Leader Connection - Help

[JfISHkING]

What length should my topshot/leader be?

[gman]

What length should my topshot/leader be?

I normally use about 10-12' max. The last thing you want to do on a pitching boat is re tie a PR knot so with that said I always leave a slightly longer leader incase my leader gets chaffed I still have enough length afterwards

[JfISHkING]

[QUOTE=gman;792469]I normally use about 10-12' max.


Thank Gman... that what i will try. I hope that this PR Knot isn't to difficult to tie... im going to pick up a Bobin after work and hopefully and get my leaders tied up before pushing off in the am.

Thanks again.

[gman]

[QUOTE=JfISHkING;792473]

I normally use about 10-12' max.


Thank Gman... that what i will try. I hope that this PR Knot isn't to difficult to tie... im going to pick up a Bobin after work and hopefully and get my leaders tied up before pushing off in the am.

Thanks again.

I use pametfishers streamlined windon leaders now. Awesome leaders

http://www.streamlineleaders.com/

[jig42na]

Glen thanks for the support bro.

Yes I usually use around a 10-12 foot leader. I have a method of tying the PR that is different than the videos out there. I finish it like finishing a guide wrap or a nail knot. There are no half hitches. It is a quicker knot than a mid knot, and can actually be tied very small which makes it good for popping setups. Also I do not use a bobbin, I use a bank sinker and rubber band. The bobbins are definately nice though.

I looked as those leaders that Gman just mentioned when we were out together and they are the nicest serve I've seen for being compact and good casting.

[pametfisher]

There are a few days when the bite is hot and everything seems to work. There are a lot of days BFT fishing when you get one shot at a hook up--that's the day I want to be prepared for. Since there are only a few weeks left up in New England, let me begin by saying that 100# leaders, 10' or so in length, seem to be running 2:1 over all other strengths. You should really consider that. Also, most use 80# braid if it's solid-weave, or 60# braid if it's hollow-weave with a wind-on leader. Because with hollow-weave, you can splice an end-loop for the loop-to-loop connection to your leader, you get as strong an overall system with lighter braid.

There are many good ways to connect braid to mono. A simple Uni to Uni will work, as will: Triple Surgeon's, Albright, etc. These knots all reduce the strength of the lines they connect by about 40%. As long as you take that into account in setting your drag, they function fine. The other approach you can take is to upsize your line by 40-50% to take a knots weakening effect into account.

As leader sizes get bigger, the knots in the mono/fluoro at the braid connections regularly damage guides on casting setups. If you cast and knock out a ring and hook a fish, the chances of breaking the braid are high. There is a knot called Slim Beauty which is about 10% stronger than the knots I mentioned in the first paragraph. It was good and slim for 50# leaders and below but above 80# it starts to bulk up, more like a Chubby Beauty .

Perhaps the best functional knot is the P.R. knot. It is strong (nearly 100%), very slim and casts well. It takes time and patience to tie well. Like all knots, it can degrade through use. If it needs to be retied while you're fishing, anglers usually go with a faster back-up knot.

The next thing to consider is durability. Most knots wear while you cast them. We don't see the effect of this too much on smaller species but Bluefin tuna and other large, fast fish show you where your weak points are. You want to know your knot's strength when you hook up, which might be at the end of a day of casting.

Wind-Ons are strong, usually 100%. They are thin, only the thickness of the mono/fluoro plus one or two layers of braid. They are durable if correctly made. Most who use Streamline wind-ons have told me that they can use a single leader for many fish before replacing it. And if the wind-ons splice and serve are small, they cast long distances which is great when a school "pops up". There are some articles here: Hollow Spectra Techniques that can help you understand the trade-offs. Lastly, you can perfectly, quickly connect a pre-made wind-on in the heat of battle with a single loop-to-loop connection and you can pre-tie and pre-test your swivel or solid ring on your spare leaders ahead of time.

The keys are to know your system, work within its limitations and test as much of what you use as possible. If you don't know it or test it, Bluefin tuna will. Unfortunately, the field test report is very often a lost fish.

Let me end with a quick story: last week a Charter captain out this way had a customer hook-up a 200 lb.-class fish. Turns out, it was their best fish that day. A while into the fight, the rod broke just above the reel. The captain grabbed his leather gloves, used them as his drag, and then hand-lined the fish in, where they gaffed it next to the boat. The rod broke, his wind-on leaders didn't. The photo is this week's lead photo on my web site, check it out.

Good luck with your last few outings this season. This fishery is a blast.

[JfISHkING]

Guys this stuff is great, i really appreciate it... we ended up going 1 for 1 yesterday and landed a 60lb BFT on the jig. It was a gorgeous october day (shorts and t-shirt), flat as a lake... I took into consideration everything that i've learned on the website and put it to work on yesterdays trip.

That PR Knot = Awesome.... thanks for pointing me in that direction.

I made my bobin by wraping a old wooden spool with soldering wire (to add weight, as they dont sell lead tape ne more) and then some electrical tape on top. It worked like a champ.

thanks again to everyone her on SFO.