On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 22:28:01 GMT, "John Smith"
wrote:

SWF,
From you smile, I assume your rant was not an attack on anyone, but just to
a misconception that many people have. If the leader is not used to create
a more attractive "bait" for the fish to hit, what is the reason for the
leader? I understand that a metal leader is used to stop the fish from
cutting the line, but why use a 25 ft leader? In my ignorance, I have
always thought the long leader line was used because it was invisible in the
water, and would look more like a bait fish instead of bait being dragged
though the water.

Is your suggestion that John H. can just use a 2 ft. leader instead of his
30 ft. leader he has been using?


"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 19:14:41 GMT, "John Smith"
wrote:

For some reason I thought it was because the leader was less visable to
the
fish, so they are less likely to be spooked.

Oh oh - I feel a rant coming on. :)

I've always been interested in the whole "spook the fish" concept
because I believe it's a superstitution or rational for a poor day on
the water not catching fish.

The whole point of using a bait or attractor is to trigger a fish into
striking. It seems counter intuitive that the same bait would "spook"
a fish into not striking.

Fish don't take bait for any number of other reasons, but "spooking"
fish isn't one of them.

Whew - I got my point across with a rant - Dude!!!!

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Do fishermen eat avocados? This is a question
that no one ever thinks to ask."

Russel Chatham, "Dark Waters" (1988)


Two feet is too short. I use braided line which will cut right through
flesh. Therefore, I need a leader (heavy duty monofilament - 80lb test
is common) that I can grab and use to pull the fish into the net. To
do so, I must first put the rod down. That means I need about 8 feet
or so of leader. But I don't need 30 feet of leader to accomplish
that. Using that much leader just creates a hell of a mess to
straighten out once the fish is put in the cooler.

This year I'm going with shorter leaders. If I catch nothing and
others are catching limits, then I'll switch. I haven't had a good
reason for the 30' leaders, other than "that's the traditional way."

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!