[Mark W]

Just thought I would see what other people advise re the albright knot.

Went fishing briefly this morning after the strong winds of the weekend dropped a bit. Still a biggish swell and really too much weed in the water but fishable over high water casting short with the rod up.

Anyway had one fish hit me really hard in close within about 10 foot just sub-surface. It was on for about 10 seconds and was taking line on the drag when the line parted....gutted, fish and plug gone.

I use about 20 inches of clear monofil leader (25 lb b.s. clear amnesia) attached via an albright knot to my main braid. I could see the leader had gone and presumed the albright knot had given way. On closer inspection the knot was still there and sound but the monofil had parted either imediately below the knot or inside the coils of braid of the knot ( at least one piece of the monofil loop was still inside the knot if that makes sense).

I have been looping the monofil and coiling the braid around it to form the knot. Am I using the best knot for the job and am I tying it correctly? Should I just be changing the leader more regularly, this was the fourh trip out with the same one and I have landed bass up to 4 lbs on it before it parted?

Interested in any advice/comments anyone has. This was a reasonable fish I lost but not a monster, I dont want to lose the fish of a lifetime because of a poblem like this!

 

[Jeremy Hayden]

Have had similar problems in the past & i think that the newer, thin braids cut through the mono / fluro leader.
Now when tying allbrights, i double the braid before tying. Seems to have sorted the problem for me. Still worth taking time over the knots & making sure it's well lubed before pulling tight & that it all sits nice & even when complete.

 

[Mark W]

Thanks Jeremy, from your comment it sounds like I may be forming the know the wrong way round. Do you double the braid and then form the loop in the braid then wrap the monofil around it to form the knot or the other way round ie single loop in the monofil as I have been doing?

Cheers, Mark

 

[Alex Jordan]

Basically tie it the same way you are now except use a doubled over bit of braid rather than single strand - I prefer the slim beauty myself ... like a modified shockleader knot with doubled over braid ...

 

[Nick R]

I use the improved Albright knot for all my braid to mono/fluoro connections from plugging to wrecking ... never had a problem at all.

http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/fishing_knots/knots_imp_albrt.html

Make sure you lubricate the knot with saliva before pulling together otherwise you will damage the mono through friction burn.

For plugging I use the same breaking strain fluoro leader as the main braid.

Just take your time tying the knot and you should be fine.

 

[Mark W]

Thanks for the reply Alex.

Just looked the slim beauty knot up, looks much easier to form than the albright, especially on the rocks in the wind and wet. Just a couple of Qs, I assume you have total confidence in it, but how close do you trim the tag ends and is the knot small enough to take it inside the tip ring for casting? The only other plug I have lost apart from snag ups has been when I did this and the knot caught on one of the rod rings. I have basically reduced the leader length to a max of 20 inches to avoid this happening again.

Cheers, Mark

 

[Jeremy Hayden]

Thanks Jeremy, from your comment it sounds like I may be forming the know the wrong way round. Do you double the braid and then form the loop in the braid then wrap the monofil around it to form the knot or the other way round ie single loop in the monofil as I have been doing?

Cheers, Mark

No, like Alex says, the loop is still in the mono, but using double thickness of braid.

Off to have a look at the slim beauty now tho.....

 

[Alex Jordan]

I tend to cut it pretty close and glue the knot - obviously if I re-tie in the field I don't glue it!

I use a shorter leader and leave the knot outside the top ring - this stops the knot being battered to hell and getting weakened!

 

[Tim Griffin]

Mark, I suffered the same problem and I think this is down to my using very soft fluoro (Berkley Vanish) which I know some people on here slate, but I bought it before I realised that there is "fluoro" and there is "fluoro"! I have improved the reliability of my Albright knots by increasing the number of turns/wraps of braid to at least 12, usually 15 or so. It makes a slightly larger knot but nothing desperate. I have yet to try this with the braid doubled as I am somewhat ham-fisted and struggle with all the loose ends when it's windy and I am out on the rocks (sound familiar anyone??).

 

[Tom H 2]

Mark, I suffered the same problem and I think this is down to my using very soft fluoro (Berkley Vanish) which I know some people on here slate, but I bought it before I realised that there is "fluoro" and there is "fluoro"! I have improved the reliability of my Albright knots by increasing the number of turns/wraps of braid to at least 12, usually 15 or so. It makes a slightly larger knot but nothing desperate. I have yet to try this with the braid doubled as I am somewhat ham-fisted and struggle with all the loose ends when it's windy and I am out on the rocks (sound familiar anyone??).

very good comment about "fluoro" and there is "fluoro"! - Ive tried loads and have ended up with Sufix (excellent knotting & very stiff) - use both 20 & 30 lb in Sufix. Sometimes I will want a softer leader & use Varivas 20 lb

This is pretty much the knot I generally use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92R9F9ZNi2I & have never had it fail (dont even use a locking knot on it)

I have found that some braids dont do a good albright (not the one I use anyway)

My leaders kept short so the knot doesnt usually pass though the eyes (which can rapidly weaken it) but I still change every session unless Im using a short drop on the cast so it goes through the eyes (then I would redo every couple of hours)

Hope this helps

PS Amnesias awful imo dont even like it as a bait snood lol

 

[Julian Fox]

modified albright for me, and no problems (if you tie it correctly!).

 

[Mark W]

Thanks for the reply Tim,

I have been mainly reservoir fly fishing until I recently moved back down here to Cornwall. When you see the difference in price between different fluorocarbons used by the likes of myself and then the top competition fly fishermen you soon realise there is a huge difference in quality. They uses makes like Riverge, but a good reliable cheaper fluro we plumped for was Fulling Mill which is stiffer

I have been using at least 15 turns and wetting the knot too which is why it was such a surprise to find it broken like this. Maybe its the amnesia mono I have been using which is quite soft I guess. I will change this to another clear mono, maybe Suffix Tritanium which is tough.

I have not been doubling my braid so will do this now but am tempted by the Alex's Slim Beauty (who wouldnt be!) http://www.netknots.com/html/slim_beauty_knot.html

 

[Simon L]

I use the same knot as linked above by Spitty (on Mr Fish's Youtube account). I tend to use 7 to 8 twists of the braid.

I use Power Shot, mainly in 15lb, and i use Seaguar in 15.4lb's. This combo has not let me down, and has caught me some hard-fighting fish, and has enabled me to pull out of some nasty snags.

 

[Mark W]

Thanks Tom,

I was just replying to Tim saying I would use Sufix Tritanium instead, when you posted your reply suggesting Sufix! When you say Sufix do you mean mono or do they do a fluoro? By the way, the Mr Fish youtube knot is exactly the one I used that failed. I reckon it must have been the amnesia that got cut through by the braid. I use Whiplash pro 20 lb which is pretty fine.

very good comment about "fluoro" and there is "fluoro"! - Ive tried loads and have ended up with Sufix (excellent knotting & very stiff) - use both 20 & 30 lb in Sufix. Sometimes I will want a softer leader & use Varivas 20 lb

This is pretty much the knot I generally use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92R9F9ZNi2I & have never had it fail (dont even use a locking knot on it)

I have found that some braids dont do a good albright (not the one I use anyway)

My leaders kept short so the knot doesnt usually pass though the eyes (which can rapidly weaken it) but I still change every session unless Im using a short drop on the cast so it goes through the eyes (then I would redo every couple of hours)

Hope this helps

PS Amnesias awful imo dont even like it as a bait snood lol

 

[Mike Cornelius]

I have not been doubling my braid so will do this now but am tempted by the Alex's Slim Beauty (who wouldnt be!) http://www.netknots.com/html/slim_beauty_knot.html

I have only had problems one awful day when using a Penn Craptiva and losing plug after plug when casting due to wind knots in the braid. Since then (x fingers ) I've been OK and have only lost one, or maybe two, plugs in a year. Would be nice not to have lost any and luckily they weren't in a fish, they just pulled off on the retrieve which says how strong the knot had become. I'm gonna try the slim beauty and a doubled albright to see if they fix the problem. Thanks - Mike

 

[Pennywise]

Hi
Since Jim Hendrick put me onto the Reverse Albright knot...this is what Ive been using. It is a strong knot but even it has its limitations but only fails when lure is stuck fast in rocks/weed etc and you pull for a break.

http://www.probassfisher.com/search?q=reverse+albright

 

[Izador]

I would really recommend tying a new leader on before a trip, even just re-tying the same leader if it is still good.
Using fine braid and pulling in fish and through snags the braid is bound to start to cut in.
The albright is a bitch for cutting through as the single strand of braid back to the rod comes out of the mono/fluoro loop at almost 90deg to the mono.
Unlucky on the fish!
Cheers

 

[Dave Irving]

I used 15-20lb braid to 15-20b fluro with an abright all last season, never had any problems. The albright is just one of the those knots you have to take your time over tying. I have bent the hooks on plugs pulling them out of snags so no issue with the breaking strain. Once the knot is snugged down properly, a spot of super glue on the knot wil help.
This year I have switched to a uni -uni knot, (again with a little spot of superglue) between 20lb Varivas Max Power and (mainly so far) 15lb Triple Fish Furo, again without problems-even when I stupidly tried to belt out a Patchinko (26g) full tilt, without remembering to open the bail arm on the reel!!

 

[Julian Fox]

Hi
Since Jim Hendrick put me onto the Reverse Albright knot...this is what Ive been using. It is a strong knot but even it has its limitations but only fails when lure is stuck fast in rocks/weed etc and you pull for a break.

http://www.probassfisher.com/search?q=reverse+albright

Yep that the one- modified, reverse whatever. Works very well.

 

[Colin jones]

i'm still have reservations about my braid / flouro set up i was finding that on only light pressure trying to free a snagged lure my leader would snap at the knot on 14lb fireline and 20lb varivas flouro leader change to 20lb fireline with the same flouro as my 14lb was getting low and i already had some at home i don't think that will do another trip i forgot how thick it was struggling on distance and even worse i cracked off my brand new just out the packet (thank you mr fish )yellow patchinko and sent shooting out to sea noooooooooooooo!
don't it make you sick inside?
thinking of going over to power pro which seems like a popular choice which colour? or whiplash crystal in the 30lb also using a heavy mono like like 15lb/20lb amnesia
ant ideas