Leader sleeves are small metal tube that are used to secure a leader to a wire or a fishing line. These leader sleeves are essential for ensuring that the leader does not break under the tension of the fish being reeled in. If the leader sleeve are too large for the fishing line, then the fishing line will shift within the leader sleeve, which can cause it to break.
A correctly sized leader sleeve will retain 95% or more of the strength of the fishing line, as well as ensure that the leader dont break. The size of the leader sleeve must match the material of the leader being use, and the leader sleeve must be snug against the leader material. If the leader sleeve is too loose for the leader material, the leader may slip out of the leader sleeve.
Pick the Right Leader Sleeve and Crimp It Correctly
In the opposite scenario, if the leader sleeve is too tight for the leader material, you cant slide the leader sleeve onto the leader material. Leader sleeve sizes can vary according to the weight of the fishing line that is being used. Leader sleeves come in small sizes for light fishing line tippets to larger sizes for heavy fishing lines like bluefin cables.
A reference grid for leader sleeve sizes can assist in selecting the apropiate size for the fishing line without having to use trial and error. The material of the leader sleeve is also an important factor in determining what type of fishing environment the leader will be used in. Leader sleeves made of copper are soft metals that are easy to crimp, which make them suitable for freshwater fishing environments.
Aluminum leader sleeves offer more grip on the fishing line than copper leader sleeves and are often used for saltwater fishing environments because the aluminum resist corrosion caused by the salt in the water. Leader sleeves made of nickel-tin coating is also used in saltwater environments because the nickel-tin coating resists the corrosive effect of salt water. The material of the leader also impacts the type of leader sleeve that should be use.
If the leader uses wire materials, the leader sleeve will be stiff. For 7×7 fishing cable materials, the leader sleeve will be flexible and must be precisely match to the fishing cable to avoid slipping. Fluorocarbon fishing line is a hard material that require a leader sleeve that is one size larger than the diameter of the fluorocarbon line.
Braided fishing lines should never be directly crimped with a leader sleeve; instead, you should connect the braided fishing line to a monofilament leader that will be crimped with a leader sleeve. The technique for crimping the leader sleeve will determine the strength of the connection between the leader and the fishing line. The leader must first be threaded through the leader sleeve, the leader must be loop, and then you must place the leader sleeve into a crimping tool.
The crimping tool will be squeezed until it reaches the bottom of its travel. For leader sleeves that are large in size, the leader sleeve should be rotated 90 degrees from its initial position before a second crimp is made. A second crimp will ensure that the connection between the leader and the fishing line is strong.
Should a second crimp not be made on a leader with a large leader sleeve, the connection will be weak and may break. The crimping tool that is used must be the appropriate size to the leader sleeve; a small crimping tool wont be able to adequately crimp a large leader sleeve. The type of fish that are being targeted will influence the type of leader sleeve that is selected.
For small fish, a size #0 leader sleeve can be used. For larger fish, such as tarpon, a size #2 leader sleeve should be used instead. For giant fish like blue marlin, size #5 leader sleeves can be use.
Using the correct size leader sleeve will ensure that the loop created between the leader and the fishing line will stay in place when fish are pulling on the fishing line. There are several error that will cause the leader sleeve to fail. Using a leader sleeve that is too large for the fishing line will cause the fishing line to gap open.
If the leader sleeve is poorly crimped, a soft spot will form in the leader sleeve. If the leader sleeve is tilted within the crimping tool, the crimping tool will create an even crimp that are weak. Using regular pliers to crimp the leader sleeve can flatten the metal of the leader sleeve, which can crack the walls of the leader sleeve.
Finally, you should of test every crimp by hand to ensure that the leader sleeve are secure.