Albright Knot Fails?!!

[waymont]

On 7/13/2015 at 5:20 PM, Master Bait'r said:

Well if you have a 10# braid mainline that's a TINY diameter line. Using a higher breaking strength line AND much larger diameter as a leader is counterproductive.

I disagree 100% on this. Salt water guys do this as a standard to cast far and deal with big fish. I do it all the time in freshwater too, for the same reason. 

[Captain Phil]

Most salt water game fish have teeth or sharp gill plates.  They are also bigger and stronger.  In most cases, this makes using a leader mandatory. The gill plates of a large snook or tarpon will cut off your main line like it's butter.  In addition, most offshore waters are ultra clear making fluorocarbon leaders more productive.  Everyone has their favorite knots.  What may work for bass won't work for Marlin.  Salt water fishing requires the use of numerous knots each having it's own purpose.  The Bimini Twist knot is a shock absorbing knot that creates a double line.  Often that is enough to hold a large fish like a sailfish.  A blood knot is used to join two similar diameter lines. The Albright knot is used to attach wire leaders directly to the running line. Whatever knots you choose, retying them often is best way to assure you won't loose a fish due to a bad knot.

 

 

[Dye99]

On 7/12/2015 at 5:00 PM, ColdSVT said:

If it failed there is 99% chance that it was tied incorrectly

This.

 

 

I use the mod Albright on everything I use pretty much, extremely rare to have failures.

[santo]

About the failing Albright, maybe before you trim your tag end,tie a lock knot such as a rizzuto finish, or uni, to avoid slippage. About leaders, I am an old school mono user, what we used to do is let's say your reel was spooled with 15lb test. We used to tie on plenty of 30lb or 40lb mono even if it went into your reel a couple times. This is called a shock leader and the benefits are taking strain off your main line when you cast, it helps you land a bigger fish like a snook or Redfish for instance, you can tie a length of wire to it if needed for mackerel or blue fish and you can even tie a heaver 100lb mono tippet if there's tarpon. Your leader was always heavier than your main line. Now that I want to get into braid, I'm reading about people tying 6lb mono or flouro to 15lb test and it confuses me. I always fished 15lb test with 30,40,50,60lb mono depends if your in open water,piers,docks jetties, and type of fish.Even if your going ultra light for largemouth bass let's say. There sand papery teeth will fray 6lb line, therefore tie a short length of 20lb before your lure.

[MickD]

On 7/12/2015 at 11:54 PM, Master Bait'r said:

Wait wait wait... 10# braid to 15# flouro?? I think I found your problem lol

I use mostly 15 flouro and 15 braid.  I don't care what anyone says, Albertos can fail even if tied right.  BUT, put two half hitches onto the knot, pulled tightly, using the braid tag end and the knot will be bullet proof.  The knot will not get any bigger and will be reliable.  It will be reliable with any pound test line or leader.  Think about how difficult if not impossible it is to get knots out of braid if they have been pulled tight. 

 

When I used to get failures of the true Alberto I was always sharply snapping small swimbaits off the bottom. 

[Robin]

Late to the party, but another albright knot fan hear. I use it for just about everything including BFS with 8lb braid to a 6/8lb copoly leader. No problems as long as I tie the knot properly. Always test the knot after you trim the tag ends and you should be good to go. When I need to break off due to a snag, it is rare for the albright knot to be the culprit. Leaders and connection knots do need to be checked periodically due to line fray. I generally start off with a 6 foot leader. Once I am down to around 4 foot due to re-tying, I replace the leader and start over. This knot is comparatively easy to tie when on the water (kayak). Once you get it down and are consistent it is my idea of a perfect leader knot.

[bulldog1935]

I've been rolling Allbright knots for 45 years of fly-line-to-backing.  

One day in the surf, kept hearing a click toward the end of my cast - it was my backing knot - I was shooting the full 110' fly line + 30' of backing.  

 

For braid to leader, Improved Allbright was a no-brainer for me.  If you tighten the knot incorrectly, you can damage braid FEP coating.  

The algorithm to tighten it correctly begins with remembering the direction you wrapped the loops.  

After first snugging all four lines, begin tightening the braid tag while you roll the loops in the same direction you wrapped them.  Before it's completely tight, pull the leader tag to draw the leader bend into the loops.  Finish-tighten the braid tag, and final tighten by pulling the standing lines.  

I always wet my finished knot with pink-label Zap CA+

 

To show how clean this knot, that's a small tip guide in the photo.