How Should I Attach My Rigs To The Mainline?
I just bought an 11″ Diawa Rod w/ a Penn Sargus Reel–50lb PowerPro/250 yards. I want to be able to switch rigs or lures quickly. Should I just tie the braid directly to a swivel, and attach my rigs using snap swivels? Should I have some mono connected to the braid first? Is any kind of “shock leader” required? I’ll be fishing for stripers off the surf. Thanks












1.) When you are spooling Power Pro on your new reel make sure to first add about 20-25 yards of Mono backing equaling the diameter of your Power Pro line, (a blood knot works well here!). Adding a Mono backing keeps your Power Pro from “slipping” on your spool & helps the superline from “digging in” while fighting fish.
#2.) (In my opinion), you should use a swivel and a 20-25LB Flurocarbon leader. Flurocarbon is virtually invisible under water and you almost ALWAYS want to use a Mono or Flurocarbon leader when using any type of super-line. This saves you from having to cut all of your expensive superline if you happen to get a SNAG! (Your leader strength should be at least half of the breaking strength of your main line.)
So it would go like this:
1. 20-25 Yrds of Mono backing equaling same diameter as Power Pro.
2. Your Power Pro line.
3. A Barrel swivel with a leader of Flurocarbon equaling 20-25LB test.
4. A lure or live/dead bait rig.
You CAN use a snap swivel to attach your leader if your fishing in dingy/muddy water and it won’t end up spooking the fish.
Hope this helps ya? Good fishing!
hey since you said that you were fishing surf, just keep tieing the snap streight to your main line…there are others that would say to tie a mono to your main line and then tie on the snap or leader to the mono. i have fished surf and peir for years on end and i have never had any problems. go ahead and tie on the snap to the main line and have you a ball…good luck and good fishin be safe and remember to share the experience
braid line to swivel, and mono to swivel, hook to mono, is good
I agree with Jonny S with one exception. I prefer dacron backing line, as it has less tendecy to put unnecessary strain on the reel arbor.