Boilie Needle

Shock leader is a section of line or braid designed to withstand greater stress than the main line. It is most commonly tied between the main line on one end and the leader on the other. We can distinguish several types of shock leaders:

Braided shock leader is most often used when casting a rig with a rod. The advantage of this type of shock leader is the small knot that is created when tying the braid to the main line, as well as its low stretch, which makes it easier to control and more effectively transfer energy to the rig during extreme casts.

Monofilament shock leaders are most commonly used when deploying the rig by boat. They are usually made from a thicker material that resembles monofilament line. The advantage of this type of shock leader is its much higher abrasion resistance compared to braided ones. Additionally, monofilament shock leaders perform significantly better in hard snags, such as submerged trees, because they do not cut into the softened wood as braid can, thus providing greater chances of freeing the fish from the snag.

Tapered shock leaders are a type of monofilament shock leaders which are thinner at one end and thicker at the other. With such a shock leader, the thinner end is tied to the main line and the thicker end is connected to the leader. This way, we get a relatively small knot that passes through the guides more easily during casting, and the thicker end near the rig offers better protection against damage during a fight.