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Shock leader/rig line recommendations

Pendeenpiscator

Pendeenpiscator

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Just about to replace my Greased Weasel 60lb line, I've found it not as good as it used to be, mainly due to memory and difficult to knot easily. Not sure if they have changed it or I had a duff reel. It was the clear variety, previously I had the yellow,probably no difference,but it seemed limper. I've seen Asso for similar price, any good?
 
Never used it mate,I recommend Berkeley big game mate it's hasn't let me down since I started using it.are you using it as a shock leader or a main line, ?I use Berkeley as a shock leader,
 
I used to use Ultima Powerflex 80lb for shockleader and trace but my local tackle shop doesn't stock it so I started to use Asso in 80lb instead.
I can't tell any difference. It's a shame he's only got it in clear, or for that matter, if Asso do it in orange.
Asso knots nicely and is quite supple. I like it, very much like Powerflex.
Given that there are only a few line manufacturers in the world I wonder if it's actually the same line.
 
Pendeenpiscator said:
Just about to replace my Greased Weasel 60lb line, I've found it not as good as it used to be, mainly due to memory and difficult to knot easily. Not sure if they have changed it or I had a duff reel. It was the clear variety, previously I had the yellow,probably no difference,but it seemed limper. I've seen Asso for similar price, any good?
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I like Asso lines - 28Lb mono for main line & 60 or 70Lb for shock leaders & rig bodies. ????
 
Veals do a fantastic tapered shock leader 18-80lb never had a single problem with it, haven’t used a 60lb or 80lb none tapered leader for years on clean ground. , on my heavy ground reels I use yuki 3d 100lb leader it’s same thickness as common 60lb leader
 
Asso ultra flex for shock leader and rig bodies I also like veals Varivas tapered shock leaders on my fixed spools but unfortunately veals have being out of stock for a while
 
Asso for rig bodies.

I've started using Koike tapered shock leaders for leaders as I can get a nice back to back uni knot that is tiny and strong.
 
Well it's interesting that Grease Weasel seems to have been replaced as people's choice, mind you it was about 20+ years ago that it was highly recommended, thanks everyone.
 
Greased weasel in grey was nice never really figured out why it was so expensive
 
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Now it's about the cheapest of the "known" brands, you still only get 40 metres, I've found the spool I'm going to replace has a lot of memory and it isn't great for knots. Anymore than three turns on the line and it's a bugger to cinch up. My original yellow variety wasn't like that, but it's now over 20 years old!
 
Great thread, and it has got me thinking about trying a tapered shock leader, as the gear & leader I lost last Monday obviously needs replacing. Looking around briefly, a lot of the tapered leaders seem to start at 15 or 18Lb.

I think the mono on the reel in question is 28Lb - I'll have to check it with my spools of line box!

Now this has got me thinking, if I use a shock leader with the thin end being 18Lb breaking strain, is this not causing a bit of a weak point with 28Lb line? Unlikely that I will ever hook a fish of over 10Lb, but if pulling for a break with wire hooks, it could mean the difference between getting your gear back & losing the lot again. Thoughts please!
 
Not being an expert, I would think the sort of fish we are likely to catch won't exert anywhere near 18lb,unless a Cornish Tuna emigrates! I thought about tapered shock leaders, but I think I would get through them pretty quickly, unlike fish I am brilliant at hooking snags.?
 
Trampster said:
Great thread, and it has got me thinking about trying a tapered shock leader, as the gear & leader I lost last Monday obviously needs replacing. Looking around briefly, a lot of the tapered leaders seem to start at 15 or 18Lb.

I think the mono on the reel in question is 28Lb - I'll have to check it with my spools of line box!

Now this has got me thinking, if I use a shock leader with the thin end being 18Lb breaking strain, is this not causing a bit of a weak point with 28Lb line? Unlikely that I will ever hook a fish of over 10Lb, but if pulling for a break with wire hooks, it could mean the difference between getting your gear back & losing the lot again. Thoughts please!
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Just chop a meter or two off the leader before you start. So it matches closley the diameter of your main line ?
 
Jonah said:
Just chop a meter or two off the leader before you start. So it matches closley the diameter of your main line ?
Click to expand...
Thanks, but I don't think it works quite like that Jonah. I think I read somewhere that an Asso 15m tapered leader has 6m of. say 70Lb, then 3m tapers to 18Lb, and the last 6m is 18Lb. Chopping off 6m would barely leave me enough for a 4.5m Conti rod between end tackle & reel. Plus it's a waste. Diameter is not so much of an issue, as not letting the leader BS go below the BS of the main line, so how would you work out where/when the BS was at/greater than 28Lb? Not all line diameters equate to the same BS.

I think I'll have to put up with a slightly bigger Knot and continue with a straight leader, of which I have plenty.
 
I use tapered leaders on South Coast venues, where the ground is clean. My mainline is between 12-14lb, so similar diameters. If using heavier mainline like on my channel gear, (20-30lb depending on venue) then it's 60-80lb shockleader. If using a tapered leader, the area around your knot has the lowest breaking strain and that is where it will break! Pointless using say 20lb with a tapered leader as the tapered bit is 15lb, you may as well just use 15lb mainline, as you are essentially lowering the breaking strain of your mainline, if that makes sense?. As for types of line, I generally buy in diameter rather than breaking strain. I've learnt some lines are tougher than others, some thicker diameter than others compared with breaking strain. Never had a 'bad' line, nowadays generally buy what's on offer, or cheap!
 
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