Transporting leaders

[JB2C]

Anybody have a good idea on how to transport leaders already attached to rods? I fish a center console and carry my rods from home to the boat for fishing. Boat is in a slip down there already. So I carry my rods in a rod rack on front. The rack also holds my bait cooler and has room for another small cooler, maybe 15" X 18" or so, up there. I've been pounding my brain trying to figure out a reasonable way to carry the leaders. Have had them wound onto the reel thus far, but don't want to do that any more.

Top priority is to protect the leaders. I considered a tote that would hold all the leaders, but makes it tricky to carry 4 or 5 rods and a tote all at the same time out to the car, then from car to boat (I can't park real close to the boat).

I also thought about making connections after we're on the boat, but I know the connections will be more reliable if done in a warm garage at 7pm than at 5am in 25D weather under a spreader light. Plus it's one more thing to do before leaving the dock, and I'm trying to cut down on all that 'stuff'.
I really don't want to leave the rods down at the boat, so have ruled out that option. Could just rubber band the leader to the rods, but don't want to do that since I carry the rods up front and the leaders would then be subject to whatever junk the road throws at them. I have close to an hour's drive to get there.

I figured somebody else has had this problem in the past and come up with a neat little solution, so figured I'd post up. So I need storage for large coils, already connected to the rods, in something I can carry up front with the rods in the rod rack. Anybody have a solution??

JB

[WAHOONBOX]

55 READS HERE AND NO ONE HAS ANY BIG IDEAS???


GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE!~

SPEAK UP!!

[OffTheHookB&T]

I don't know about keeping the leaders on the rods, but a trick I learned last year might work for you. You need a plastic coat hanger and a kids swimming noodle( the type that is split on one side, not a complete tube). You cut the noodle to fit the bottom arm of the hangar and then put it on that arm. Now you stick the hook into the foam and roll the leader ono the noodle. Now you can carry a bunch of leaders ready to go and hang it whereever you need it
If you want I can probably post some pics, later.

[ElMar2530]

How about your basic leader wheel???
Maybe clip it to the reel lugs.

[hunt4fish]

I don't know about keeping the leaders on the rods, but a trick I learned last year might work for you. You need a plastic coat hanger and a kids swimming noodle( the type that is split on one side, not a complete tube). You cut the noodle to fit the bottom arm of the hangar and then put it on that arm. Now you stick the hook into the foam and roll the leader ono the noodle. Now you can carry a bunch of leaders ready to go and hang it whereever you need it
If you want I can probably post some pics, later.

I used to do that alot Chuck without the hanger,with my carolina rigs when I was big into bass fishing,take a piece of pipe insulation,stick the swivel in the slot wrap leader around,and stick hook into foam,still use it today for inshore leaders.Now for offshore leaders I coil them up,ready to go in my bucket,slide what lure I want over it,and make the connection that morning I'm gonna fish.And I to transport all my stuff from home to the boat,a little time consuming but I don't have to worry about my connections,cause I know there ready to go this way.

[Avenger]

I have no idea if this would work or not, but what if you took a section of the split "pool noodle" or pipe insulation and slipped it over the rod? Then you could wind your leader around that and bury the hook in it. It would also help protect the rod from some of those bumps it gets while transporting it.

[O-SEA-D]

I keep my leaders in big 4 foot round coils that are about 7 feet per coil. I take them off the rods when I am going from place to place.
I put a big towel down and then I put a leader on top of the towel flat. Then I put another big towel down, then another leader....so on and so on. It keeps them flat, seperate, organized and protected all the way around.

When I get to the boat in the morning I pick the rig that is going out last and I rig it first. Its the first to go down on a towel. Then I crimp it to my swivel on the rod. Then I put a towel on top of it and rig my next one. Crimp it on and then I rig my last one. Put another towel down and crimp it on. Everything is protected, organized and ready to go out in the proper order as soon as I arrive at my fishing spot.

Sounds like a pain in the butt, but thats what works for me. I know my leaders are protected and ready to go.

[tunatamer4]

JB2C- How long are your leaders? Are you using wind-ons? I'm not trying to be a smart-ass but there seems to be an over concern about protecting your leaders from road debris. Have you thought about your rods and reels? They are a bit more costly I would think than a few bucks of floro.

Anyway, if the standard leader spools that Dorymate mentioned are too small, what about the yo-yo planer spools? They are bigger and can be slipped over the side of the reel and secured to the rod for transport.

Before we started using wind-ons, our leaders were run from the rod tip, down once around the reel and back up to some slack pulled from between the tip and first guide. Then it was all slipped inside of a rod sock.(There was a small piece of chafing gear on the hook to prevent it from getting snagged on the sock)

Hope this helps

[JB2C]

Well, just read the replies. Thanks for the ideas.

I went out the next day after I posted and bought a tote. I just can't see any way to do what I want to do. So I've settled on just making the connections after I get to the boat in the morning. Carry the leaders down protected in the tote.

John, the towel idea is a good one. I'll go with that to keep them seperated in the tote. Would it be reasonable to rig the bally the night before and put them into the tote all rigged and ready? Add a bit of ice on the bottom, then a tray of some sort to keep everything away from the ice, then the rigs divided by towels. Seems like you could do that and then just crimp onto the rods after you get to the boat. Crimping would be about the same amount of time as rigging the bally, so I'm thinking that would be a wash and I wouldn't be adding extra time in the mornings.

Definitely no wheels, unless they make some alot bigger than I've seen! The coils would be way too tight. Leaders are 25' to 40' length. Forgot to mention... this is just for bluefin fishing. The pool noodle thing would work except that I'd have to throw them in the back of the car for the ride. And with all the junk that gets thrown in there, I know the leaders would get scuffed. With the tote and lid, you know they're protected. Coils would still be too tight with a 5 gal bucket, so I think the tote thing works best for me.

Gonna have to think about this rigging the bally night before, then into the tote idea though. Can't see why not.

JB

[Sea Draggin]

Well, just read the replies. Thanks for the ideas.

I went out the next day after I posted and bought a tote. I just can't see any way to do what I want to do. So I've settled on just making the connections after I get to the boat in the morning. Carry the leaders down protected in the tote.

John, the towel idea is a good one. I'll go with that to keep them seperated in the tote. Would it be reasonable to rig the bally the night before and put them into the tote all rigged and ready? Add a bit of ice on the bottom, then a tray of some sort to keep everything away from the ice, then the rigs divided by towels. Seems like you could do that and then just crimp onto the rods after you get to the boat.

I basically did the same thing, but instead of using a tote, I would only fill my bait cooler up half way with ice, which gave me plenty of room to store my rigged baits and leaders. Since it is winter, half a 70qt cooler is more than plenty ice for a half dozen baits.