Weedy estuary, rig and leader tips

Hi all

I'm bait fishing a very weedy estuary. If I use a shock leader I get weed up the line and it ruins the fish fight but usually have enough strength to land the fish and the seaweed. If I don't have a leader I can't cast as far as need too and use suitable heavy lead. I fish at slack water at end of ebb so reduce weed and locate fish but I need way keep weed of my line. I can work with some on the rig and lead but when half way up the line I can loose fish.

Anyone got any tips. I use a single hook running ledger straight onto the leader to reduce knots but with no leader I less weed but not fishing properly.

In my experience, the only cure for weed is to change location.

Using a braid mainline might help I guess

A spool of tapered line is your answer there David, available in all tackle shops these days. .28-.57 should do you just fine assuming you are casting overhead and not " power casting "

A couple of tips I picked up from helpful anglers on here for dealing with weed:

Keep rod high in the tripod so as to keep as much line out of the water as possible

Likewise cast shorter again so there is less line in the water.

If weed is very bad in close but OK beyond that consider wading a bit and holding the rod to feel for bites

A spool of tapered line is your answer there David, available in all tackle shops these days. .28-.57 should do you just fine assuming you are casting overhead and not " power casting "

Is that a tapered shockleader, or are you on about something different again kstaff ?

Do a google search for tapered mainline, Asso does one that has a built in shock leader so no knot.

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Good stuff lads, I used be big fan braid but stopped as just too much when it wind knots but tempted to try it again and just cast shorter n keep it high like yous said and straight through no leader, leadgered weight n one hook.

Tapered mainline never heard of it but sounds like exactly what I need. Thanks all

A spool of tapered line is your answer there David, available in all tackle shops these days. .28-.57 should do you just fine assuming you are casting overhead and not " power casting "

Is that a tapered shockleader, or are you on about something different again kstaff ?

Hi Ya,

yes tapered mainline, full spool approx 250m Been out a good few years and ideal on fixed spool reels.

Tronixpro and Asso does tappered mainlines.But the thing is - they are good only for clean sandy beaches or venues you know.You have just one chance,first snag - and you going back to square one - just a mainline with no leader.There are double tapered mainlines from Trabucco and Asso - means you have your mainline and two leaders at the ends so if you lose the leader you can reverse the line and use the other.if you have time and patience of course.will give you second chance tho.