joining braid to mono

[davo]

How do you guys join your braid to the mono leader? I always us a bimini double and was using a braid leader knot but was having troubles so I started using a double uni knot. It's a little more bulky but they hold much better.

[mackmauler]

I almost always use a double and albright that to the mono, finish off with superglue.

[luigi]

G'day Davo,

I've been using the double uni knot for years with good results.

With mono I take five turns with the tag end & eight turns with gelspun. After tightening up the knot I finish off the gelspun side with a half-hitch. Tidy up by triming the mono right against the knot & leave about 3 or 4mm of gespun.

As a matter of interest, my favoured rig up here in Hinchinbrook is 6kg mono with a 20kg gelspun twist (Aussea King) leader 2 metres long. If I really want to get serious I use 10kg gelspun with a 20kg gelspun leader.

[argonautical]

Mackmauler,

Can you explain why you use the super-glue. I use the double uni-knot approach.

Luigi, always wondered how close to trim off the tag ends. I leave a couple of mm on each tag end, but will try your method.

argo

[clutter]

Argo,

I also use the double uni. I don't worry about the glueing but I do trim the ends pretty short. Never had a failure of the knot.

Cheers, Clutter.

[sharkbait]

The superglue will just stop the knot slipping under pressure, allowing you to trim the tags shorter.

[mackmauler]

I got the idea off Max G, not much he don't no about the failures of braid :o

Basically without superglue I found braids up to 24kg not up to the task, with the knots I tie.

[argonautical]

Mack

Had a couple of knot failures last outing ie double uni-knot joining braid to mono. Retied leaders and have super-glued same.

The thought occurs, why don't I just tie the braid directly to a swivel via a uni-knot and then just attach a trace to the swivel of equal or slightly lesser breaking strain. By doing so I eliminate the need for the knot to join the braid to a leader - one less knot to fail. If I get snagged the line should break at the swivel or along the trace.

argo

[aquarius]

Argo that is how i fish deep sea...use 2 droppers on the main line and then attach a swivel with a smaller 3kilo trace to the snapper lead...this way if the sinker gets caught on the bottom structure the trace line breaks at the swivel(99% of the time) and you still have the fish!!
Cheers Brent ;)

[argonautical]

Brent

Ok understand if the sinker gets snagged, but what happens if you are snagged up via one of the droppers ie where does the line break.

This is my heavy outfit shark (?) fishing at Wello and using a conventional rig with sinker and swivel above the hook. Just trying to avoid the situation where break-off occurs somewhere along the main (braid) line.

Phil

[mackmauler]

Argo, you could use a swivel, and Im with your idea, your only as strong as the weakest link, Only you will know how weak you like the link to be ;)

If thats your outfit for sharks wouldn't you be able to float a bait out, thus no possibility of a hang up.

Rob

[argonautical]

Mack,

I am kinda hoping that they are not sharks but I am yet to get close enough to one to see colour......so I am not sure what keeps smashing me up.

I have just been using the references to getting snagged to make a point. What I am trying to workout is....can I fish with braid tied directly to the swivel and eliminate the need for a join to a leader. If so, I could adopt the same rig on my lighter gear. One less knot in whatever rig can't be bad.

phil

[Jack_Lives_Here]

I fish braid pretty much exclusively now. When bottom bashing I tie braid to a swivel. Hard to explain the knott but here goes. Double the braid and poke loop through swivel eye. 4 or 5 wraps back around main line. Pass the tag (loop end) through the hole created and pass the swivel through. Pull down gently and evenly and you're in business. Never let me down. I'm trying my hand at drawing it for you - post it tomorrow.

[mackmauler]

Argo, if your losing the big ones something is going wrong ??? Braid isn't very abrasion resistent, and long leaders make it easier to control big fish at the boat, Ill be fishing for sharks after the tide change tomorrow, this is the proven rig. 24kg braid, bimini twist-albright to 4m of 45kilo trace-1m of 150lb 49strand cable, Im using 10/0 hooks.

They don't get away due to tackle failure very often, since we fish different areas, you may well do things different, to date what part of your setup has failed the most?

Rob

[aquarius]

Argo Phill..to answer the first question i have never had the droper snag up always the sinker.
Mate my outfit for sharks etc at Wello is 30 lb braid....balloon...strong swivel....2 metres of 17lb vanish...pea sinker..3 number 4 hooks ganged together.
The reason im using a thin trace is because if by chance a mac comes along...the have good eyesight!!!!
Sharks don't seem to mind a heavy trace or even fine wire.
Like you im also hoping by having the line in mid water anything might take a fancy to the bait(I Q F/ W A Pilchard)
Tie the balloon to your line not the line to the balloon...Mate last year in March we had a ball with the whalers...3 weekends in a row....great when they leap out of the water....and the odd small ones don't taste too bad at all
Make sure you gut and rip there heads off asap...fillet and skin before cooking.
Cheers Brent
Ps..Gee Rob with that rig are you getting set up to catch JAWS!!

[mackmauler]

Brent, Im talking SHARKS ;) The sort that would take your leg off in one go, Can't wait to see the faces on a couple of ausfishers tomorrow if all goes to plan, The bait is around 8 kilos, they seem to like that size ;)

[aquarius]

Don't tell me your going down the Gold Coast Canals.....Go get him Rob!! ;D ;D
Cheers Brent

[mackmauler]

Im not going down there Brent, I think he is a smart one our sharky, should be off point lookout ;) don't send a search party if we don't come back, there are that many out there I wouldn't like our chances, true game fishing it is, man against beast ;D

[argonautical]

Jack_lives_here,

Thanks for that, I think I understand your knot and will give it a try.

Mack

On the subject of gear failure.......
Started out with the trace not being enough went from 30lb to 50lb and now using wire. After that, leader and line breaks and knot failures and on one occasion,
insufficient line on the spool.

For my latest attempt I am using my alvey surf reel loaded with about 500mts of 18lb mono connected via a swivel to a couple metres of that knotable steel trace with a couple of 6/0 Gamakatsus (spell?) at the business end.

If this doesn't work I'll go back to 20lb braid, but concerned that 300mts on the spool may not be enough.

Brent,

I probably caught half a dozen or so of those whalers and yeah there are a lot of fun, and as you say they often come out of the water, but you can usually pull them up inside of say 50 to 60 mts. Whatever is smashing me up is in a different class of fish. I haven't turned one yet and they empty 150 mts of line without drawing a breath. I got 3rd degrees burns (lol) on my index finger from trying to slow down the spool.

Going fishing tomorro morning so will update you on my progress friday.

phil

[aquarius]

::)Argo Phill next time you hook up to 1 of those monsters tie a float to your anchor for a quick release....Mate see how far that beast can tow you around..LOL
COULD BE A GIANT SHOVELNOSE RAY!! :o
Nugget has said there are some monster shovel's out there....would be nice to think they are big big jew.
Cheers Brent

[argonautical]

Brent

Lined up a buddy to go fishing with me (next time) and with that extra pair of hands consider giving chase to be plan "B".

phil

[mackmauler]

Argo, What is probably happening is your hooking up whalers in the, 60-100kg range, 10 kilo mainline is useless, it takes me around 2 hours to get a decent one to the boat with 24kg gear. Be a bit of fun boating one from the dart ;D

Rob

[argonautical]

Rob

All I have left is a 50lb handline, so if I can't get close with the Alvey then I may have to throw in the towel.

Certainly don't intend to boat one, just want to get close enough for a look. I want to keep the dart between me and them!

Fished Wello this morning from 4.30 am. Caught and released two small whalers - around 70cm . The Alvey made very light work of them. Also a few squire just below the limit. The place went dead as high tide approached and I went home shortly after.

phil