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[Odyssey]

Morning all,

Managed to get my hands on these as a raffle prize.(Saltist 30H). I’m going to load up with 30lb Spectra braid, but as these maybe used by customers on the boat for lure fishing or bottom fishing out in the deeps I’m in 2 minds about a mono rubbing leader…. What’s your thoughts? They’ll be used for shallow water reefing (10-60ft) or deep water drifting (300-400ft)… 

Anyway, they look lovely… but im an Avet fan myself although the 6.4:1 retrieve useful for getting gesr up quick 🙂 

[JDP]

Choice is yours, a mono leader does leave a bit of a bulky knot lump. Those don't look like they have the braid gripper on the spool like many reels do now, so you could just tie braid direct then a wrap of tape once around the spool. Ive done this and never encountered any slip, I also tend to use the tape over any mono knot if I use that as a rubbing leader.

[Malc]

I'm going back towards having a rubbing leader but I tend to replace them periodically as I don't trust the leader knot rattling through the tip ring repeatedly. Probably fine but I think it's a possible weakness. 

[Saintly Fish]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

I'm going back towards having a rubbing leader but I tend to replace them periodically as I don't trust the leader knot rattling through the tip ring repeatedly. Probably fine but I think it's a possible weakness. 

Y not use a more slimline not? 

[Malc]

2 hours ago, Saintly Fish said:

Y not use a more slimline not? 

Tried a few but all click as they come through the rings, probably just me being overly careful. 

[Saintly Fish]

21 minutes ago, Malc said:

Tried a few but all click as they come through the rings, probably just me being overly careful. 

Try the Alberto!!

[Malc]

Have done and I am happy with the security, but it's double the mono thickness so a definite no for rubbing leaders (60-80) for tope etc but not bad sub 30lb

[Saintly Fish]

5 minutes ago, Malc said:

Have done and I am happy with the security, but it's double the mono thickness so a definite no for rubbing leaders (60-80) for tope etc but not bad sub 30lb

It's still a lot more slimline. I find it works a treat on 80/100lb

[Andy135]

11 minutes ago, JonC said:

Does anyone use the FG not? 

I do. It's brilliant.

 

[Andy135]

23 minutes ago, JonC said:

I’ve watched a couple after idiots guides but haven’t used it in real life. Certainly looks tighter than any other not. 

I learned to tie it using that video. It's what the bass lure guys use to tie fluoro leaders to their braid and it stands up to repeated casting & retrieving through the rod tip nicely. Just practice the knot until it becomes second nature. Doesn't take long to learn. Just 20-25 wraps and a handful of half hitches. That's literally all there is to it. The key though is tightening down the wrap after the first half hitch. If you don't put the wrap under tension then it will unravel. It holds using friction on the fluoro/mono, so you have to tighten the wrap down by pulling the braid to apply the friction tension before tying off with the rest of the half hitches.

[Saintly Fish]

3 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

I learned to tie it using that video. It's what the bass lure guys use to tie fluoro leaders to their braid and it stands up to repeated casting & retrieving through the rod tip nicely. Just practice the knot until it becomes second nature. Doesn't take long to learn. Just 20-25 wraps and a handful of half hitches. That's literally all there is to it. The key though is tightening down the wrap after the first half hitch. If you don't put the wrap under tension then it will unravel. It holds using friction on the fluoro/mono, so you have to tighten the wrap down by pulling the braid to apply the friction tension before tying off with the rest of the half hitches.

Do you use a bobbin?

[Andy135]

2 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

Do you use a bobbin?

No. There's really no need.

[Andy135]

3 minutes ago, JonC said:

One video I watched had the guy wrap the main line braid around his little finger to keep tension. I haven’t watched yor link yet. Looks simple enough. 

That sounds like a recipe for the braid to slice through to the bone. I usually put a loop of braid round my sleeve (sleeve, not wrist!) and pull on the braid without risking a braid cut.

[Malc]

1 hour ago, JonC said:

Does anyone use the FG not? 

Yes, still annoying click, but hey ho.

[Andy135]

Just now, Malc said:

Yes, still annoying click, but hey ho.

The click is made by the tag end of the leader touching the rod ring. One way to mitigate the click is to tie a series of half hitches over the tag end so that the transition from leader to braid is smoothed/tapered by the hitches. Easier said than done though to be fair.

[Malc]

4 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

Easier said than done though to be fair.

Especially when you reach my age and visual acuity 👨‍🦯

[Andy135]

17 minutes ago, JonC said:

It’s only wile doing the initial turns, he wasn’t putting any great force against it. 

Ah you mean he was wrapping his finger and the leader at the same time?

[Andy135]

16 minutes ago, Malc said:

Especially when you reach my age and visual acuity 👨‍🦯

[Hoop]

FG knot for me though other less fiddly knots are available with various strengths.

Worth bearing in mind knot strength etc are only ever as good as the lines used. Tried tying FG -  braid to some fluorocarbon that was too hard and wouldn't hitch the braid off properly, the higher priced fluorocarbon tends to be more accommodating. Fluorocarbon, I use Yuki Seaguar Neox (ebay from Cyprus - not cheap but the best I've used).. Braid, Sufix 131, expensive stuff though I got two seasons out of the last reel I spooled up and im out 3 or 4 times a week.. never had a knot fail, zero wind knots! 

[GPSguru]

Use a PR knot, same as the FG but heaps quicker and and much neater finish.

However, you will need a bobbin tool.

The PR is 100%, but if you want a snag to break at the leader knot then use a Yucatan knot which is 90% if tied correctly.

 

[JDP]

6 hours ago, JonC said:

Does anyone use the FG not? 

No, only the PR knot. I see to many fg's pull apart on decent fish over here from experienced anglers who think they have perfected them. My PR tool is set with a tension screw to allow precise tension and has yet to fail on joins in the past 10+ years. So many people targeting bigger species here have turned to pr knot tools. 
The first knot against the spool can be the lumpy one, hence a bit of tape over it.

[Malc]

Just looking at the PR on the toob and it seems to be mostly for heavier gear, is that right?

Finished knot looks much like the other one but just uses a fly tying bobbin? Basically a whipping. 

[Saintly Fish]

11 minutes ago, JonC said:

The video I watched said that the leader not never failed, often the line at the reel. For big fish in open water this sounds good but for fishing a snaggy wreck that you are going to lose tackle on I think I would rather lose the leader down and not 50m of line each drop. 

On a wreck, isn't it normally the weight that snags? Not the line, that's why weak links are used. 

[Malc]

25 minutes ago, JonC said:

The video I watched said that the leader not never failed, often the line at the reel. For big fish in open water this sounds good but for fishing a snaggy wreck that you are going to lose tackle on I think I would rather lose the leader down and not 50m of line each drop. 

Admittedly I was using the FG but I usually pull out using a piece of wood wrapped with duct tape just above the reel and if using a rotten bottom it snaps off and I just lose the weight, at the weekend I lost the leader and a full set of gear when pulling out. 

You just need to get 3-4 wraps round the wood and let the line tighten between the reel and the wood as gently as possible and point the rod down to the snag.

[Andy135]

Just now, Malc said:

Admittedly I was using the FG but I usually pull out using a piece of wood wrapped with duct tape just above the reel and if using a rotten bottom it snaps off and I just lose the weight, at the weekend I lost the leader and a full set of gear when pulling out. 

You just need to get 3-4 wraps round the wood and let the line tighten between the reel and the wood as gently as possible and point the rod down to the snag.

Totally agree here. I too use a length of wood (cut down pickaxe handle that doubles as a priest) and let the drift do the work. Should never pull for a snag using the rod alone - ask me how I know...