(Photo courtesy of Major League Fishing)

Why Jeremy Lawyer uses a leader-specific line

When it comes to braid-to-leader combinations, there are many different options out there of what to use. It can often be overwhelming for an angler when looking at all the different options of braid and fluorocarbon, and it can sometimes be difficult to know which ones to choose when you don’t know the differences between one versus another. This is why we design leader-specific lines at Sunline to meet the anglers’ needs when looking for that perfect line that performs well when tied to braid. Leader-specific materials are very unique as they have certain characteristics more than other fluorocarbon lines do such as superior abrasion resistance, sensitivity, and strength required for those heavy hooksets and hard-fighting fish. There are many different techniques that a braid-to-leader combination can be used, and there are many benefits of using braid-to-leader. Check them all out here.

Leader-specific materials

One of the most experienced anglers when it comes to using our leader-specific materials is Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour angler Jeremy Lawyer. Lawyer has over $1 million in career earnings with MLF, including his wins on the BFL All-American level, Toyota Series level, and Pro Circuit level. Lawyer primarily uses braid-to-leader combinations on his spinning reels tied with an FG knot, and he has a few different options that he likes depending on the situation he is dealt with. Starting with the leader material, he usually uses 10-pound FC Leader, especially in the Midwest where he is from. For using baitcasting setups, try higher sizes like the 14, 16, or 20-pound tests depending on how heavy the cover is that you are fishing or how big the fish are that you are targeting. The FC Leader material is specifically designed for tying to our braided lines because of its superior braid-to-leader knot strength rating, perfect amount of stretch, and triple resin processing for better abrasion resistance and improved knot tying when tying knots like the FG knot, Quintet knot, or Albright knot. Lawyer prefers the 10-pound Tornade V Hard FC leader material when targeting bigger largemouth, stripers, or catfish, and the 7-pound Tornade V Hard when targeting smallmouth around current or zebra mussels. This line is coated with Plasma Rise Technology, which is a hard glass-like polymer layer that creates ultimate abrasion resistance and water repellency, which is important for drifting in current for smallmouth with lures like drop shots, ned rigs, or any other lure that drags the bottom. If fishing around boat docks or trees, Lawyer uses the 12-pound to 8-pound Tepa Tapered FC Leader. He chooses this line when he is fishing hard pieces of cover that his FG knot could brush up against as he is reeling it in, so he wants to have a stronger line tied to the braid while having a thinner line at the lure. If you are wanting to try this tapered leader on a baitcasting setup, try the 36-pound to 16-pound or the 36-pound to 22-pound sizes. If you’re looking for a leader material with a little more stretch or if you’re wanting to keep your lure shallower, try the Nylon Leader. Like FC Leader, it is also designed for tying to our braided lines because of its superior braid-to-leader knot strength rating and triple resin processing for better abrasion resistance and improved knot tying. This high quality in a nylon line is extremely rare to find in the market, and it also reduces water absorption more than other nylon lines which prevents breakage issues. Outside of using leader-specific materials, Lawyer does have one standard fluorocarbon that he occasionally uses as a leader. Because of its superior abrasion resistance and sensitivity, Lawyer might choose 7 or 8-pound Shooter fluorocarbon tied to his braid when fishing around rock piles with a drop shot or when targeting largemouth around boat docks and cables.

Braided lines to pair with leaders

For many anglers, choosing which braid to use can be as overwhelming as choosing your fluorocarbon leader, however, it doesn’t have to be that complicated if you know the situation you are dealt with! To be ready for any situation out on the water, Jeremy Lawyer has a few different options for his braided lines as well. When targeting fish with forward-facing sonar using spinning rods, he chooses the 18-pound pink Almight sinking braid to get his lure down to the fish faster. By being 50% heavier than traditional braided lines, the Almight sinking braid reduces line drift caused by wind and waves. This not only results in getting the lure to the fish faster, but also creates better lure contact allowing the angler to feel the most subtle bites from the fish. Another great option as a braided line for spinning reels is the Overwatch braid, ranging from 8 to 18-pound tests. This braid is a metered braid featuring 30 inches of dark green line alternating with 12 inches of chartreuse line for high visibility. It is also an 8-strand braid that has flexibility for improved handling on spinning reels and a slick surface allowing for greater casting distance and less guide friction. When fishing in current, Lawyer prefers the 12-pound light green Xplasma Asegai braid because of its water repellency allowing the lure to perform more efficiently. Similar to the Tornade V Hard fluorocarbon leader, this braid is coated with a P-Ion plasma technology that causes it to be more water repellent, abrasion resistant, slicker, and longer lasting than other lines. When fishing around vegetation, Lawyer loves the 16-pound yellow SX1 braid because of its rough texture that allows it to cut through anything like a knife. When fishing in cold weather or when needing something with the most abrasion resistance, strength, slickness, and durability, he chooses the 18-pound orange Siglon PE AMZ braid. The AMZ is our top-of-the-line highest quality braid, but try the regular Siglon PEx8 if you’re looking for a more affordable yet reliable option. If using braid-to-leader on a baitcasting setup, we recommend using a minimum of 30-pound braid and matching the diameters of your fluorocarbon to your braid as much as possible. Please note that diameters are different than pound test, especially when it comes to fluorocarbon/nylon versus braid. Braid is always a smaller diameter than fluorocarbon even if it is the same pound test.

Rods

When choosing the right spinning rod for his braid-to-leader techniques, Jeremy Lawyer has a few options for that as well. When fishing deeper, setting the hook after long distance casts, or fishing for largemouth in general, he reaches for a 7-foot 4-inch Denali Lithium Pro medium heavy power spinning rod. When targeting smallmouth or needing to land fish by hand like in tournaments where it is illegal to use a landing net, he prefers a shorter rod such as a 7-foot Denali Android medium power dropshot spinning rod or a longer rod with more of a moderate bend like the 7-foot 6-inch Denali Kovert medium power spinning rod.