John,
I do know that in fly fishing a long leader that is hard for the fish to
see is preferred. This is because the actual line is very heavy an visible.
Different type of fish and techniques require different tackle combinations.
Muskie usually requires a metal leader but I'm sure that others would rig
their gear differently.
Paul

"John Smith" wrote in message
news:R972c.184560$jk2.667912@attbi_s53...
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)