Soft Plastics . . . Need Some Advice

[greatone1210]

So today I was out at my local reservoir (Greenlick Reservoir to anyone in the SW PA area). It is known to have LM, Walleye, Crappie, and Channel Cats. I walked down to the shore and found an area that had some rocks and a downed tree. I thought this would make an excellent place to nab a bass or two. The tree and surrounding area were about 30-50 feet from shore.

On my spinning outfit (AG Vendetta 6'6 med fast with 10 lb Suffix mono) I had tied a green tube with 1/4 oz jig tied on with a palomar knot. My second pitch out I felt a nice little tug and set the hook. He fought a little bit and then *SNAP* !!! Fish gets away with a mouthful of hook and lure, I reel in empty line. I think it was a LM because it really fought like a bass.

Fast forward and I cast out with a new tube and get a bite. I set the hook and this fish takes off parallel with the shore like a bullet. My line never had a chance. I think this may have been a cat because it just bolted like a sprinter. But needless to say, lost another tube and hook.

What the heck am I doing wrong? I typically fish stained or muddy water, many times with significant vegetation. Should I switch to a low weight braid?

Also just wanted to mention since I started fishing senkos and other plastics, my catch rate is increasing. Much more so than using anything else. And I keep trying spinnerbait but absolutely nothing!

Thanks

DU

[greatone1210]

Check your knot and make sure it is really wet before cinch. Check the line for fray. How old is the line? What is your drag set at? How are the jigs you are using? Dose the eyelets have burs on them from the lead pour. Check the guides on your pole to make sure there is not a problem with them that might be causing a problem with your line when you cast. I have a feeling it may be your knot or your line is getting damaged when you cast.

I am thinking it is my knot and to be quite honest, I think I need a better line. I was using p line cxx and had great success on my baitcaster. Maybe I will switch to a copolymer on my spinning gear. Of course, there is a chance I snagged a walleye or something with some really sharp teeth. Or maybe it was too big for my line. Just disappointing.

[Darren.]

Definitely check your line as SlapShot says, and definitely wet your line. No ifs, ands, or buts. Do it.

If you're line has any nicks in it, consider some new line, or run your fingers up/down the line to where you feel nothing.

Palomar is a great knot, but for Senko and soft plastics, I tie a snell knot. Fantastic knot.

I've tied on palomars and snells, and always do a pull-test before snipping the tag line. If the line breaks, I retie. If it breaks again on the pull-test, I get another hook and test that.

I've had Gamakatsu hooks with burrs in the eyelets (rarely) But definitely find this more often on off-brand hooks. Which is why I go with Gammies most often, Owners second.

[Darren.]

Toothy critters definitely can nick and break your line. No doubt there. Pickerel have done it to me where I live.

If your line is old, that can mess it up, too.

P-Line CXX is well known to be super-strong. I use P-Line Floroclear 98% of the time as my leader line. Braid for main. Could be a bad spool, known to happen.

Only time I use palomar knots now on my spinning/casting gear is for jigs, or other hooks with no way to tie a snell knot. I snell everything for soft plastics now. Love the knot, never break it.

[greatone1210]

Toothy critters definitely can nick and break your line. No doubt there. Pickerel have done it to me where I live.

If your line is old, that can mess it up, too.

P-Line CXX is well known to be super-strong. I use P-Line Floroclear 98% of the time as my leader line. Braid for main. Could be a bad spool, known to happen.

Only time I use palomar knots now on my spinning/casting gear is for jigs, or other hooks with no way to tie a snell knot. I snell everything for soft plastics now. Love the knot, never break it.

My line is brand new. Can you use a snell on a jig head though? I was fishing a tube when this happened with a jig head up into the tube and the eye through the tube skin. I would think the only way to attach it to a line is via palomar knot. Am I mistaken or is there something else I can do? The more I think about this the more I think too weak of line, too big a fish, and prob a toothy son of a gun.

[NBR]

I've caught hundreds maybe thousands of walleye and never been bit off. Northerns are another issue.

[Fishing Rhino]

If there are pickerel in the reservoir, I would suspect a pic was the culprit. It sounds typical of a pickerel. Pound for pound, they fight much harder than a bass, and they are not called "slime rockets" for nothing. You can have them hooked solidly, and fight them for a while, but a shake of the head, or even a slight change in direction can put the line on one of their teeth, and snick, the line is parted.

If a knot fails, there is usally a bit of a curl at the end of the line. If it's cut by a toothy critter, it will be a clean cut, as though done with scissors or a knife.

[LgMouthGambler]

Palomar knot is for braid. Tie a clinch knot.

[Darren.]

My line is brand new. Can you use a snell on a jig head though? I was fishing a tube when this happened with a jig head up into the tube and the eye through the tube skin. I would think the only way to attach it to a line is via palomar knot. Am I mistaken or is there something else I can do? The more I think about this the more I think too weak of line, too big a fish, and prob a toothy son of a gun.

You have to use a palomar on a jig head, or a clinch, or any number of knots.

I snell all my worm hooks, even size 4 Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse. I feel the snell is the best as it wraps the entire shank. When you set the hook, the pull is along the shank and "straighter", if you understand me. Other knots simply pull the hook at the loop.

Not saying other knots are bad or anything like that. I used palomar all the time before I learned the snell. I use it today when I tie on a jig or a lure that cannot be snelled (pretty much every single one).

Here's a video on the easiest way to tie the snell:

Edited August 15, 2012 by DarrenM

[smalljaw67]

You said you were using suffix mono, if that is the case what experienced was knot slip, that stuff is slick and I've pulled improved clinch knots out by hand which is why I don't use it anymore. What you need to do is tie a palomar but wet the line before you cinch it down and once you have it cinched hold the lure in one hand and use the other hand to pull on the main line pretty hard and then finally cut the tag but leave about a full 1/8" of tag, that way if you get any slip the tag won't pull out and undo the knot.

[greatone1210]

This is all great advice, thanks to everyone. Of course the most important thing is I am catching fish on soft plastics. I definitely like them more than hard baits at the moment.

[Darren.]

Of course the most important thing is I am catching fish on soft plastics. I definitely like them more than hard baits at the moment.

Amen! I, too, fish soft plastics probably 98 or 99% of the time. They are far and away the most productive way I catch fish.

[fishking247]

Palomar knot is for braid. Tie a clinch knot.

palomar knot is a lot stronger then a clinch knot regardless if it braid or mono.

palomar is the only knot i use and TRUST

[Grizzn N Bassin]

HOOK it wacky sytle man thats the only way i can fish them for some reason any other way i feel like im wasting my time. Ive been using half green flake half white 7 inch dingers!.. pop it off the bottom on a hot day i slay the LM a bad day is me only catching 15-20 fish.

[greatone1210]

Since you say the water is stained, get 20/6 PowerPro braid with no leader and use a palomar knot. You will cast further too.

...Bill

Will this cast weightless senkos and more??

[S Hovanec]

Will this cast weightless senkos and more??

It should. Senkos are HEAVY! I throw them weightless on some of my baitcaster set-ups.

I haven't been to Greenlick in years. Are you local to the lake?

[greatone1210]

It should. Senkos are HEAVY! I throw them weightless on some of my baitcaster set-ups.

I haven't been to Greenlick in years. Are you local to the lake?

Yeah I live in Mt. Pleasant. I see you are in West Newton. Drove through their the other day and have heard of some good fishing on the Yough down that way. Greenlick is okay but I had to fight my way over to a spot with some downed timber to get a few bites. Always looking for a fishing partner.

[S Hovanec]

I was in Mt. Pleasant last night....... Salooms funeral home. Boss's dad died.

New fishing partners are always welcome. Might have an open seat this weekend for a half-day at Yough Dam.