What Pound Test Leader For Trout

I guide many clients to big brown trout like the one my client is holding in the picture above. To catch trout like this, it’s very important to know what pound test leader to use.

The best leader size for trout for slow presentations and with bait or flies is a two-pound to four-pound leader, which is around 0.14mm in thickness, and for lure fishing, you want to use an eight to ten-pound leader, which is 0.22mm in diameter.

This is just a general recommendation. I use different sized trout leader based on the conditions and the size of the fish.

The size of the leader is critical. I use the lightest leader possible whenever I can for many reasons.

PRO TIP: It’s best to purchase your leaders based on the diameter of the leader and not based on the pound test listed on the spool. It’s also best to use a fluorocarbon leader and not mono.

• More Bites: A light and thin leader is less visible, and therefore it’s less likely to be seen by trout, which means the trout are more likely to grab your bait.
• Better Presentation: A lighter leader will allow your bait to drift more freely in the current. It will also allow your bait to sink deeper and faster, and it won’t get pushed by the current, which means your bait will move at a more natural speed. All of this means more hookups.
• Break-Offs: You want a leader thick enough to prevent you from breaking off a lot of trout, but still light and thin enough to not deter trout from biting.
• River Speed: In faster currents, I use heavier leaders to help land the fish, but also because the trout is less likely to notice a thicker leader if it is moved faster. In also water, I go as light as possible because the trout have more time to inspect the bait and notice the leader.
• Logs and Rocks: When fishing areas with lots of potential snags and obstructions like log jams that the fish can get into, I will go with a slightly heavier leader.
• Size of Trout: You will need to upsize the leader depending on the size of trout in the waterbody that you fish.

Best Leader Brands

This is very important to know and is something most anglers don’t know.

Using the right size of leader has many advantages, but not all leaders are labeled properly.

I have seen anglers struggle to catch trout for years simply because they didn’t realize that the leader they were using was mislabeled or to heavy. Once they figured out the leader was the issue they were able to catch trout.

I always tell my clients that it’s always better to buy your trout leaders by the diameter size and not by the pound test on the label. It’s very important to remember this.

Most of the time, the diameter size is a more accurate reflection of the true breaking strength of a brands leader. And even if it’s not, when it comes to leader size and actually getting trout to bite, what really matters is the thickness of the line and not the pound test of the line.

This chart is based on actual tests and is a more accurate way to buy your leaders.

• Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon Line – is a popular line and the 3-pound is excellent for small stream trout when using bait or flies.
• Drennan  (buy them by the diameter only)– Check Best Price at FishUSA.com
• Redwing Phantom – Check Best Price at FishUSA.com
• Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon I use mostly 6 pounds, which is 0.20mm – Check the Best Price at FishUSA.com Or Amazon Price.

Don’t forget to check out our newest page Trout Fishing 101: Learn Guide Tips And Tactics For More Trout, where I share tips and advice from guides so you can learn how to fish for trout better.

Why The Rod Makes A Difference

Longer and lighter rods allow me to use lighter leaders because the longer rod acts like a big shock absorber that protects the leader from breaking.

Using shorter and stiffer rods might require you to be more careful and lighten up on your drag a little so you do not break off. Lighter leaders tend to break more often on short stiff rods.

I discuss rods on my page, Best River Fishing Rods: Trout And Steelhead Rods

The Advantages Of Using A Lighter Leader For Trout

There are some real advantages to a lighter trout leader and some advantages you probably do not know about. I always use the lightest leader possible, and many of the tournament pro anglers use leaders as light as two pounds.

• A lighter trout leader won’t be seen by line-shy fish.
• A lighter trout leader will sink faster.
• A lighter trout leader won’t get pushed around by the current, and your bait won’t move abnormally fast.
• A lighter trout leader might allow your bait to move and drift more naturally in the current.

What Size Leader For Trout Is Best In Clear Water?

In ultra-clear rivers, a two or three-pound (0.12mm) or 4-pound (0.14mm) leader is a good choice for trout when you are float fishing or using the bottom bouncing method.

I also use this size when fly fishing for trout.

What Size Leader For Trout Is Best In Dirty Water Water?

In dirty water, you can go up a size or two because the trout can’t see the line, and using a slightly heavier line will allow you to get the trout in the net faster.

Dirty water makes it harder to see rocks and snags, and a heavier line won’t scratch or break as easily when you hit these obstructions.

Therefore, the best pound test leader for trout in dirty water will be a four to 6-pound leader.

What Trout Leader For Trout Is Best In Slow Water?

I treat slow water the same way I treat very clear water, because in slower water, the trout have more time to inspect the bait, and they are more likely to see the line and refuse your bait.

Therefore, the best leader for trout in slow water will be a two to three-pound leader. 3 pound is .005″ or .12mm diameter

What Leader For Trout Is Best In Fast Water?

When the water is faster, the trout have less time to react to a bait moving at them and they have less time to see the line. Therefore, in faster water, a 4-pound to six-pound leader should be fine for trout. The 4-pound line is .0055in or 0.13mm to 0.14mm in diameter.

With that being said, I still use a 3-pound line more often, even in faster water because the 3-pound line won’t get pushed as fast by the current, which allows my bait to travel slower, and this often results in more bites.

Therefore, the best size leader for trout in fast water will be a three or four-pound leader.

What Trout Leader Size Is Best In When Euro Nymphing?

Many professional tournament anglers that use the Euro nymphing methods will use very light leaders for trout.

They do this because it allows their flies to sink faster, which gets the flies in the strike zone faster, and the thinner leader slows the flies down. It’s not uncommon for tournament pro anglers to use 1.5 to 2-pound leaders for trout. Two pound leader is about 0.10mm.

For most of my Euro nymphing fishing and guiding, I use 3-pound leaders, but I will upsize to a 4 or 5-pound leader in heavily wooded water, or if there are a lot of big fish over 5 pounds.

What Leader Size Is Good For Indicator Fishing?

If I want to get my fly deeper faster, I will drop down to 3-pound leaders for trout.

For information on how to indicator fish better, check out my page Indicator Nymphing: 13 Tips From An Expert River Guide.

What Leader Is Best For Dry Fly Fishing?

Leaders on the surface can create an indent in the surface that trout can see. That is why most dry fly fishing usually requires a thinner line so the line-shy trout will not see the line.

I also use mostly monofilament leaders when dry fly fishing because they are light and they float. Fluorocarbon lines are not good for dry fly fishing since it sinks, which could pull your floating fly under.

Therefore, the best size leader for trout when dry fly fishing will be a two to 3-pound leader.

What Leader Strength Is Best For Streamer Fishing?

When using streamer flies for trout, I will use 10 to 12-pound leaders (0.22mm to 0.24mm).

Because the fly is moving faster, the trout will be focused on the fly and are less likely to see the leader.

The other reason I use a 10-pound leader for streamer fishing is that streamer fishing often gets the bigger fish to bite, and when they hit the fly they hit it hard and fast.

A hard-hitting trout can break a six or 8-pound leader on contact.

What Leader Strength Is Best For Swinging Wet Flies?

When swinging wet flies for trout, the line is mostly tight and the fly is moving, and there is less of a chance that the trout will see the leader.

Because the fly is moving and the leader will be tight, I use 6-pound 0.18mm leaders when fishing with wet flies.

What Pound Leader Is Best For Lures?

When you are lure fishing you might be using a braided line or a colored line, and you may need to add a piece of leader so that the trout don’t see it.

Because the lure is moving faster you will need a leader of 6 to 8 pounds. 0.18mm to 0.20mm

Most of the time, I will use a true 6-pound 0.18mm leader for trout when casting lures but I will up-size to a 10-pound .009in (.22mm) leader for bigger trout or faster water.

There you have it, adjust your leader size based on the conditions, and always go as light as possible.

Tight lines

Graham