I use a fish finder rig similar to Steeler Fan's, except I make my whole leader (10ft or more) out of stainless cable(usually 480#) with all loops backbraided.
If I'm worried about the cable getting buried in the sand, I'll put a couple of large popping corks on the leader, just above the quick link. I may even put another popping cork on the hook drop, between the quick link and the bait.
I'm definitely not a fan of nylon coated cable. Nylon soaks up salt water like a sponge, then as it dries, the salt is left against the metal part. This caused the metal (even stainless) to corrode fairly fast. I guess if you put a leader in the washer for long enough, you could wash the salt out. With bare cable leaders, a quick rinse in fresh water is all you need. Also with the water soaked through the nylon, you get no benefit from the so called "stealth leader" theory. The salt water gets to the metal, so there is just as much electrical current as if there was no nylon coating at all.
If you make the top part of your leader out of crimped mono, you are asking to get tail cut or a crimp to slip, when you have to put some serious pressure on your leader with a good fish. I've seen 700# mono cut by the tail of something, as it emptied a 16/0 years ago. I have also seen a bunch of crimps slip for one reason or another over the years. Now if I can't backbraid it, I tie it.