Braid To Heavy Leader

[nightstalker]

Hi, use a lot of 20 and 30 lb braid to 30 and 40 lb leader and have had no problems using improved albright.

However, want to experiment with 60lb braid on hardcore spinning outfit and 150lb or more traces for live baiting / switch baiting small marlin this summer.

I have ruled out wind on leaders as loop connections using braid would cut it wouldnt it.

Am thinking about the Braid Leader knot or even sticking with the albright. Traces would have to be wind on to facilitate short casts at times and at least 3m traces if fish roll up in it.

Your experience and comments would be appreciated.

[Jewhunter]

Thanks Stewy. I'll try to describe it here. This is a variation to the one I showed you & I find it easier to tie for the same result. Alot of the barra guides use it.

I had a lot of practice tying it in Weipa.

This knot is a little similar to an albright.

As Stewy said you'll need a small double.

Lay your leader beside the loop formed by the double. Without passing the leader through the loop in the braid wind your leader up & around the double 9 times & then back down over itself 3 times. Then pass the tag end through the loop. Pull it down snug but not tight. Grab your main line ABOVE the double knot & then pull it tight. This way you will always get the knot sitting evenly in the double. Trim the tag & melt the end with a lighter or a ciggie.

I've found this the most reliable join for braid to mono. It slips in lines of similar breaking strain but is perfect for a heavy leader connection. It is also very slim.

You could also use wind on leaders if you like. The boys I fished Weipa with use them & swear by them & I never saw one pop.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Grant.

[wakd]

Slim beauty - easy to tie, low profile, never had a prob with it personally (or heard of people having probs with it for that matter). No need to tie a double in the braid either. Used it in up to 100lb leaders/50lb braid on big barra. Use it on all my king/jew leaders (15-30lb leader, 20lb braid).

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/knots/slim_beauty.aspx

The only slight trick is to not pull the braid tag up tight, but rather let it slide into place by pulling the braid mainline - it mentions this in the article above.

I don't trust Albrights at all - too many stories of them slipping out (I'm sure they are fine when tied perfectly, but too much room for error IMO), plus the tag faces the guides when casting, unlike the Slim.

Good Luck!

[Matrix]

The Duck Nose is just another name for "Slim Beauty" in case anyones wondering.

Here's yet another illustration(in addition to Wakd's one above):

Slim Beauty 1

No knot will have a slim profile when using heavy heavy leaders but where knot strength and lower profile is preferred ( like when casting lures ), the Slim Beauty rules.

Edited November 27, 2008 by Matrix

[Guest Big-Banana]

Slim Beauty, what a knot. Holds up to 95% of strength (my testing). Even better with a bimini.

Hi, use a lot of 20 and 30 lb braid to 30 and 40 lb leader and have had no problems using improved albright.

However, want to experiment with 60lb braid on hardcore spinning outfit and 150lb or more traces for live baiting / switch baiting small marlin this summer.

I have ruled out wind on leaders as loop connections using braid would cut it wouldnt it.

Am thinking about the Braid Leader knot or even sticking with the albright. Traces would have to be wind on to facilitate short casts at times and at least 3m traces if fish roll up in it.

Your experience and comments would be appreciated.

Braid Leader Knot, I've looked everywhere and can't find it on the net.

[nightstalker]

The Duck Nose is just another name for "Slim Beauty" in case anyones wondering.

Here's yet another illustration(in addition to Wakd's one above):

Slim Beauty 1

No knot will have a slim profile when using heavy heavy leaders but where knot strength and lower profile is preferred ( like when casting lures ), the Slim Beauty rules.

Its a Jeff Wilson knot from his book, also watched a video on the Nomad site of them tying twisted leaders then sort of cats pawing them into a short double on the braid and then tying off a 'bit leader' to this.

Anyone seen this, what do you reckon, i figure these guys are innovators in this area just for the sheer numbers of big fish they catch.

[warnie]

Nightstalker

Not wishing to doubt in any of the advice with what has been suggested so far

a braid to heavy leader connection that i have been using for quite a while now and has not failed to date

being employed on both y/fin and marlin and seem to think it may also be in the Geoff Wilson book of

Knots is called a Tony Jones not sure in what the book best recommends it's best used for but i have no

hesitation in using this connection in the situation that you are looking to use it for and have not been using

a double in the braid which sounds like against normal practise by most ......anyways it may well be another

choice and option for you.

Cheers Warnie