Tog leader?

[frugalfisherman]

The biggest tog I ever caught was about 7 pounds. The other day I was on a pp party boat. I use 65 lb braid, 50 lb shock and 60lb Seaguar leader on my Bogan rod. I had a small piece of white legger for bait. Felt a little something lifted up and there was a monster on there. Lasted all of about 7 seconds and bam bam bam gone. Reeled up and the fish had bitten off the leader. I think if a big fish gets the hooks behind his teeth this can easily happen. I here constant reports of big fish "shearing" off so I was thinking of using steel leader like for bluefish. Anyone use this?

[Gerry Zagorski]

I've not heard of anyone using steel leaders... Most people I know or using 50 or 60 floro for hooks and 50 regular mono for top shot. Last foot and a of top shot to tie your sinker and hooks on are usually doubled.

[frugalfisherman]

Like I said Gerry that sucker bit right through the 60 pound.

[Capt. Lou]

I never actually had a tog bite thru a leader , generally lip hooked , however that being said lost some larger tog that cut my leader on wreck structure . This generally shows up as a neat slice like with clippers !
Depending on wreck this can happen easily with big fish pressure ,other times rubbing fray can occur so,u need to check,when baiting.
Slider rigs can help as double mono leader to hook .
Often if in big fish territory I install 80# leaders.
Oddly enough every Tog over 15#'s I've taken has been landed on #50 leaders , often overlooked is how to get em' off that wreck fast. Leader strength can be meaningless if he gets back in his lair ur done !
I'm know expert @ toggin so others may have better suggestions .

[Reelron]

I guess if you look at Togging as the same as Bluefishing, wire leader is fine. But just imagine the feeling when you have a hog that might be a new IGFA record and you caught it on wire? Or even if it's not a record, just a BIG TOG, what are you gonna say when someone says, "Hey, nice fish man! What did you catch it on?" No thanks, let's keep a little sport in it.

Actually I guess that is why I try jigging for Tog at times. Something new and a lot more fun! I caught a 10+ on 30# topshot while jigging, means just the same to me as the 15 I caught with 50# Top shot & leader.

[SaltLife1980]

I do 40lbs braid to 40lbs top shot. Then for my rig i bounce between 40lbs floro and 50lbs floro. Sometimes you need to fish that lighter leader to get the bites but at the same time if you hook a slob you have that chance of just getting broken off super fast.

[bulletbob]

More likely that your line got cut on a piece of the wreck, sharp edge of a rock, or on a sharp edge of a bivalve shell than bitten of by a blackfish.. Happens all the time,,. bob

[kurtisb]

I use 80 pound top shot and snell all day and everyday. Tog are not leader shy. Some people use light line to "get the bite", but I think it so they can feel the bite.

It works for me, but maybe not everyone. One advantage of 80 # is not losing many rigs. It is strong enough to flip over the rock you're stuck under without breaking off. I watch the 40# guys lose a dozen rigs in a day when I don't lose a single one.

I get out fished a lot, but it's usually by someone that has been at it a lot longer than I have been, or that guy that has the magic spot on the boat and catches most of the fish that day. Most days I do as well as the light line guys and sometimes better.

I've lost too many big fish with 40, 50 or 60 to go back. I haven't broken off a fish in two years using 80.

[stripedbass]

QUOTE=kurtisb;470183]I use 80 pound top shot and snell all day and everyday. Tog are not leader shy. Some people use light line to "get the bite", but I think it so they can feel the bite.

It works for me, but maybe not everyone. One advantage of 80 # is not losing many rigs. It is strong enough to flip over the rock you're stuck under without breaking off. I watch the 40# guys lose a dozen rigs in a day when I don't lose a single one.

I get out fished a lot, but it's usually by someone that has been at it a lot longer than I have been, or that guy that has the magic spot on the boat and catches most of the fish that day. Most days I do as well as the light line guys and sometimes better.

I've lost too many big fish with 40, 50 or 60 to go back. I haven't broken off a fish in two years using 80.[/QUOTE]

what pound main line are you using if you are using 80lb top shot.

[kurtisb]

Originally Posted by stripedbass

what pound main line are you using if you are using 80lb top shot.

I use 60 and 80 braid.