bait up, and you're back in the water quickly...No knot tying required.
But don't get me started.

Frank


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Check out the zipper type worm/soft plastics bags at academy. Similar to a cd case, but has heavy ziploc bags inside that are ring bound kinda like a notebook. Some soft plastics companies are even hole punching their bags so they'll click right in. The leaders I use are a little bigger but these things end alot of mess and tangles for me......Jim


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## Catfish3 (Aug 10, 2005)

I just roll mine up around two fingers and loop the swivel side within the loop a few times to hold the circle shap and then stick them in one of those pill containers you get when you get a large prescription order (about 1.5 inches diameter). I can usually fit quite a few in those that will last me from 1/4 to 1/2 a season depending on how many hang-ups i get.


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## sofa king (Aug 25, 2005)

wrap around two fingers to get it into a coil, then wrap it up in a peace of aluminum foil about the size of a baseball card, works good for me. Just don't through the foil in the water after unwrapping.

Package ends up being just a bit bigger than the hook you use.


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## flatsfats (May 21, 2004)

i have one of these for my surf leaders and need to order one of the smaller ones for my mono leaders.

i don't know if it will work with those little spro swivels. you might try one of the velcro setups for those.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/leader-storage/


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## Pathfinder (Jun 9, 2004)

I knew I could rely on you guys for some great ideas. I'm just not sure which one to use. They all seem like simple solutions that would all work great. Thanks for the replies!


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

I use a soft plastics carrier and store them in the ziploc bags inside. One thing I do is to cut acetate sheets in half and put one leader on either side of the sheet inside the bag. I usually limit it to one divide per bag. For offshore leaders, I'll use one & two gallon Freezer ZipLocs. 
As for my fly leaders where I use a heavier bite tippet, I built a leader stretcher that fits inside of a lap top case. I have it already made up on the fly and the class tippet on the other end. Both work well.


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## MrG (Apr 10, 2005)

I use foam pipe insulation. It doesn't take up as much room as a pool noodle and is already split. Drop the swivel through the slot, wind the line around, and bury the hook. Easy and cheap. I seem to find at least one six foot length lying on the road about once a year. I assume they blow out of plumbers' trucks


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## RP459 (May 11, 2005)

Coil the leader around your fingers. Pinch the coil together and put a twist tie around them and then place them in your plastic bag. I get my twist ties that come with plastic garbage bags or off bread package after the bread is gone. The wife/mother don't like it when there bread in the package and no twist tie...


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## bradc (May 21, 2004)

My dad uses a 1 x 2 piece of card board. He cuts slits in each of the 1 inch sides and puts the swivel end into one of the slits and pulls the leader til the swivel catches. then wraps it around. He'll also write the length of the leader on the card board. Saves him time when he wants a longer or shorter leader. 

If you make the card pieces small enough you can put them in a normal plastic shimano box.


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## BlazerBay2420 (May 19, 2006)

I second aluminum foil


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## bbl58 (Jan 25, 2007)

i use a small key ring, make the leaders up, then slide them on to the key ring, 10 t0 20 of them. they are now in order. i place key ring and leaders into a plastic prescriptoin bottle that fits inside my wade belt. when night wade fishing the key ring is easy to locate and handle.


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## JWILLIAMS (Nov 7, 2006)

Roll 1 Leader Up And Put It In A Small Piece Of Folded Aluminum Foil,
Then Put Them In A Zip Lock


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## Captain Wilk (Apr 4, 2009)

We have always used the foam pipe insulation as discussed above. Never even thought about the aluminum foli. Nice idea though!!


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## Team MirrOlure (Jan 24, 2009)

the 2"X2" bags in the craft section of walmart. they seal like a ziplock.


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## ToddyTrout (Mar 15, 2005)

Go to Academy and buy a couple of REAL popping corks. Slip the end of the swivel over the stem that goes through the cork then wrap the leader tightly around the bottom of the cork until you get to the hook, hook the hook into the natural cork. You can put about 5 leaders on each cork. It's worked well for me for 30 years or more!


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