Twisted Leaders

[hottyscotty]

went fishing on the weekend and saw someone's rig with a Bimini twist cats pawed onto a twisted leader. i liked it so much because it was streamlined as in the knots doesn't bash through the guides like a double uni knot. so i spent every spare minute i had over the weekend trying to tie this rig. everything went ok except i forgot to ask how to stop the twisted leader from untwisting itself?

what should i do after making the twists?

[landbased]

from memory you do a half hitch each side at the bottom

[caranx]

3 half hitches along one leg of the bimini, then a hitch around both legs. Or you can do a rizzuto finish, which is a bit like whipping a line. And a dab of superglue too.

Edited December 16, 2007 by caranx

[hottyscotty]

i've formed the bimini twist but i'm talking about the leader. just to be sure we're talking about the right section of the rig.

i've used a cup hook held into a drill to twist the leader. after doing the twists, do i just half hitch the legs? and when i take the loop end off the cup hook, how do stop that from untwisting?

[caranx]

Sorry, was thinking you were talking about the bimini.

You should have 3 connection points.

1)terminating end of mono

2)other end of terminating mono

3)hook in the middle of distance to fold line over

so you tie the ends to 2 separate points and then drill to get them twisted. Then leave one end where it is. But you need to get the line over the middle point, then take the over end and walk it round so there is tension and it doesnt tangle up, and hook it over the same point as the other end of the mono.

Then you have to slip the line off the middle hook slowly, and hold , and run your fingers back towards the end points slowly. The line will twist up slowly and stay twisted. Then finally at the end, use a uni knot to keep it all together.

[livo]

i've formed the bimini twist but i'm talking about the leader. just to be sure we're talking about the right section of the rig.

i've used a cup hook held into a drill to twist the leader. after doing the twists, do i just half hitch the legs? and when i take the loop end off the cup hook, how do stop that from untwisting?

As caranx said but to put it into simpler terms, twist the line in a single stand and then fold in half. It will automatically wind itself into a twisted leader. The same principle is used to form standout dropper loops.

Suggest a second pair of hands if you want to do long leaders and don't overwind it or it will buckle up and tangle. Experiment with different lengths on some cheaper line before you go wasting any decent quality leader material.

Edited December 17, 2007 by livo