[ggardner]

I was reading the other day about using weed eater line for the top portion of a "large shark" (8' and up) leader. A 400# barrel swivel at the top with a 500# snap swivel at the botton to connedt the wire trace to. I bought some double barrel crimps that fit 500-600 pound mono and was wondering:
1. What size weed eater line is best? What I see at Home Depot is .095.
2. I just see the line in green and orange? Is there a better choice some where else? I have heard some say to stay away from bright colored fishing line as spanish macks and kings will bite it. Is that a problem here?
3. Will beads fit on this big diamiter line so I can control where my sinker goes, or is there a better technique?

Thanks, Gary

 

[whopperstopper]

Hi ggardner,
I use leaders made of the green weed eater line. I have had a couple of bite throughs on it, but there should be no problem if you use enough steel cable at the bottom. I have had no problem finding beads or crimps to fit mine either.. I usually take a sample of the line with me to the store to be sure I will not have problems with the crimps. I just buy the beads at the dollar store. I have also heard accounts of the weedeater line stretching and breaking like taffy. I have not had that problem with any of my leaders.. but I have not had anything over 6ft on one yet either.

 

[gundoctor]

Weed eater line varies so much its almost impossible to know if you got good leader material or not. Some of it will stretch so much, that its like using a bungee cord, other batches of it have very little stretch. I have had some that, while huge in diameter, was very low in strength. The only dependable quality I've found about trimmer line is its abrasion resistance. If you get lucky, it may make some great leaders. If you get unlucky, it might loose you a good fish.
I've used trimmer line in the past trying to save a buck, I don't anymore because of bad experiences and lost fish while using it.

 

[SkipJack]

Its only 10 bucks for 100 feet of 400# mono. Which can make close to ten leaders. Don't compromise quality for quantity. But then again everyone has their own opinions and experiences. I would say to go get yourself some 400# mono on the internet somewhere.

 

[Mr. Champ]

I got 100yds. of 400# mono on Ebay for $12, and 100yds. of 650# mono at Roys for $35. That stuff works good and has not proved to be any problem unless the toothy critter gets a bite on it, which in that case no mono would work.

 

[shrky2413]

LEADERTEC! Like Skip said leader matl is not that expensive. Although I will admit I have a bunch of leaders made out of weedeater cord. The reason is I used to do a lot of fishing at the TexasCity dike where you lose a lot of tackle and wont catch anything over a 40# jackfish or huge ray so long as they hold thats all ya need.

 

[Captain Spike]

I know I have an axe to grind here but like Gundoctor says I wouldn't risk it. 100 metres (108 yards) of high quality 400 # mono costs $10.99. You should be able to make 40 - 45 rubbing lengths out of that which is less than 27 Cents each for the mono. When you consider how much money in gas, food, bait, ice etc it costs to get away for a weekend fishing it doesn't make much sense to me to lose a good fish by trying to save a few Cents.

Spike

I got 100yds. of 400# mono on Ebay for $12, and 100yds. of 650# mono at Roys for $35. That stuff works good and has not proved to be any problem unless the toothy critter gets a bite on it, which in that case no mono would work.

 

[Curmit]

In the past this was brought up and someone said that they put some real mono in a weedeater and it lasted all day without breaking once, compared to only lasting a few minutes with the official weedeater line. Now that really shows you the difference in strength.

 

[willbo]

I was reading the other day about using weed eater line for the top portion of a "large shark" (8' and up) leader...

Oh God, I guess you read that in "The Shark Fishing Handbook". LOL!

Don't believe everything you read.

good luck,
willbo

 

[RAMON]

Amen to the mono users it just isnt worth losing the good fish because you want to save a couple of dimes here and there. I only build leaders with 400# mono and then stainless steel cable I wont compromise on terminal tackle too often that is what will cost you the fish.

Ramon

 

[Mando]

In the past this was brought up and someone said that they put some real mono in a weedeater and it lasted all day without breaking once, compared to only lasting a few minutes with the official weedeater line. Now that really shows you the difference in strength.

man! i need to try that out! stupid weedeater line breaks just from tapping the cement.

 

[Pigfish]

Use mono or steel, your not landscaping your fishing right?