Braid

[jack]

I am all ready to load up with Braid.

Help with the following please; Do I need to put in a length of mono between the braid and my hook trace [to give me a shock absorber,and something for the leadrunner to rub on ] sure I read that somewhere. If so,how long,and should it be a lower b/strain than the mainline.

Also which knot should I use to join mono to braid,I assume there must be a special one,due to the difference in line diameter....jack

[blueboatdriver]

Jack,

I think most people do use a leader. I usually have twice the length of the rod and three or four winds of the reel. This might seem quite long but believe me it soon gets shorter especially if it's doing its job. I've got 30lbs braid and 20lbs leader on one of my reels, but others may do it differentlly.

As for the knot: I got shown and now I use this knot for nearly everything but I wouldn't even start to try to explain it in words on here. I'm sure somebody will post instruction later.

 

Simon.

 

PS: Jack, I've just had a quick look around and I think I use a double uni-knot to join the braid to the nylon. It's never let go as yet. As with most things though it's much better if you can get someone to show you first hand how to tie it.

Edited October 20, 2005 by blueboatdriver

[duncan]

Great topic Jack, like anchoring it should run and run!

 

In my opinion (and of course all posts are of course opinion) you need to define more clearly the circumstances to arrive at an understanding - if I take BBD's post fishing an 8ft rod downtide on the patches could result in him effectively fishing with mono!

 

So, why even consider a mono leader? Basically it's all down to abraison as you suggest, but you have lighter (lever) drag settings and soft tip braid rods so the introduction of stretch is not the issue (if you want to go the whole hog really sharp circle pattern hooks avoid any strike and possible hook pulls too - but they don't suit all baits).

 

Abrasion/wear is going to come from 3 areas -

sliding boom on line

end of boom on bead/knot

contact with the seabed

 

based on this

I use around 6-8 foot except where uptiding where I increase this to 20ft (and use stronger line so that it doubles as a shock leader on casting too).

Double uni knot (back to back knots) work really well to connect.

As I only use 20lb braid mainlines with most of my rods I use 25/30lb mono leaders to maintain the integrety of the gear.

Where I am fishing fairly light and shallow I use braid straight through - to attach to swivel I double over the last 6 inches before tying the uni knot, snug a rubber bead over the knot and use small smooth boom/lead links to minimise abrasion.

I also have one reel loaded with 50 fireline XDS and I fish this straight through as it's coating stands up to abrasion really well.

 

Hope this helps?

 

What braid (make strength) have you got and what type of fishing are you planning?

[jack]

The braid is Dyneema 43lb. as for the type of fising;downtide or drifting.or dynamite or anything else which might result in a fish'. jack

[duncan]

At the risk of being pedantic I believe Dyneema is a brand name for the underlying material but what the hell!

 

Suspect it's Dynon or similar with a slightly open weave and as such it will suffer from abrasion in many circumstances, as is also quick to weaken from nicks etc so a leader is a good idea. It is thin though!

 

At 43lb you have a fair buffer in terms of it's strength over the pull you are likely to be able to exert in normal use so a good quality nylon leader of around the same strength should do nicely and, if you do manage to put 35lbs of pull or more into something it will fail at either the braid to nylon or nylon to swivel join - and you won't loose your expensive braid (unless of course you are part of the Christchurch we only use 18lb snoods for conger and rays club of course in which case you only loose the hook!).

[Swainiac]

Hiya Jack......why go so heavy?? 43lb is hoooooooge! I dont even conger fish with anything more than 40lb, and the majority of fishing is done with 15lb braid, infact, all three inshore reels are loaded as such. I only have 40lb on my 7000ABU, for heavier weights really, not heavier fish!

 

Another point.......be sure to back off the reel correctly, before loading your braid. Braid will dig into mono, with use, so if you back with mono, join the braid and mono....then bind electrical tape or similar around the mono...and wind on your braid.....if you have 150m of braid on the reel.....you wont ever reach this join...then the braid wont dig into ure mono....hope this helps

 

As far as joining a leader to braid, I use the nail knot, to form a loop on the end of the braid, and another hitch...name escapes me, finished witha three turn uni, to secure the mono......it has never failed me.

 

 

Rich

[boybilly]

SIG KNOT joined to a nail knot as Rich says. Personally I hardly ever use a leader unless wrassing or deap sea. Hello peeps, I,m back. PC has been to and fro poorly. Found a virus stopping my browser connecting to net. Or so he says!!! Hopefully all is well so I can join in again. Got a few fish to record including Red band fish. Will give a full report later lads and lasses. When is your finals James? Go get em boy. BB

[Paul D]

Good to see your PC back raring to go BB. Did you pay to have it sorted out ?? and if you still have problems let me know, I would be happy to assist.

 

[Wedger]

Jack,

Two knots for attaching shocker to braid main.

just here

Braid Knots

 

I use the more complex one for most applications, specially the heavy stuff!

 

Sound really too much but for light work with lures, where you might find the odd grunting fish , I use a mono trace of lesser strength than the braid, but have a double line of 2-3 rod lengths, just before terminal. This gives greater confidence at the net. ( you'll need a good 'bimini twist' for that setup ).

 

With this one you can snap off the snags without loosing braid. You will regain high strength at boatside with two turns of double on the spool, and still maintain good shocker stretch for the divers. I know you can adjust the drag on your reel mid fight and achieve some of this, but I was always different.

 

(I can't wait for the chaps to pick the bones out of this one )

[Gnasher]

Personally, i dont add a mono leader, I just have a soft actioned rod with power in the butt and plenty of give in the tip. I also loosen up the drag when a fish is in the upper layers. There is lots of rumours about loosing big fish because of the lack of strecth in the braid but if you play the fish correctly then you shouldnt have two many problems. I just find its a pain to have extra leader knots that could clog up weed etc.

 

Only my personal opinion though, but a leader is the favoured method by most

[blueboatdriver]

One of the main reasons I use a leader of less breaking strain than my braid is that I can't afford to keep replacing miles of braid as well as the terminal tackle.

[duncan]

and very sensible too -

 

however as the knot strength is going to be slightly lower somewhere (evevn the fancy ones honest!) you can get a bit closer to the braid nominal - which is of value below about 30lb.

 

above that you aren't going to use the line strength really - I believe estimates suggest that most people can just about manage a 25lb load briefly- and that assumes the rod will cope of course!

 

with drag settings around 25% of nominal for braid this should of course never really happen anyway!

[Paul D]

I use a leader all the time and if have been stuck on the bottom and had to break out the line has always given way below the leader or at the leader knot.

 

However, I had some new braid which broke halfway whilst dragging up a blonde ray on the recent charter trip. I am sure the braid ( 25 lb BS ) was defective as I have never had any break like that before and I know I cant break the braid by lifting with the rod at all usually.

 

PS: Duncan, I wasn't using the Christchurch 18lb trace that day either

[blueboatdriver]

My set up has never broken on the knot always on the nylon. I did read somewhere that using the uni-knot retains 90% of the braking strain of your line, which, unless you are fast in the bottom is never usually reached.

[Newboy]

I always use a leader, sometime short, sometime long depending on the type of fishing. I use a long heavy leader when congering for big fish, short one like bream.

 

If it even gets snagged, usually it's the knot/swivel that breaks. Only once did I loose over 100 yards of braid, that was when it caught at the stern of my boat on a screw.

[Seamouse]

I've heard a number of people complain now of loading new braid that then randomly snaps like cotton. No single make was chief offender, so it looks like quality control can be an issue for the manufacturers?

Jack, the other thing to check out when you swap across is your rod ring linings. A hairline crack in a tip ring will eventually wear through mono but the effect on braid is instant.

 

Steve

[Wedger]

A hairline crack in a tip ring will eventually wear through mono but the effect on braid is instant.

Excellent point Steve!!

I fished with a guy last month who lost about 8 + sets of gear before he twigged it !

(A bass as well )

[duncan]

good point about the rings Steve however re quality control I am sure that a lot of the lighter weaves and finer braids also get nicks easily from many sources when fishing and end up seriously weakened as a result - also of course coming into contact with another line under tension can do the damage!

I concluded early on that the slightly thicker fused and coated braids would pay dividends here and so far, touch wood, that's been the case.

[Paul D]

Steve,

 

I don't believe it was the rod rings, since it was a new rod ( so certainly hope not ). I suspect it was after having been in contact with someone else's line.

 

I did have some braid which broke in the past and the reason for that was I had used it for mackeralling and the lift/drop action had caused me to ge the braid wrapped around the rod tip on occasion - evidently weakening it. Worth bearing in mind.

 

 

[jack]

Thank you to EVERYONE for that amazing input of advice and tips. The line is purchased;1000mtrs. {Andy wanted "all braid" on his reel ] so I will study the other advice,and act accordingly..jack

[Wedger]

Jeepers Jack!

Enough length to play a marlin on 6 kilo

Good price was it ?

 

 

[jack]

Wedger..Braid Direct..

[duncan]

still enough there to be all braid at 250m a load. that length of that size of braid should be enough for most medium sized reels.

 

however, stcik the whole lot on a reel and you will guarantee a porgy appearing next time you hook anything........and you will then loose the lot in about 2 minutes from the stories I have heard!

[Newboy]

Surely a porbeagle will bite thru anything including the largest mono or any tope/conger trace? Unless you are using a proper shark trace, then if you are, you expect a porbeagle or blue, so tackle loses is expected.

 

 

[Wedger]