In Florida you can keep it if it's over 12 inches.

14.5 inches. Caught near St Lucie inlet in the intracoastal on a plastic topwater lure.

I would suggest DMT Diamond Sharpener. The folded one. With red/blue mesh. It's amazing. Sold at Home Depot and of course online too.

Thanks. I'll try a 3 foot leader.
Not sure how to utilize a popping cork with a sliding sinker though. Need to do some more reading on that.

The depth of water is 6-10ft. Depending on the specific spot. Florida. Saltwater.

I'm new to fishing and trying to use a sliding sinker with a floating lure. So that the lure is not at the bottom or isn't slowly sinking to the bottom, but somewhat floats "in the middle".

I understand that the distance from the bottom would be determined by the length of the leader and the current. The faster the current the closer to the bottom would the lure be since it would be pushed to the side away from the sinker. By contrast, in standing water, the lure would be away from the bottom by pretty much the length of the leader.

I also understand that there is no exact number for the distance.

But in general, how long should I make the leader? A ballpark. 1-2ft or 3-5ft? Would I have better luck placing the lure 1ft or so (near the bottom) or 3-4ft (in the middle)?

Thanks.