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......