Using Braid - Knots, cutting etc

[FishyWishy]

What knots (terminal knots) work best with braid?

On Saturday after taking the youngster out to Fireman's park and getting pepe. I headed to Kings Bridge Park in Chippawa. Of course I got snagged lots! But quite a few of my snaggs turned to breakoffs before I could even get to work them to attempt to free them.

I am spooled with power pro (20 lb IIRC) I also at one point lost a stickbait to the only solid hook I had as soon as the fish decided to take a run (felt like a nice fight but no clue what was hooked). I attribute this to poor knot strength or poor line. So What are effective knots for tying in braid?

Also what do you use to cut/trip this stuff. I find most cutting apparatus just crushes it, frays it.

Really thinking I may change back to mono or research what else is out there for good line.

Thanks

FW

PS I was mostly using clinch, 2bl clinch or trilene knots. Then ended the night with a stickbait using a rapala knot. Should I be tying the braid direct to my tackle or should I tie in some type of mono leader?

[Bones]

Palomar knot is probably the best and the quickest.

[ontariocarper]

I use braid scissors to trim it, they have a serrated edge on one side. For the knot, I only use the Polamer knot.

[FishyWishy]

Palomar knot is probably the best and the quickest.

Yeah I just found that out via googling "fishing knots braid"

Now should I tie directly to my lure? or tie in a mono or similar leader?

FW

[ontariocarper]

I use a 6' Fluorocarbon leader on everything except bass jig and slop frogs. To join them I use the triple surgeons knot or uni to uni, both are great.

[Bones]

If I tie a flouro leader I always use a double uni knot. You could always tie wit with a small barrell swivel.

[FishyWishy]

If I tie a flouro leader I always use a double uni knot. You could always tie wit with a small barrell swivel.

LOL you must refer to the same knot site I found LOL. Apparently a blood knot (what I used) is NOT advised for braid to mono (and it truly did not hold....I gave up on the leader idea after that failure LOL) It suggested a double uni or a twisted surgeons knot with an overhand knot in the end of the braid

What would be a good flouro line to use as a leader?

[ontariocarper]

Seagur is the top, but a bit pricey. Others that I used where Bass pro XPS, P-Line and Stren, which are not bad at all. What ever you do don't buy the Berkley Vanish, I tired it and hated it. Lots of bad reviews around.

[niagarafisher]

I use seagar flouro leaders and as my main line on my dropshot rods. I just bought a 250yard 8lb spool this week for 14.99.

[Luvevolution]

I just purchased the Fused Crystal braided line and it disappeares in the water, so no need for putting flouro leaders on anymore. I prefer it this way, as there's less to go wrong. I use a palomar knot, or another kind that I can't remember the name of, but have been using it for years...............thread the line through the eye of the hook, then wrap the tail around the line 6 times. then pass the tail through the first loop and then through the loop that that makes and cinch it to the lure. that knot holds up against snags and even catching trees. LOL. if you are going to drop shot for Bass, the Palomar knot is a must for the hook, so that the hook ends up perpendicular to the line.

Rich

[Dirka13]

on your first initial knot do not wet the line with your saliva because the braid can slip, thus loosing your set up and or fish, i learned that the hard way, as for a knot i use the Palomar knot, good luck and that seaguar line is amazing i use it for my leaders for salmon and rainbows and that stuff is tuff

[DarkEdge]

on your first initial knot do not wet the line with your saliva because the braid can slip, thus loosing your set up and or fish, i learned that the hard way, as for a knot i use the Palomar knot, good luck and that seaguar line is amazing i use it for my leaders for salmon and rainbows and that stuff is tuff

With some of the places my line's been, I wouldn't DARE put it in my mouth. There's some lengths even I won't go to.

[ron4blues]

Tie this one correctly and you'll never have a knot failure! I've never tried it on braid so I don't know if it will work, but on mono and flouro it is great! They can be tied as small as 1/4 inch once you've learned the method.

Mini Bimini Hitch

[Rich Nagy]

Seagar knot(very simple and strong) for attaching the leader to the main line and a double palomar if you are tying braid direct to the lure with no leader.

[scapulataf]

I've been using the improved clinch knot since I started using braid 5 years ago or so, and have never lost a lure due to knot slippage.

Also, I keep a small swiss army knife in the top of my box for cutting it. Works like a charm and leaves a clean end.

[bob187]

Uni to Uni will never let go the line will snap somewhere else first, pretty simple to tie.

Swiss army knife is the best tool and everyone should have one. You could cut your arm off with it!!! :pardon:

[ron4blues]

Just found this link. The animations make sense out of a lot of the knots shown.

Animated Knots

[fishfight]

If you are not fishing top water technique or fishing too weedy area, go back to mono. I used a 6lb mono for bass fishing and 12lb mono for pier Salmon fishing. I am too lazy to tie a flourocarbon on braided line just for bass fishing under 15 feet of water.

I find the stretch on mono help absorb shock to allow fish a better hookset. The Drag on the reel will take care of avoiding potential breakoff. However Braid is good for using crank bait or spoon aimed at Toothy critters.

Due to braid being quite sensitive, sometimes we tend to pull the lure out of a fish mouth unintentionally before even getting a proper hook set. I switch to braided line when it just started to be popular, used it for couple of years, then I notice I am not catching more bass, I then switch back to mono, I then decide I would rather sacrifice the sensitivity, get used to the small stretch in exchange for more fish being caught. I also seldom use fluro line unless I have to, during drop shotting is a must.

Mono is inexpensive and also close to being invisible. see the chart taken from a fishing book.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/b...inestrength.jpg.

I seldom have problem with breakoff when tying knot using improve clinch knot on all my line. I believe break off on braid could at times happen due to factory defective section on the spool. I only used a good nail cutter to cut all line as well.

[fishkid]

I forget who they're made by, but there is a line of fishing pliers that are bright blue with green foam handles. You can get them at CTC. The have a single edge tungsten line cutter. Honestley the best cutters I've ever used. And they float!

[boyo]

a friend that works in a hospital got me a cauterizing pen - press a button and the tip heats up - melts through all lines in a split second, and leaves a clean, fused end - no fraying on braids.

great tool. berkely makes one called hotwire line cutter.

[fishkid]

a friend that works in a hospital got me a cauterizing pen - press a button and the tip heats up - melts through all lines in a split second, and leaves a clean, fused end - no fraying on braids.

great tool. berkely makes one called hotwire line cutter.

That's stealing! lol. j/k. I've never tried those but I bet they work well. Frayed braided line is a beeoch to thread.

[boyo]

i know your're joking...although i'm pretty sure my friend got it through legal means...my understanding is that such equipment is 'one time use only' and destined for disposal anyway...hoping to get my hands on more, as the battery compartment is sealed up and i fear i'm running out of power and may not be able to replace battery...