Re-Rigging

[Shark Bait]

I am sure this has been kicked around and I could wade through the thousands of posts but I thought I would try to get a thumbs up or thumbs down on my setup. After going 1 for 3 last week with two unknown failures I re-rigged my 50's. Let me know if I am getting this right in your opinion for the Tuna we are seeing.

~800 Yds, JB Hollow Core 130 Lb. Test
~125 Yds, Mono 100 Lb. Test attached using a 3' chinese finger (Damn that took forever)
Size J Crimp
Sleeve
200 Lb. Snap Swivel

Do you double crimp? guys at FishermansOutfitters say not necessary!

I also took a linear scale and walked down the driveway resetting the drag to 25 Lbs. at strike. Is that too much?

Gotta be ready for Friday!!

[hotreels]

Sounds fine to me. Go get em. I'm paranoid about splicing and do like 10'.

[Dogfish87]

Sounds fine to me. Go get em. I'm paranoid about splicing and do like 10'.

would that be because of lack of caught fish on the splice? you dont have confidence in it

[Albiemanmike]

The only thing I would do different is lengthen the splice to maybe 5 ft. up into the JB with the mono, serve the end of the splice and ditch the crimps. Then coat your serves with Aquaseal. I just did up several windons last night for Wed. and used Aquaseal this time around and the connections are now indestructable and still flexible. I don't troll so maybe there is a reason you need to crimp but if not I would get rid of any crimps and just splice directly. I splice 5 ft. of mainline braid doubled into 5 ft. of JB 80 lb. hollow with a loop spliced in the other end. Then I make up windons using JB 80 lb. hollow and splicing 5 ft. of a 12 ft. section of 100 lb. mono into that with another loop at the end. Then it is just a matter of loop to loop connections. This held up beautiful to my 68" fish last week.

[Shark Bait]

It took me somethink like an hour to get the damn chinese finger done up just 3 ft. How do you guys work them? Not sure if I am screwing up or what. I did what the website recommended.

Took the Mono, sanded the end with 1000 grit to a nice rounded nub but feeding it up the braid was a pain, always popping out. Looked pretty ugly when I was done but we tested it in the driveway at 50 lbs. without any separation.

Yes I troll and switch off to fishing bait with the same rods. I like to have the snap swivel.

[On The Edge]

I am sure this has been kicked around and I could wade through the thousands of posts but I thought I would try to get a thumbs up or thumbs down on my setup. After going 1 for 3 last week with two unknown failures I re-rigged my 50's. Let me know if I am getting this right in your opinion for the Tuna we are seeing.

~800 Yds, JB Hollow Core 130 Lb. Test
~125 Yds, Mono 100 Lb. Test attached using a 3' chinese finger (Damn that took forever)
Size J Crimp
Sleeve
200 Lb. Snap Swivel

Do you double crimp? guys at FishermansOutfitters say not necessary!

I also took a linear scale and walked down the driveway resetting the drag to 25 Lbs. at strike. Is that too much?

Gotta be ready for Friday!!

Sounds about right. I do 3' to 5' of splice.
One thing i do differently is rather then splice the mono directly into my mainlne, I make a loop in the end of my hollow braid main line. Then i make mono topshots, also with loops, They get connected with the loop to loop connection using 3 passes throught the loop (offshore swivel knot without the swivel). This lets me change out the mono topshot on the fly if needed. With splicing in the mono directly to the mainline if you get a break off and loose most or some of your mono that rod is down or you have to try to do the splicing on the water.. With the loop to loop connection it is a simple topshot swap that only takes a few mins.. And you can make them up ahead of time and always have them ready to go.

When doing a loop to loop connection be sure to pass through 3 times and be sure the legs of both loops stay parrellel while you tightening the connection down. If the loop legs are not even when the connection is chinched down the presure of a fish will pull the legs even within the tightened connection and result in the braid cutting through itself and the connection will fail.

There are needles to run the mono into the braid. They are hollow in one end and the mono just gets jammed into end of the needle. The are different sizes for different size mono. I think they are around 15 bucks each and they do make it 1000 times easier. Basil sells them.

I kinda cheat a little by using a large sewing needle and running that into the braid first, relaxing the weave. Then the mono just slipes in slicker then crap through a goose.
The other thing i found that makes it eaisier is to let the braid hang strait down and pulling the braid up onto the needle, not pushing the needle into the braid, only touching the braid on the needle. The longer the needle the eaiser it is.

[chumtini]

Sounds good to me. I like my mono a lot longer, like 400-500 ft. It keeps the HC out of the riggers. That keeps the braid on the spool until I really need it. And I've had braid saw right thru a Knockout clip on a hookup. I also tie to the snap swivels, not crimp. But that's a personal problem

Ditto with the loop-to-loop connection between the mono and spectra

[backman]

jeez - I'm so out of the loop.


I went from the old school 10' servings to 6' servings to 3' servings. Either my eyes or my hands or my braid were going after 4 years so this winter I just albrighted the two together; added a touch of zap-a-gap for strength and seem to be doing just fine.

The longest part of this connection is waiting 15 minutes for the glue to dry.

[hotreels]

would that be because of lack of caught fish on the splice? you dont have confidence in it

Yup But with your friendly helpful hints I hope to be as good as you some day.

[cold waters]

sounds about right...

i would go longer on the splice...

no need to double crimp... if you do it right the first time your good... if you do it wrong the first time you are probably doing it wrong the 2nd time.