10 Best Salmon Leaders And Setups For Multiple Methods

As salmon fishing guide who has been fishing for salmon for over 37 years, and who has been out with other guides and top anglers, I have seen and tested out many salmon leaders and the best setups for all methods of fishing.

I can tell you for certainty that using the wrong salmon leader setup will significantly effect your ability to catch fish.

The best salmon leaders will be constructed in a way that provides the angler with a natural presentation, and the strength to not break, yet still be thin enough that it’s not seen by the fish.

Almost always, the best leader for salmon will be a fluorocarbon line. It is abrasion-resistant and less visible in the water. With methods such as trolling, some anglers will still use monofilament. But, in this article, I will be discussing salmon leaders for river fishing.

Best Brands For Salmon Leaders

NOTE: You do not always need a leader that is made to be a leader. I have used mainline fluorocarbon lines with zero difference in function and fish-catching ability. And, often, the mainline are much cheaper.

• Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon Line – Loved by many top river anglers and guides, CHECK PRICE
• Drennan Leader – Great spool size, good price; this is my go-to leader line most of the time simply because of the spool size and function. CHECK PRICE
• Seaguar AbrazX – This is mainline from a great company, and it’s one of the least expensive per foot. CHECK PRICE

GUIDE TIP: Your leader and tippets are only as good as your knots. Are you using good knots? Check Out: 4 Best Knots Used By River Guides

Best Float Fishing Leaders For Salmon

Float fishing is often one of the most effective ways to catch salmon and steelhead in rivers, but only if you do it well. Anglers will use spinning reels, baitcasting reels, and centerpin reels when float fishing.

If you are interested in learning how to use this method well, be sure to check out my page, Float Fishing For Salmon.

There are multiple yet important reasons for this configuration.

#1. We set more weight near the top because often the fastest current is near the surface, so this will keep your leader more verticle near the surface, which improves depth.

#2. Less weight near the bottom allows for a better, more natural movement of the bait, and being sparsely weighted, the weights are less likely to be seen by the salmon.

#3. Less weight near the bottom also allows the bait to move slightly ahead of the weight and float, which presents your bait first, and this tends to be better since the salmon are less likely to see your leader, weigh, and float.

#4. By adding a shot line that is 2 to 4 pounds heavier than the lowest part of the leader, should you break off for any reason, only the hook or lower leader will need to be replaced. There are times when I will break off on snags over 50 times, and I never need to replace my shot line.

#5. Another function of the shot line is a larger gap between your thicker and more highly visible mainline.

NOTE: The Shot Line and lower leader should always be made from fluorocarbon because it is more invisible and abrasion-resistant.

The weights are usually the same size but spaced closer at the top and further apart at the bottom to allow for a smooth curve angle and better bait placement.

My Float Fishing Salmon Leader Recipe

• Two strong swivels: I use
• Shot Line: Same as the lower leader – Upsize 2 to 4 pounds heavier than your lower leader
• AAA to AB split shots: I use Raven Super Soft Split Shot
• Lower leader – 10lb to 12 pounds for Great Lakes salmon – 16lb to 18lb for West Coast salmon
• Hooks: Size and shape are based on the bait, size of fish, and velocity of the river – Best Hooks For Float Fishing
• Baits: Check out Best Baits For Salmon

Other salmon leaders for float fishing:

Best Fly Fishing Leader Setup For Salmon Fishing

Use an indicator large enough to suspend or hold up the weights you need. I discuss the best indicators for both salmon and steelhead on my page Best Indicators For Fly Fishing.

Salmon Leaders For Plunking

Plunking is another method used for salmon fishing in both rivers and in the ocean or Great Lake. This is a still-fishing method, but the leader is still a critical part of this method.

For more info on fishing salmon and these methods, check out my page, How To Catch Salmon In Rivers: Best Methods and Tips.

Tight Lines,

Graham