Rigging Braid

[Beach Fisho]

Hi Raiders.

i've only been using braid for a little while and have been having some troubles, over the past months i have lost a few big fish. Majority of the time i think it's the knot i am using, seems to slip, i've looked up a few braid knots and have found one which might suit. (Braid Ring Knot)

Asside from knots, i am interested to here from people what methods you use for rigging braid. Using mono, i generally rig up with 2 swivels, with sinker in between and a leader to the hook. This is the method i am currently using with Braid however the knot that causes problems is the braid to first swivel, as for the rest i use mono.

I've tried braid right down to the hook, however i find that over 1 session, the braid becomes fraid and tends to break.

I tied my first Double Uni the other week, this did take a while but seemed to work well.

Anyway, look forward to your thoughts.

Cheers, BJ

Edited March 16, 2006 by Beach Fisho

[Mondo Rock]

I tie a bimini in the braid and push the loop through and then round the swivel. Thus I don't actually tie a knot to the first swivel - I just use the loop. Remainder of the rig is mono as normal.

Mondo

[Sharky]

The double uni knot has worked well for me and once your confident tieing it you shouldnt have any problems.

[mottyman]

I use the Palomar knot if I'm using braid to swivel to mono. I've found it excellent in fireline and TufLine XP. Berkley say in fireline it retains 100% breaking strength of the line and I can believe it given some of the fish I've landed (sambos and kings) on 6lb fireline in botany bay.

The king in my picture to the left (avatar) was caught on a spanyid maniac lure, mono to swivel to braid using the Palomar knot. No problems.

If you're tying a mono leader direct to your braid (no swivel) I find the double uni knot terrific and the only time I've broken it is when I've been snagged using plastics around structure. It's yet to let go on a fish.

Here's a link to the Berkley site for the Palomar knot:

Palomar Knot from Berkley website

I know others will have their favourite knots but these two are yet to let me down.

Cheers

Edited March 16, 2006 by mottyman

[Matthead]

If I'm using a swivel I will tie a twice through the eye uni knot with about 7 turns for a 12-20lb braid. I have found with the lighter braids and especially fused lines you need about 10-12 turns and again twice through the eye. When I've been snagged the braid has never broken at the knot which I guess is a good thing....... in a bad sort of way. As for braid to leader knots I find the 5 turn surgeon's pretty easy with the braid side of things doubled over to make the knot a little stronger and the profile more equal. Double uni knot is just as good, if not stronger but I've not had a problem with either. Practice make perfect .... if it's not right do it again!!!

Matthead

[Beach Fisho]

Thanks heaps guys, some good advice there.

i guess i've got my homework for the next couple of nights.

QUESTION.

A few of you have suggested no swivel, hence the double uni from braid to mono, i assume you then connect your swivel to the mono, if not, what about line twist? doesn't this become a prob with no swivel?

Thanks again gents..

Bring on the kingy's

[Little_Flatty]

I haven't fished with swivels for years, and have been using braid and have had no real problems with line twist. To be really honest I don't think they make that much of a difference.

The only real use I've had for a swivel is to use it as a sinker stopper. But seeing as I don't use sinkers very often (my favourite rig is a hook on the end of the line - nothing else) that use is redundant as well.