Breaking off.

[Angry John]

When dealing with 20 pound flouro leader on 40 pound braid, where do you feel the line should break when trying to break off.  My partner always says at the connection knot but mine never fails there.

[A-Jay]

Since Flouro doesn't rebound after being stretched, if it's been stressed a bunch, I suppose it could fail anywhere along it's length.

Also, if it was somehow scuffed, chaffed or otherwise damaged, that could play a role.

 But all things being clean & in decent shape, I'd expect the failure to come at either the leader knot or the bait connection.

Certainly not along any length of the braid.

btw - I don't like flouro as a leader. 

A-Jay

[papajoe222]

4 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

btw - I don't like flouro as a leader. 

A-Jay

My sentiments exactly. Actually, I don't like it for mainline for anything but cranking.

Any line will break at its weakest point and although the knots would be the obvious places to be suspect, but a kink anywhere along its length will give out before a well tied knot will.

[Steveo-1969]

My short answer is "I don't know where your fluoro leader should break."

 

My long answer is my limited experience with braid and fluoro leaders.  I use 10# braid on my spinning rod and always tie on a fluoro leader with a uni-to-uni knot. My leader used to be 8# fluoro and when I had to break off, the fluoro would "almost always" break at the connection knot.  For the past year I've been using 10# fluoro and now when I have to break off, the fluoro "almost always" breaks at the lure.

[Team9nine]

Barring abuse, I always want to see mine break at the knot (to lure) and not the connecting knot. This will vary though with type of knots used for either connection, as well as with difference in strengths between lines as Steveo mentions.

 

My reasoning is this: A well tied connection knot using stronger braid main line should actually cushion the fluoro and maintain near its straight line breaking strength. No matter which knot you tie at the lure, your fluoro knot will likely be 20-30% weaker than the straight line strength. Hence, when all is right with the world, you should be breaking off at the lure 

[MickD]

Flouro makes a great leader if you use leader grade flouro.  Use the right knots and selection of pound tests and get the lure knot to be the weakest link.  I use flouro leaders until they get too short, never having a failure in the length of the flouro or at the line to line knot (unless I've been lazy and not replaced that knot after a long time getting beaten up by the guides.)

 

Having said all this, leader grade hard mono makes a great leader, too.  I use whatever I have in the right pound test.

[LxVE Bassin]

I have a set up with 40# braid and a 15# flouro leader. I got stuck between some rocked and it broke off right at the hook which was snelled. The connection knot was an Albright knot. I haven't went below 12# flouro on the leader.

[Angry John]

When snelling the braid has broken first and when i use a Palomar then the line is breaking at the hook.  It is some older sonic braid that has two seasons on it.  I want it to break at the hook and was wondering if it was time to flip the braid or replace it.  I have never broken anywhere on a fish but i figured if i had to break off i might as well pay attention to what is happening and make the best out of it.  I was using seaguar blue label leader material and it seems great.  I had some 15 that broke way to easy for my taste and even gave out when tying knots.  I think it was a bad spool.