The Leader Line Trick That Helps You Land More BIG Fish
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
Heeellloooo Salt Strong Nation!
Have you ever been right in the middle of a hot bite… only to lose the fish of a lifetime because of your leader line?
It’s painful. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit.
That’s why Luke and I sat down to finally tackle a question we hear ALL the time from our community:
“When should I add a tippet to my leader line… and does it even matter?”
Turns out, this little tweak in your setup can make a huge difference when it comes to fooling pressured fish and landing more trophy-class snook, redfish, and tarpon.
In this week’s video, Luke reveals:
- Why pressured fish in places like Tampa Bay react differently than in Louisiana
- How just 6 inches of extra line can keep you in the fight longer
- The exact knots he trusts most (including the FG Knot, Blood Knot, and Non-Slip Loop Knot)
- Why his testing showed mono often outperforms fluoro for abrasion resistance
- How this “tiered leader setup” gives you more confidence when targeting big fish around structure
👉 Want the full step-by-step training? It’s all inside the Salt Strong Fishing School.
And if you’re not already an Insider Member, this is where the real magic happens: game plans, coaching, discounts, and local chapter meetups that make fishing more fun and way less frustrating. Ready? Become a member today!
Tight Lines,
Joe Simonds
Salt Strong Cofounder
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- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
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- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Joe,
As a father of two daughters, it would be my joy that my daughters married men better than me.
Luke and Joe, this is my standard rigging. I found the blood knot hard to tie. I’ve switched to the Hess knot. It has not slipped and easier to tie. Perhaps you could test the Hess knot vs the blood knot?
I’m not familiar with the Hess knot. Can you please send me directions (video or text) on how to tie it? Ideally post to this comment feed. But here’s my email in case that’s easier for you: Luke@saltstrong.com.
Great info. Thanks Luke and Joe.
Great information thanks
This is why I joined salt strong tips & tricks from the salt strong team who are on the water a lot more than me
Thanks for taking the time to post the nice comment Joe!
Great video and truly awesome information on knots leaders and the prep for it … Thanks Luke and Joe
We’re so glad to see that you enjoyed this video
Heading out in tomorrow morning for that early bite. But first, retie a snippet to my setups. Thanks guys.
We hope you enjoy the bite tippets
Glad to see this finally. I have been fishing Tampa and St. Petersburg for a while. I can back this video up. I use 10# braid, 12# to 15# mono/flouro and make a main leader line about 8′ to 9′ tied up with an FG knot. Then I use about a 18″ bite tippet in 20# to 30# with a blood knot. IT REALLY CHANGES YOUR GAME.
I also fly fish and it is critical to lay or land your line lightly on the water especially in very calm waters. GOOD LUCK!!!
Thanks for sharing your findings Gray!
thanks
It seems to me that since the weakest part of the line is the not, logic dictates that by using this method the chance of the line breaking is doubled.
Sorry, meant knot.
As long as the knot is tied at least decently well, and the drag is set properly, it should be nearly impossible for a fish to break off due to pulling power. This bite tipper approach will help ensure that fish can’t wear through the leaders while still being able to get lots of strikes from bigger/smarter fish.