GsP braids 3

[Maxg]

If knots tied, and tested, under good conditions, in my backyard fail, what is going to happen when a recreational angler starts to tie these knots on a beach at night with very little light and the southerly wind howling in like a tropical cyclone.

Authors who give us very involved and complex GsP knots to use in fishing lines seem to be trying to prove that man can overcome the inbuilt limitations, from the chemical composition, of the fibre. They also seem to forget the practical side of things. That in the reality of angling conditions, doing their thing on a beach or rock, or in a boat on a river, or even on a rocking charter boat, are anglers and where they are isn’t a place conducive to tying complex and critical connections.

Some of these knots require one to be a double jointed Olympic class acrobat, with some very nimble fingers. Under those circumstances simple connections, like a single Uni Knot and one drop of Super Glue is more than adequate.

The reality is that if you put a drop of Loctite 406 superglue on your pet knot it will be 100%. If you catch one fish on it, just one fish, it has done its job and you can tie up another knot in a few seconds. Nothing is forever so one uses the principle of "one fish one knot".


Super Glues and Fishing

This is not a plug for any brand of Super Glue but I mention Loctite products because they are the best available for this purpose. The manufacturers or their agents have not given me any cheap samples, nor have they solicited any favours. The subject matter is my own opinion and results from testing carried out by myself at my home address.

Super Glue, cyanoacrylate ester adhesive, such as Stren Lok-Knot, Loctite 406 or any other Super Glue does not glue Teflon or Polyethylene, unless you are using an oxidising primer like Loctite 770, although it is effective when used on knots in Gel-spun Polyethylene braided line.

There is some variance in the thickness, or viscosity, of Super Glues and all of the tests indicate that to be really effective, to saturate the GsP braid, monofilament knots and braided monofilament lines the glue must be thin and runny.

The ideal is for the viscosity to be less than 50 C.P.S. so that a single drop of glue will flow along and into the line for at least 5mm. The tighter the braid in the line, GsP, or mono-filament braid the thinner the glue should be.

A suitable Super Glue is Loctite 406, which is particularly designed for wicking fibre bundles, is industrial strength and available in 25mil bottles. Loctite 406 is a very thin, low viscosity fluid. A single drop of Loctite 406 glue will saturate around 5mm of braided mono-filament and Gel Spun braided line. The thin glue saturates the air space in the knot and between the braids, physically locking the turns. Because of the high shear strength, this prevents movement of the turns in the knot. The glue locks the turns in the knot, preventing slippage which prevents that “knot cutting” problem.

Generally speaking general purpose CA glues are "gap filling" and are not really adequate for use with GsP braids.

Cyanoacrylate ester adhesives are said to be water resistant in both fresh and salt water but it is known that water immersion does break down the glue “eventually”. And that "eventually" is not something on which Loctite representatives want to speculate. It could be weeks, months years, but they do not know and I suspect that it is a variable depending on the usage rate, the amount of water immersion..

But from my testing it will not degrade in minutes, hours or even days of continuous high stress effort. But you can get a water proofing agent, Loctite 741 which you can apply to the connections.

The US tackle market has "Zap-a-Gap" super glue and "Fishin' Glue" which is stated to be able to "instantly strengthen knots in all types of line, repair cracked rods, hold plastic baits on hooks and fix damaged lures". These glues are similar and do the same job and they do fix plastic baits to hooks very effectively. Like sticking Mr. Twister tails to the jig head. There is nothing worse than a plastic tail that absolutely refuses to stay put on the jig head.

Super Glues, cyanoacrylate ester adhesives, are necessary items in modern fishing systems. Quite a few of the recommended knots for GsP braid include the words "Secure with a dab of glue". And, for what it is worth, quite a few anglers are dabbing with glue to secure knots in fresh and salt water.

Super glues such as Loctite 406 will work on monofilament lines and knots. When applied to splices in braided monofilament lines, cyanoacrylate ester adhesives effectively weld the spliced lines together. Glued joints should very small in area and should not be used in areas of flexion because the joint is not flexible, but is rigid and can fatigue. The shear strength of glued joints is 3190psi so any glued joint in a splice between braided monofilament and GsP braid will be very strong.

It should be understood that nothing is forever. Cyanoacrylate ester adhesives are not a new magic formula and glued knots, connections or splices should be renewed after heavy use. There is no real proof that super glues weaken monofilament, GsP, or Dacron braided lines but there is no real proof that it doesn't either.

My own tests indicate that the life of glued joints using Cyanoacrylate ester adhesives could be many months but that is not some kind of standard.

A word of warning. Because thin Super Glues, with C.P.S numbers under 50 can squirt out of tube nozzles, can bond skin instantly and are eye irritants one should always have a tube of Super Glue Remover in your tackle box. It might be handy one day.



There you go. GsP braids fully explained. But it isn't as bad on fingers as some people suggest, and since MOST people use light fly gear, up to 9 weights, you really only need to use 20lb Bionic Braid since it breaks at 28lb, if you use te spliced coaxial loop terminations. If you dont then 50lb GsP is mandatory because of knot strength. Cheers have fun. Max Garth.

[Nick_Currey]

Hi Max,

You have certainty put in some time researching these facts and putting pen to paper. Well done. Are you still in WA and getting time to "wave the wand" and knocking off some good fish?. LAst time I saw you must of been '82 or 83 and had just rolled down the coast after being at One Tree Point north of Broome.

Wish you all the best

Nick

[wessel]

Hi Max

Thank you for the article. Much appreciated mate. It explains the technical side of things a lot better than the normal "product information sheet" does.

Regards

Wessel

[Maxg]

That would have been after visiting Ron Pearson, 1982 or so, it would have been with Harro in a Toyota Corolla. Fantastic trip, off our gourds to do that. MaxG

[Maxg]

Like this

[Maxg]

Or this

[Nick_Currey]

Yep, thats the yella "tojo" you guys were in. We camped on beach for 10 days and in 12" tinnie had a ball. Permantly hooked up on all sorts of critters - lost a lot of lines (home made - lead core shooting heads were the go - cheap and effective) and flies. Brute stick was a Butterworth MT784 - bought 3 blanks and made a 2 piece fly rod - simple and strong - could bust 8kg tippets when locked up. Reel was one of Bill Classon's gold reels with cork drag - heavy and clunky but strong. All of my photos - 35mm slides have been lost - the mould got to them in PNG and Nth Qld.

All the best

Nick

[Maxg]

At least someone remembers. I've still got a few photos of the trip. Will never forget it, solidly locked into my memory, as is being on the Adelaide River in a 10 foot Foldaboat with 2 inches of freeboard in the middle of a croc festive season. Still shake when I remember that lot. Be good. MaxG

[PMC]

Max, i could just imagine Harros comments in the boat too,,
'She'll be right mate. She'll be right"
You blokes did things the rest of us can only read about.

You and Harro should put together all your stories in a book. Its a lot of history there.

[gogecko]

bump