Braid, leader, trace

[Rah]

Hi All,

After a bit of info if possible.

Iv just bought a new reel and have never used braid before. Was having a chat to the bloke at my local tackle shop and he recommended that I don't run a sinker on the braid but use a leader for the sinker and then a trace.

I have never heard of this before and after a bit our scouring the web I still cant find much info, (maybe not the right keywords)

Will running 1 only, 00 or 0 ball sinker on 8lb braid do so much damage that it is worth while using the leader? will having the extra knots weaken the whole set up? i'm not fantastic with the knots just learning the uni, usually use the half blood.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Linc]

I can see how a running sinker going up and down braid all day may cause it to split apart a little and could potentially weaken it over a long period of time, but it'd take a lot of rubbing.

Do you use flurocarbon leader from the swivel to the hook and if so, how long? (assuming you're using a running sinker rig with a swivel?) I would definitely not recommend using braid straight to the hook as your amount of bites will decrease dramatically.

If you are tying braid to leader I recommend using the albright knot, it doesn't take much practise and once you've done it a few times you can pretty much do it in the dark, but blood knots for joining flurocarbon to braid is not that great as it tends to break at the knot over time.

Cheers.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Linc

[Scratchie]

There is a step by step help for knots on the top page of this site. It has increased my repertoire and ability to apply different knots for all sorts of setups. Really really useful tool and you can slow the application down as well. I always attach a leader to braid and as linc said an Albright knot is the go. Hope that helps!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[fisherman666]

Mate, if you only learn one knot just learn the uni. Then for joining braid to mono I do the double uni. It's just two single uni knots pulled together. I'm sure Google can demonstrate. Then one day if you get into lure fishing learn the rapala knot but that's me anyway. I know more knots than these two but I rarely need to.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[foolforjesus]

5 knots I use, know more, but use only these 5:

1/. Braid to flouro - Albright knot

2/. Flouro to jig head / Fly / Hardbody - Leftys Loop Knot

3/. Flouro to fly / Metal lure - Improved clinch knot

4/. Flouro to flouro of similar dia. - Uni to Uni.

5/. Loop in flouro for loop to loop connection- Perfection Loop

That's what I use.

[Rah]

Thanks for all the info, that's great.

I will definitely look up those other knots that I have never tried to tie.

I was advised: Braid to 9ft of mono with a double uni knot, sinker running on the mono, then swivel, then fluorocarbon leader, usually about 2ft.

I will give it a go and hopefully I can get the knots down and it wont interfere with casting.

Cheers

[spaners]

Hi All,

After a bit of info if possible.

Iv just bought a new reel and have never used braid before. Was having a chat to the bloke at my local tackle shop and he recommended that I don't run a sinker on the braid but use a leader for the sinker and then a trace.

I have never heard of this before and after a bit our scouring the web I still cant find much info, (maybe not the right keywords)

Will running 1 only, 00 or 0 ball sinker on 8lb braid do so much damage that it is worth while using the leader? will having the extra knots weaken the whole set up? i'm not fantastic with the knots just learning the uni, usually use the half blood.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

If you are only using a small pea sinker as you stated I would only tie on the leader and have the pea sinker running straight up to the hook,no need for a swivel,nice easy rig to tie,only one knot to worry about .We use this rig all the time

chasing Bream,Pigs,Snapper.Great rig.

[Devil Ray]

I find youtube very helpfu with knots

[Flickn Mad]

AS for why the mono, I would suggest that tying relatively light braid straight to the swivel will not be as strong as mono to the swivel as the braid will tend to cut into itself. this is why I tend to go to the trouble of tying a short bimini in my braid then to fluro and the rest on the end of that be it lures or bait set up.

A lot depend on how far u want to push the limits of your gear. if you get into chasing line class fish or kingys or even fishing one and two kilo gear seriously you will want to learn a few good knots and master them. you have plenty of time to learn the numerous fancy nots out there.

[troutboy]

Gday Rah, a small pea sinker on the braid will do little to no damage to the line at all, been doing this for years using 4lbs fireline on my trout bait fishing rods. If you are using light braid tie it directly to the swivel using a 10 to 12 turn uni knot, it will not break. From the swivel tie your flouro or mono leader using a 5 to 6 turn uni knot and if bait fishing the same knot to tie on your hook , if using lures or plastics you should learn the perfection loop or leftys loop knot to allow for more freedom of movement. Uni knots are easy to tie ,retain a fairly high knot strength and may be the only knot you need to tie.If you are using other knots and are experiencing some slippage a great product to try is called UV knot sense by a company called Loon,its an ultra violet cured glue made just for knots which you activate/cure using a small UV light source .Good luck and remember whichever knot you tie ,tie it well, if it looks the least bit suspect in any way cut it off and start again. cheers troutboy

[Rah]

Thanks everyone.

Got the Uni down pat. So will hopefully get out on the weekend and give it all a go. Itching to try out the new rod and reel.

Will give all these tips a go and see what works best for me.

Hopefully be able to put in a report after the weekend.

Cheers

Rah

[Twinfisher 4.9]

Agree with the above, a small sinker running on the braid above a swivel should not be an issue. I also prefer to have the sinker away from the hook and bait - just think it allows the bait to float and drift a bit more naturally. Off the rocks in a wash a different issue, small sinker right against the hook.

[AI fella]

Braid to leader then to trace?....hmmmm don't like the sound of that(unless your'e chasing Marlin and you use a bimni), when I lived in Darwin the rig was braid with double uni to leader with a small bead above the hook this rig was the go to for Barra,Queenfish,Gt,black jews on live bait,,the double uni is important as the doubled leader is less likely to be cut by the braid under load, when lure fishing the same minus the bead always with the Leftys loop, perfect 2 or 3 knots until you can do it with your eyes closed,

Cheers