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Tying a flouro leader to braid (casting)


justtracytrolling

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There are many solutions for this and I have been using a barrel for this because the knots I've tried for this are difficult to tie in the wind at night and they don't work better than a barrel. Well after replacing a ton of broken eyes on my rods and the lost tackle that went with those broken eyes ive decided to go back to tying leaders on. My son has been trying to get me to switch to the FG knot for this and I finally caved in and let him show it to me. I have to say in addition to winning knot wars it's fairly easy to tie and it's the thinnest possible connection. This knot is 100% castable and allows you to use longer leaders. I mentioned on here before how many pros are using long leaders on spinning tackle, well this is how they are doing it. If you use braid on spin tackle this is THE knot!

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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I'm in the same boat. I know braid to fluoro is very popular and braid is a good product. I gave it an honest try but had the same experience with swivels and hated tying on leaders. However I used the double uni knot. I used 20lb braid on my spinning reels and it didn't cast well and the knot didn't go through the guides well. I use straight 50lb braid for frog fishing and flipping jigs. However I prefer straight fluoro (trilene 100% fluorocarbon) for most things and mono for my other topwaters and heavy mono for the bigger swimbaits. I'm going to try some lighter braid this year but want to keep using braid-fluoro with a barrel for dropshotting in deep water, that is a great setup

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This knot definitely will cast and you don't need to keep tying leaders because you can use a longer leader. Try this for drop shotting, and any other finesse spinning applications like casting sticks for walleye.

The invisaswivel is neat but I can't see it going thru the eyes especially today's micro guides.

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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like the direct tie of braid to fluorocarbon. I prefer less hardware. I've also used double uni-knot for a long time. Tried Albright didn't work as well. I only use 3 or 4 turns in the high test fluorocarbon end or it bunches up. Never came lose or broke to date.

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So I tied an excessively long leader on to test casting the FG knot and it casts great even on a baitcaster. I haven't tried to tie heavy braid to heavy flouro yet to use on tigers, but that's next.

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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So I tied an excessively long leader on to test casting the FG knot and it casts great even on a baitcaster. I haven't tried to tie heavy braid to heavy flouro yet to use on tigers, but that's next.

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

Justin where did you find the how to for F&g knot? I didn't see it on animated line knots how to. Thanks PAP.

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pap - http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/fg-knot

 

Whats the minimum you guys use for fluoro leaders for musky? I hate fishing wire leaders for bass, but I hate losing $25-$75 baits more and I caught 1-2 tigers almost everytime out this year. I really didn't have a ton of bite offs but after I lost a couple pointers in November I started to reconsider. I don't think I'll use one for the 4-5" jerkbaits or bladed jigs but I'm leaning towards a leader for the Bull Shads, Hudds, Slammers, etc - I'm worried it'll kill the action on the glide baits but glide baits are popular for Musky too. So I'm wondering if 50-60# is enough or if you have to be up in the 100# to be effective.

 

Thanks

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Wouldn't the Wiliis knot go through the eyes as well with the smaller stuff (on leadcore) trolling (walleyes)? or don't you guys use leadcore there for the eyes? I had to add to this post after I looked at it again as I didn't get specific enough :lol:  (leadcore and eyes)

Edited by Sk8man
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Cuse,

I use 30lb seaguar blue label and have never had a break/cut off. I use it anytime I'm specifically targeting tigers and never use wire. When I'm targeting other species I use 20lb if I'm worried about tigers and also have never had a break/cut. I like 20lb for pointers, but I use the 30lb for customers. The 30 works fine with big glide baits and eels etc. Last season I ran 8lb dia off my riggers all season and didn't get bit off running small spoons. We landed 3 over 40 on it. Small spoons and sticks are very effective at times off downriggers on walleye but they don't work at all on heavy flouro...action is wrong I guess. When I started several years ago I was using 15 pound invizx for leader and I had cut offs. If you are just interested in tigers on heavy tackle 50-80 pound flouro. Most of my trips are light spin tackle as very few customers are comfortable with a baitcaster.

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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Justin put me onto 30lb seaguar last season . it worked really well but when I was casting for tigers exclusively I switched to toothy critter wire. Only because my wife got bit off on the flouro with a sinko. I still run the flouro when bass fishing and my wife uses it for bass and tigers. I just fell more comfortable with the wire and I put a snap on the end because of switching lures so much. But if targeting bass that 30lb Seagaur is good lure insurance.

Sent from my LG-H820 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

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Thanks, I've tried a bunch of fluorocarbons (including invisx, hated it) and landed on 12# trilene for most of my smaller moving baits and jig fishing (which by diameter and strength is more like a 15# line) and 17# cxx/ 50# braid/ 25# big game for the heavier stuff. I caught a handful of 34-36" tigers where they took the bait pretty deep on the fluoro - the line frayed but surprisingly didn't break, but also had about 9 or 10 clean bite offs (jerkbaits, flipping jigs, swim jigs, bladed jigs, swimbaits) - on maybe 25-30 tigers I landed this season. I don't love those numbers. I like fishing for tigers but don't really target them because I catch enough while bass fishing to keep me happy, but if my main goal is targeting trophy bass then I worry about line visibility and affecting the action on lures. I'm trying to find a middle ground where I don't leave pointers in a tigers throat (bad for both of us) and 20# sounds like a starting point. 

 

 

I'm putting together a tacklewarehouse order right now for their christmas sale and was thinking about testing out 20# red label as a mainline on a couple reels for those smaller baits - $10 for 200yds - I'll give it a try

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Interesting knot.

 

I found this animation and it made it look very difficult and unclear how to do it.

http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/fg-knot

 

I then found this video which makes it look very clear and fairly easy to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjzUb5QRKuk

 

As usual on utube, there are other videos that come up and there are variations in each one. Several use different numbers of half hitches on both lines and then the main line and several finish it off with a double or triple half hitch. There are even some that have a tool they claim makes it easier.

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pap - http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/fg-knot

 

Whats the minimum you guys use for fluoro leaders for musky? I hate fishing wire leaders for bass, but I hate losing $25-$75 baits more and I caught 1-2 tigers almost everytime out this year. I really didn't have a ton of bite offs but after I lost a couple pointers in November I started to reconsider. I don't think I'll use one for the 4-5" jerkbaits or bladed jigs but I'm leaning towards a leader for the Bull Shads, Hudds, Slammers, etc - I'm worried it'll kill the action on the glide baits but glide baits are popular for Musky too. So I'm wondering if 50-60# is enough or if you have to be up in the 100# to be effective.

 

Thanks

Thanks I will give this a shot, I have had my knots come apart while casting, so I tried the dab of super glue, they all failed, I believe the glue interacts with the fluro. I've reverted to shorting up my fluro to the length of the rod and been using a #10 spro and a #8 spro, I've never had eyes fail and ect. I use 30# power pro, to blue label Seagar,fluro.

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The barrel swivel is bulletproof and I prefer them but if you aren't disciplined and reel them into the eyes on the rod then cast you break the eyes. Then the next cast the braid is cut on the broken eye. Therefore, the barrel setup I love is useless for guiding. On my way to test this knot on some walleye...I'll post some pics if we get into anything noteworthy. I'll need to use this knot a bit before I trust it for tigers...

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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I never use heavier than 30# and the only way I would is if I was targeting pures with real musky sized stuff. The smaller bass and walleye lures aren't nearly as effective on heavy leaders.

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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When I cast for nearly anything (don't fish tigers or muskies but do fish pike) I do as Pap mentioned use a #8 Spro with a 5 or 6 ft fluoro leader. (including for eyes). Using these shorter leaders has never seemed a problem and since most of my eye fishing has been at night a longer leader length longer than the rod has been viewed as unnecessary. I go longer for trout and salmon but that is with trolling reels and rods. I have never felt that eyes were particularly line shy of that set up even in the daylight trolling for them (Honeoye). I have also used short (crimped) sections of thin (yet very strong) titanium wire for casting for pike and the lure action still seems to be pretty good with that.

Edited by Sk8man
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How can any of you target muskies with line that you know is no where near bite proof? 30lb fluoro? Is that a joke? Your a guide? The only reason u haven't been bitten off is a tooth hasn't hit your line yet. If u can cut it then so can they. When a big fish finally does show up you'll never even know because she'll have swallowed your bait and cut u off before your rod even bends. Bass guys I can understand and I appreciate you atleast trying but you esox guys should know better. If your really looking for something light for small jerkbaits for esox infested waters try cortland toothy critter tieable steel. I understand there is more than 1 was to skin a cat but 30lb fluoro offers zero protection against razor blade filled mouths. I've been bitten off with 150 lb fluoro twice. I was warned by and doubted those who had more knowledge than I. I'm not saying fluoro doesn't have a place in the game but 30lb certainly doesn't. Anybody targeting muskies should always be looking for that true giant. It's not worth risking losing or even worse, killing that fish when you get bitten off due to sub par equipment.

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I don't target muskies and if I did I would agree with a good bit of your post. This is a bass forum, it's not a joke, and I am a guide.

I'll pass on the musky conversation, but as far as tigers are concerned I've caught as big a tiger as I've heard of and haven't had a problem with bite offs once I switched to seaguar blue label leader. I realize it isn't bite proof...I'm multi species fishing 90 per cent of the time and when I'm not multi I'm walleye. I had exactly 2 customers last season that were exclusively tiger musky. I take kids and families fishing so putting fish in the boat is a big deal and light, shy tackle gets more bites period and that's fact. If you use high end reels like mine with excellent drags and the best small diameter lines on the market you can handle big fish consistently. I'm not going to get into specifics but my strategy with jerkbaits uses sinking, suspending, and floating baits. One thing they all need to do to be really effective on the pause, especially the long pause, is stay level. Have you ever seen a fish dead or alive pause with its tail straight up? Even flouro and barrel swivels can affect this, and I shorten my 30lb leaders just for this reason. Tie able steel isn't good for this. I also think lures are designed to be fished on a specific sized line. Everyone is free to fish for what they want and that's that!

Justin Okrepki

NYSDEC licensed guide #7324

http://www.otiscolakeguideservice.com/

(607)-349-1750

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