# Wind-on Leaders 101



## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

Alright, here we go. I'm going to start doing a few of these mini-articles a month in hopes to hopefully put some of you guys in a better position to more consistently fill the fish box and come back with release flags flying, and to do it safely. If you are not a truly experienced bluewater fishing team, or if you routinely find yourself fishing with small (2-3 man) crews, or even on center consoles, I highly recommend putting wind-on leaders on all of your trolling rods. Wind-on leaders essentially cut out the need for a leader man. Because the wind-on itself may be 25 feet long or so, there is no need for your traditional 15 foot leaders for your lure or live bait or whatever you may be using. It defeats the whole purpose if you don't shorten your leaders. When I am outfitting someone's boat with wind-on leaders and lures, I usually make them (myself) a 25' wind-on, and then the actual leader may only be 4-6 feet. This enables the angler to reel the fish to within gaffing distance without having a leader man take wraps to get the fish closer. Sometimes another body needs to simply pull the leader (without taking wraps) towards the boat to "seal the deal" for the guy on the gaff, but not always. If you've never gotten proper instruction in taking wraps on big fish, I would advise asking someone that knows how. It can get very dangerous very fast, and if you don't know what you're doing, you're either going to lose the fish or get pulled in.

For those of you guys that insist on/love taking wraps on fish, YES, you can still take wraps on wind-ons. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. Just remember, as an angler though, as the wireman takes wraps and pulls the fish closer, to reel up the slack behind your wireman's head, but not so much/so fast that you reel his hands right up to the rod tip itself and get the wireman "cuffed." Pay attention to your leaderman and not what's going on behind the boat. If I'm in the chair, at the point my leaderman has a good hold on the leader and is taking wraps, I'm backing off the drag about halfway and putting the clicker on. There is always a chance he will have to dump the leader, and backing off the drag lets the line have some "give" instead of just coming tight with the fish swimming away (probably very fast!), which can often result in pulled hooks or snapped lines.

I do make wind-ons myself and am happy to make anybody some that needs them.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Can you do one of rigging for swordfishing or how to rig a ballyhoo?


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

Great point woody. I have been debating using wind-ons. We just use the Bimini to 25' leader connected by improved albright knot. PM me about your wind-ons, lets work out a trade for those leashes.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Captain Woody, how do you keep the tag end of the monofilament from poking out through the HC braid?


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

The dacron is hollow. The tag end is hidden inside. I've never seen the tag end poke back out.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

I have that problem with HC braid especially on those used for popping and jigging. I guess one solution would be to switch to Dacron for wind on leaders since it is thicker and has a tighter weave.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I've never had an issue with the mono poking through. I'd have to see it to diagnose how to resolve. I certainly wouldn't switch to Dacron for the popping and jigging rigs though since Dacron is not only much thicker but also considerably less abrasion resistant than spectra or dyneema

If anybody in the OB area would like to learn how to build their own wind ons, I can show you here at our store


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## TCAT (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey Chris,

Do you guys carry serving tool and spectra serving thread?

Keith


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Chris when making wind on leaders with heavy monofilament #125-300, fluorocarbon #80-130 and PP HC the tag end winds up poking out through the braid. I have tapered the tag ends by sanding them, cutting them with a scalpel and it has always popped through the sides after a few uses. The only way I have been able to stop this has been by tensioning out the line and wrapping a serving over the tag end area.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I never taper the mono. I cut it off bluntly before pushing it into the splicing needle. If you are tapering the line first, I'd suggest pushing it out of the side at the end and cutting it off square.

If it continues to pop out, the universe is against you and you need to get your karma up....


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Dang it looks like the universe has got it in for me and my buddy Chad because we were constantly having the leader material come out through the side of the HC. I'm pretty sure that it's caused when the line rolls through the tip of the rod. Serving the tag end stops that but I think it shortens the cast popping just a tad.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Kim, We must be missing something because I have never had an issue with the line popping out either and I have made tons of my own wind ons.

Another tip, the jig that Basil sells is awesome to assist in creating a nice serve.

Robert


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Dang! I'm cursed, I'll make another and when it pops out I'll take a pick and post.


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## Midnight Run (Oct 2, 2007)

Very good post thanks woody for sharing


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