Topshot mono reccomendations

[Zummie]

I usually run about 75 yards of top shot on top of 300 yards to 500 yards of power pro when trolling for dorado, sails, tuna, and marlin and figure this is to act as a shock absorber. I would think that a mono with lots of stretch would be best. I used an improved Albright knot to attach the mono to the Powerpro. Two questions for the pros here:

a. What brand of mono do you recommend for the topshot ???

b. What knot do you like to attach the two lines ??




We caught 4 sails this day; we released 3 but one got tail wrapped and died.

[Captain Fred Archer]

Zum,

There are probably a lot of different opinions on this, but here is what we did on my charterboat...

All backing was Cortland Green Spot Dacron, 130# on the 80 and up rigs and 80# on the 30's and 50's. (We rarely fished lighter than 30#. When we did, we didn't topshot those rigs.)

Our topshot mono was Berkely Big Game "Solar". 130# on the 80's and up and either 130 or 80# on the 30's and 50's. We liked the Berkely because it is tough line, consistently over-tests and the flourescence makes it easy to see in order to keep an eye on the lures in the spread and to follow fish or keep multiples separate while fighting me.

The bottom line on why we used the heavy topshot and backing was in the interest of having strong, tough connections that held up well, didn't require a lot of maintenance and that stood up well to the kinds of things that some of our less experienced anglers put them thru. Also, since we fished a lot, many times for days on end, we had to spend less time re-rigging our topshots than if we used lighter ones.

We determined the topshot length for each outfit, each of which was numbered for the hole it fished out of, by putting about fifteen feet more topshot on than we ever expected to have out on an outfit that went in one particular position in the spread. This way we minimized the amount of topshot we used while still enabling us to cut and replace lure leaders or whatever and changing the topshots, which we did pretty frequently, went easy, fast, and didn't require a lot of expensive mono.

Something that helped us know when to change topshots was that the phosphoresence in the line started to fade after time in the tropical sun that it was exposed to and when it did, we changed it.

Finally, our connections between backing and tophots and then to lure leaders were done via cat's paws.

Like I said up top, there are probably a lot of opinions on this, but that's how we did it and we were very happy with the results for day-in, day-out charter fishing for a wide variety of species.

[Makoexpress]

Up here in the northern canyons as well as out west the Jerry Brown Hollow core spectra with a momoi top shot is the weapon of choice. We use a double loop to loop connection to join the two. The top shots are mabe by BHP tackle. This way you can interchange different top shot lenghts and weights as required very easily.

[Captain Fred Archer]

No question in my mind. Basil and BHP make the best pre-made topshots of them all. Everything that Basil does is top flight and professional.

[BlueH20Boss]

A) Jinkai or moimoi Hi-Catch 150 lb. mono topshot

B) I crimp all of my wind on topshots with a wind on swivel at the connection. I like to use larger loops on my crimp to sviwel connections: Help for a smoother wind onto the roller tip. Never fails me from peanut dolphin up to big ass marlin or tuna.

Most of my topshots whether it be onto a mono spool or braid are only about 25-30 feet. For connecting long lengths of mono to hollow braid use a Chinese finger trap method with super glue for a super-smooth transition on the spool.

Kevin

[N2theBlue]

No question in my mind. Basil and BHP make the best pre-made topshots of them all. Everything that Basil does is top flight and professional.

Definitely. I just got back two Avet 50/2's that I had sent him and can't say enough about the communication, speed and great job he did.

[Sea Draggin]

a. What brand of mono do you recommend for the topshot ???

Sufix Superior

b. What knot do you like to attach the two lines ??

Bimini in your Powerpro. Then handcuff a piece of hollow core to the start of your topshot with an end loop. Connect with Loop to Loop.

[FAT CAT MX]

I'm still doing the improved Albright for my spectra/mono connections. I've used it for about 20 years and never had a failure. I know lots of fishermen that HAVE had failures with the other types of connections. I also have never had any issues with the knot coming or going through the guides.

My method uses a bimini in the spectra to make a double line. I then simply bend the mono back on itself and use the doubled spectra loop to tie the Albright with 30 to 34 wraps.

I'm found of the "if it ain't broke - don't fix it" rule.

[iguana1]

bhp tackle made momoi diamond (100 lb/100 yd) loop-to-loop to jb 130 hc spectra. bhp is excellent!

[calebw]

All windon or top shot connections are done with a bimini on the spectra and a spliced spectra loop attached to your mono top shot. All mono used is either suffix or ande. Color is your preference