Q: What’s best, in your opinion – a leader or no leader for lure fishing? LIONEL NORMAN, BY EMAIL

HG says: For me, it’s always a leader on the end of my braid, but by no means do you have to fish like this.

I like that bit of clear fluoro or mono on the end of the bright-coloured braids I like to use, and I also believe that a short, say, 3ft leader is giving me a bit more abrasion resistance down at the business end, as well as a bit more rigidity to the lure.