Fireline ?

[texican]

Thanks for your imputs fellas an little bit helps

[baldwin]

I've used Fireline for years, love it. For most of those years, I've tied direct, even with spinning rod. I know a lot of you will say this is a wrong way to do it, but I didn't have any negative results, had no fewer fish than those around me, and often more (not necessarily because of tying direct). Now, I'm using a shock leader, mostly to keep from cutting my hands on braid while landing fish. I like to tie direct with a reverse Albright, as I hate reeling the swivel thru my tip-top and casting the ring out of the guide. Maybe I'll use a larger swivel. Any thoughts on this?

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by baldwin

I've used Fireline for years, love it. For most of those years, I've tied direct, even with spinning rod. I know a lot of you will say this is a wrong way to do it, but I didn't have any negative results, had no fewer fish than those around me, and often more (not necessarily because of tying direct). Now, I'm using a shock leader, mostly to keep from cutting my hands on braid while landing fish. I like to tie direct with a reverse Albright, as I hate reeling the swivel thru my tip-top and casting the ring out of the guide. Maybe I'll use a larger swivel. Any thoughts on this?

I use a big swivel and a small to guide so the swivel cannot pass through the guide. I am NOTORIOS for busting out my top guide by casting the swivel through it.

[Joe]

If it's breaking at the knot then it's the knot coming undone - not breaking. (If there is a curl at the end of running line, that is evidence of knot failure.) You were probably using a clinch knot where the running line meets the terminal tackle, or the line was failing where the mono met braid. A six turn improved clinch knot does hold braid- I did not think it would but I had it demonstrated to me that it does - I still think you are better off with a palomar.

If you find yourself going to fifty pound braid - then you might as well fish mono - the increase in line diameter from thirty to fifty causes you to lose the best advantage that braid gives you: increased casting distance. At the same time you lose casting distance, you do not gain much in the way of abrasion resistance - the worst of both worlds.

Unless you are throwing bait - skip the shock leader - you're just adding another knot - another weak point. Thirty-pound braid breaks at about forty-five - a shocker is only necessary for heavy bait fishing. All knots degrade simply from casting and should be re-tied frequently over the course of a trip, but knots that are used with shock leaders really degrade - going through the guides does a number on the connection. If you use one you should inspect it frequently for wear and re-tie it when needed.

Practical Fishing Knots - by Sosin & Kreh - is a good knot resource.