I have been thinking about leader length lately for drift gear setups versus side drifting versus boondoggling.

When drift fishing it is usually common to use a 1.5 – 4 foot leader, 18-48 inches. In gin clear conditions with a 4-foot leader if you are drift fishing your lead must travel four feet to become even with the hook if a fish has picked it up. The lead will continue to drift and thus will probably travel another four feet for a grand total of eight feet before you detect the strike. This is one of the main reasons for not using a leader longer then four feet; the fish can drop the lure/ hook before the strike is detected. Also there is the flossing issue to consider with longer leaders.

When boondoggling the boat floats down river with the lines bouncing off the bottom pretty much stretched straight out just as if trolling in a lake except you are bouncing bottom instead of dragging the lure straight through the water. I have just started to do this technique as of last winter. If I understand it I would think that in this case the lead comes down river first with your hook and corky or eggs or whatever following. I think that is how it works is that correct? If this is the case leader length should not be an issue so why not make them as long as possible but still practical to cast from your favorite boondoggling pole. Also flossing should not be an issue since the leader is being dragged straight down river and not across the river, which happens towards the tail out when drift fishing.

If you have a 9.6-foot boondoggling pole seems you should be able to cast a seven-foot leader ok. I have heard of some guides using long leaders like this in these situations, is this the norm?

Side drifting has me baffled, which floats down river first the lead or the hook/corky?

i personally dont have a boat, but i would think the corkie being lighter in weight than lead would go faster in the current..**berkley boy**

The corkie and bait would go first due to the lead slowing down as it touches bottom.The simple thing to due is make all your leaders four feet then cut to size for differant rivers & situations.Then have some of those special longer leaders for that special time of use.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE
I think what you are using for your presentation has a lot to do with how long your leader should be.For example,
1)When I use rag & sandshrimp my leader is always between 20 & 28 inches long.No matter if I'm drift fishing / side drifting or dogglin.
2)When I'm using corkie yarn or corkie egg my leader is between 2 1/2 & 3 feet long.No matter what I'm doing.
3)When straight dooglin say on the cowlitz / lewis
My leader is never shorter then 4 feet & never longer then 6 feet.

Last Saturday we fished the Cowlitz with a guide. We fished w/ 5' leaders while Boondoggin', and were told that is the standard length. Later after dark we did some Glow Balling. We anchored up and Drift Fished. We used the same exact set-up, except w/ Glow Corkies, same 5' leader length. We did pretty well, hooked 8 and got 4 in the box. I felt we could have used shorter leaders for the after dark fishing, but it seemed to work OK!!

Don't forget that the water is travelling slower near the bottom due to the flow being disrupted from the rocks etc... so even with the weight "slowing down the drift" your bait/lure should be travelling the same speed as the water, assuming you have the proper weight. With too much weight your gear will be slowed down too much causing your bait/lure to drift ahead of your weight; or too little which will allow the faster upper currents to pull your bait/lure downstream, placing your bait/lure upstream/behind your weight. Proper boat control/speed while boondogg'n or side-drifting only compounds the variables - and in my opinion these are the main variables (along with good bait and river knowledge) that seperate the fishers from the catchers.

I don't know where this idea came from, but it just isn't true if you are using the proper amout of weight. I've watched fish take my offering before.....some move with the bait in such a way that is very hard to detect, while others aggressively take the bait and immediately transmit the feel of the take. I just don't put any stock in the notion that your bait is going to travel twice the leader length before you feel a bite. When you're fishing clear water, watch your bait and you'll see what I mean.

Maybe if your hands and brain are numb and you're wearing mittens......