[ray petch]

Hi everyone, Ive just joined this forum after being recomended by Mr Fish after I bought some lures and am finding it facinating with all the information on here. Ive been fishing since I was 8 years old but I am not a very experienced lure angler although I have dabbled every now and then over the years. I am learning new stuff all the time at the moment, so any advice will be most welcolme. p.s. Can anyone tell me if you use a leader with braid or do you tie it direct to your lure and if you tie it direct to the lure what is the easiest and best knot to use? cheers ray.

 

[Carl B]

hi ray, welcome aboard, i use a uni to uni, not sure how to get links up but you can go on youtube and search it, think youre taking hard plastic if so i'd normally go 4ftish and use a jb clip (mr fish stock these and they'v never let me down) to attach lure, hope that helps

 

[Retired]

I agree with Carl. Just keep the leader knot outside the rod rings. If you get a "stuck" lure back after a heavy pull then I'd suggest changing your leader. All knots will have been stressed.

 

[Gary Evans]

I agree with Carl. Just keep the leader knot outside the rod rings. If you get a "stuck" lure back after a heavy pull then I'd suggest changing your leader. All knots will have been stressed.

Really good advice that!

The amount of times I have heard a line go "Ping" with a nice fish on the end after someone or my self has had a bad snag and the look of total disbelief !

 

[trev]

used to use uni to uni ,but have gone over to albright,never had any problems with either but as said ,keep your fluro leader down to 2-3 ft to make sure the knot is never inside the tip ring when casting

heres quite a usefull page

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

 

[Nathan Taylor]

So many customers that come to me with a leader more than a meter long is about 95% which is no problem if you don't put that knot through the top eye when casting, I can't express how important that is! Like the guys above have said.
The knot is the weakest link and by rubbing it every cast is going to end in tears sooner or later and more often on a good fish.

 

[ray petch]

Thanks for the info. Ive got to practice tying those knots now and find one that im happy with.

 

[Mark Sleep]

I can tie the albright knot at night with my rod between my legs with no light! Its the reverse one I use, and when using it with my PE1 YGK, I double it. I still have utmost confidence in that knot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92R9F9ZNi2I&feature=related

 

[ray petch]

Hi Mark
Thanks for that tip.
ps. whats a PE1 YGK?

 

[Mark Sleep]

Hi Ray

YGK is a brand of line. I got mine from Japan, but a couple of places over here do it now. It is what I call a 'super-duper line'! In as much as it is an 8 strand braid, which has incredible suppleness, teamed with high breaking strains in conjunction with crazily thin diameters. The PE number is the unit of measurement they seem to have adopted when classifying the new breed of 8 strand braids. My PE1 is approx 16lb breaking strain, and is really stupidly fine, and feels like silk. For LRF (ultralight), people go lower, PE0.6, and for heavier plugging and vertical boat stuff, people use PE1.2 and upwards. Worth noting that abrasion resistance is poor though, so its not for everyone. I am new to 8 strand I would point out, so others could help more if you have further questions.

If you are starting out, I wouldn't recommend something like that described above, as its pricey and you need to know how to look after it whilst fishing, or you'll end up with a huge ball of spider web! Powershot is a good line to start, as of course are the classics like powerpro and fireline.

 

[ray petch]

To be honest I think I would prefer to stick with 8lb mono as I "heard" you get more follows and takes, although I dont really know if this is true?... However I want the extra strength and abrastion resistance as I do a lot of fishing from rock marks, so I bought some 20lb SAKURA.

 

[Toby Harnett]

I'm new to pluggin too Ray. From what I've read & felt when fishing (as I used to use mono when using plugs) I think that you maybe at a disadvantage on several counts using mono.

There's a lot more stretch in mono (therefore you won't get the feel that you do with braid - what the plug/lure is doing, when you're in contact with rocks, when you're getting taps etc from fish etc) & casting distance maybe affected because of the larger diameter of mono (for the same bs line)

Although braid is more expensive than mono, imho for lure fishing I think that its worth it. If you're worried about strength/abrasion resistance you could get some 30lb PowerPro (relatively cheap as far as braid goes). I have pulled out of all snags so far with that & with my sometimes dodgy casting (its getting better all of the time) wrapped it round rocks with no real adverse effects. Also no wind knots either.

Cheers

Toby

 

[Dave Irving]

Ray,
As to more takes/follows on momo-it's a myth. The far greater contact (because of very low stretch) with the plug will give you more feedback about the plug. How about feeling it touch seaweed 30 yards away!!
Plus if you get a take, setting the hooks is almost done for you-again a benefit of almost no stretch, compared with "bump and gone" on mono.
Yes you have to be alittle more careful how you handle/knot/use braid, but it's benefits including the above AND greater distance far out weigh the draw backs.

 

[ray petch]

Thats good tips and advice from all of you, thanks very much.

 

[Marq]

I have had the Albright knot part on me during a cast So as recommended to me i now use the revised Albright Think that is a better knot and have had no problems

 

[Dave Watson]

I have struggled with leader knots for a while and more so when going down to "fine" braid - I was using the allbright knot at first , then the slim beauty for the finer braid, didnt really suss using that and lost confidence in leaders/knots and went back to tying on straight thru to clip.

As I knew from previous experience of losing fish due to no leader I knew I had to get my head round them again before I lost more fish

The past 2 weeks I have been using the uni-uni knot for my leader to daiwa 8 strand braid and it has not let me down once yet , which is a big change , so confidence is on the up again - and last night the same leader/knot was put to test 4 times on big fish, even though I only landed one of them the leader did not let me down at all.

have a go with the few knots that have been suggested and find one that you like to tie , have confidence in etc as what might be good for others may not suit you for no apparent reason.

Also I struggled with the finer braids at first , going through a spool of £57 YGK in about 3 weeks due to snags , birdies etc - now Im using the daiwa 8 strand and am sussing it and how to use it - its definatley is the way to go as everything is just heightened and loving the contact and feedback I'm getting from it.

 

[Michael Hall]

Hi, I now use the uni knot, to join 8 strand braid to my flouro leader. Otherwise known as the Double Grinner!! This is my preffered knot and not had any problems to date. The last knot i used failed, and i lost a very big bass.Gutted.!!!!!!!

 

[Sean Taylor]

hi ray, welcome aboard, i use a uni to uni, not sure how to get links up but you can go on youtube and search it, think youre taking hard plastic if so i'd normally go 4ftish and use a jb clip (mr fish stock these and they'v never let me down) to attach lure, hope that helps

I have to agree with Carl.... you cannot beat uni knots. I have tested one on a 174kg shark (The one in the pic on the left.) The battle lasted an hour & a half. The knot held fine.

Regards