Arsinek

I've been lure fishing mangroves and was wondering what type of line and leader combination I should be using. Does anyone have experience with this?

I'm curious what types of main line and leader people use.

DarcizzleOffshore

You should be using light as possible to get bites until you get breakoffs and then increase. There is not some hard and fast rule to it.
Most would be using 15-30lb braid mainline and 30-60lb flouro leader. Depends on the situation.

Goose77

In Keys fishing as I write this. Using 3500 series reels, 20 lb braid, 25 to 30 lb fluoro leaders. On fly rod using 20 to 25 lb tippet.

garysmo

I use 15lb braid and 30lb fluorocarbon leader.

mikee332

This is what I use

andrewjaxFL

if using a light leader one way to try and turn them is to change directions of your rods pull angle to through them off, often putting the rod tip deep in the water can almost flip them nose down and turn them.

Ron Weasley

30 fluoro for clear water and 40 for stained. there are a couple narrow creeks i fish where ive been broken off multiple times on 40. in those cases if you can get a bite on 60 or 80 then do it

KBH

What kind of lures do you catch mangroves on?

DarcizzleOffshore

I have not found a lure mangroves do NOT like.

Arsinek

Ha! There's truth to that. I go in after them.

Arsinek

I just bought some 10lb main line. Probably going to be too light. I went 10lb for cast distance with small lures but just from handling it it seems to light. If it snaps a lot while fishing I'll go back to 15lb.

KBH

Hah, got ya! It's funny that at the job site I've been working at for the last few years I can catch more mangroves on bread dough balls, left over chicken, or pieces of a ham sandwich than the lures I cast out for snook, jacks, or a very occasional tarpon. They swarm the sea wall when I come out to feed them. Only caught one on a lure. Luckily for them we don't really fish for them, just feed them.

Really though, even in the Keys we always fish for them with either live or dead shrimp, calamari or other dead bait. I find live shrimp the best. By the way, I find the lightest line that works will out fish a heavier line by far.

mikee332

I see what you did there

seabassassassin

When I was living in Florida, I fished 20lb braid with 30 or 40lb fluorocarbon on lures. When pitching live baits, I upped the tackle to 30lb braid with 40 or 50lb fluorocarbon. Still got broken off sometimes.

KBH

Wow, I'm a little dense. That one flew right over my head. lol

Jim311

I really like how well 10lb braid casts relative to 15lb or 20lb. I can't recall ever having breakage problems. I use a minimum of a 30lb leader for snook, reds, or trout in rocky/oystery areas. If you're fighting big snook though you might need heavier.

Rio

Snook about 30” and above are going to shred 30 lb fluoro and under pretty quick. I usually start at 30 unless I’m going for the big girls in which as much as 50 lb

bsh102

I was going to say, you all have not been bush fishing for big snook using 30lb fluro because all you will do is fish for them. You won’t catch many with that light of line. Live baiting snook in the bush 50lb leader minimum, pitching lures 40 minimum, main line is usually 40 braid as well. Pitching lures you usually have the bait moving towards you and have that extra half second to get them coming towards you. If I know we are targeting overslot fish it will be 60lb fluro. Nothing sucks worse when you hook up to a 40” and all you got for her is, please please please stop running or noooooo get out of the bushes followed by the sound of snapping line.

andrewjaxFL

that is where the fun begins, back off drag or open bail jump out of the boat and go comando into the woods and find it! lol if you aint swimming you aint trying!

Arsinek

I go up in those woods for my lures. Only makes sense to go in after the snook.