Proper braided line installation

[wink_man]

Originally Posted by AJFISH13

It's only drawback is reduced knot strengh.

I personally don't believe reduced knot strengh is an issue at all if the proper knots are used. But most importantly, as mentioned in the above posts, braid is very very slick, and just as it will cut into itself on a spool, a knot, even a properly tied one will also cut into itself when under continual pressure. I always tie a knot with braid, wether braid to braid, or braid to mono tighten it up properly and finish the knot with a drop of crazy glue, so the knot literally can't get any tighter(or loosen).

Braid is also slick enough that it will loosen even on a properly tied albright knot(braid to mono) in time without crazy glue, ESPECIALLY if it isn't locked. Tie your albright, or reverse albright, lock it, and a drop of crazy glue, and you're problem free.

I often tie a uni to uni with braid to put a 75 yard topshot of yellow braid on top of my green braid for better visibility for night fishing, as I often can't find a lot of yellow. A uni to uni makes for a wonderfully small unnoticable knot when tied with 4 loops on each uni and pulled tight. But because it's braid to braid, you're asking for trouble if you play big fish often and don't finish the knot with a drop of glue.

Just my personal opinions and observation, having learned some things the hard way, LOL.

[RussH]

I've never used glue, but I change the knot after only one trip. Sometimes during the trip. I can imagine if I was fishing for bigger species, or maybe off shore it would be a good thing to do. But I've pulled up as big as a 6# fluke on 12# power pro connected to 25# flouro using the albright knot and didn't have any problems whatsoever.

This is a great discussion. Proper use of braid is essential to catching keepers these days, I feel. Particularly the folk who fish in NY state waters.

[AJFISH13]

I never really have a problem with it Winkman. But you might have a problem going offshore for bluefins if you don't know the right knots. I use an uni to uni and really don't believe you need another mono to braid knot besides that.

[wink_man]

Originally Posted by AJFISH13

I never really have a problem with it Winkman. But you might have a problem going offshore for bluefins if you don't know the right knots. I use an uni to uni and really don't believe you need another mono to braid knot besides that.

Aj, just out of curiosity, what size mono leader are you tying that uni to uni with? I generally use a 60lb mono leader for stripers, and it's more like rope than line, but certain rocky places I fish I need it. I don't think I could manage a uni to uni with 60lb mono and 20lb braid. Rather, a locked Albright with this size leader makes for a very slim knot that can be fed through the guides on the rod no problem and even the linewiner on a conventional level wind reel if need be.

[Sea Bear]

The uni to uni is a great spectra to mono connection when you need a "quick and dirty connection" out on the water in the midst of the action but there is no better knot for spectra to mono than the PR knot. It is a 100% strength connection whereas the uni to uni is 70% at best. When you're after big fish (tuna and so on) it is really the only option you should even consider if your fishing solid spectra.

[AJFISH13]

Winkman I use 50 lb to 65 lb. braid with 40 to 60 lb. leader. You are nuts for using 20 lb. braid. In rocky areas I use at least 50 lb. braid. and for blackfish I bump it up to 65 lb. braid.

[Capt. Lou]

Since this thread has gone south somewhat here's a couple of ld to braid knots that are fast & easy.
PR , Mid knot etc are good knots for big game applications, to complete at home or at the dock,they work well,however offshore and you lose a line re tieing fast is now the issue. Unless other outfits are standing by for immediste use the fastest way to get back in the action for solid spectra is to bimini the braid ( 100% ) then reverse albright or huffnagel ,now commonly called the slim beautry work well & can be tied in seconds. Shot of glue and your in good shape. Bear in mind that your probably only working with 20 / 25 lb on drag with jig / pop outfiyts so even if you have 65lb braid w/under 100% knot strength still plenty between you and you drag setting. 100% knots are great for lines under 50lb and many were designed for this use twhen the angler at times can be on a fish for hours. 65lb and up you can put the boots to em' eliminates the longer fight and less prone to knot failures.
80lb braid and up I like HC, this can be repaired at seas quickly if a brak occurs,simply re splice ,throw in a couple of half hitches, glue go fish!
Tip apply glue when sliding & tighting knot not only lubricates especially Fluoro ld, but now works into entire knot instead of only surface. Couple of minutes your back at it.
Finally the revers albright is the knot for all quick set ups inshore & off ,I've broken this connection many times on snags etc and the knot always seems to come back intact while the sometimes heavier ld has broken.
The simple key to the use of thes knots a I described is too "ALWAYS" double the braid via the bimini ,that's it!