AAARRGG! Connection knot!

[5/0]

Thanks everyone! I have been able to tie the Alberto the best. So I’ll go with that for now. Trimming the leader with fingernail clippers has helped.

I also have practiced the Shinn knot and that works well too. The only question I have regarding this knot is when he says “you put the line through here”. Does it finish like the Alberto?

[Darren.]

37 minutes ago, 5/0 said:

Thanks everyone! I have been able to tie the Alberto the best. So I’ll go with that for now. Trimming the leader with fingernail clippers has helped.

I also have practiced the Shinn knot and that works well too. The only question I have regarding this knot is when he says “you put the line through here”. Does it finish like the Alberto?

Basically, yes.

 

Another tip for when you pull the knot (any) tight is to tug it until

the braid discolors a little bit. That's the cinching down and tightening

of the braid into the line. I've found doing it this way needs no add

of glue like some do. After this I trim the tag ends.

[NHBull]

If you need to tie a leader and alberto is big, go to the PR.  It requires a tool, but unlike the off shore techniques, it only requires an inch of wraps.  When I have time, I use it.

On the water it's FG.  The key to both is to mushroom the tag end of the FC or mono.  Berkley make a hot wire that makes it much easier than a match......Take a breath, it gets easier

[Sam]

Do you really need a leader? Here is some food for thought and I know the guys will chime in and tell me I am crazy. So here it goes!

 

Bass are attracted to your bait because of smell, vibration, and light or solid color schemes. The line does not matter. Bass will attack your bait if they are hungry or aggravated no matter what line you are using.

 

A pro showed me a number of interesting things a few years ago and one is fishing with braid tied directly to your hook for fishing plastics.  I was amazed at how he fished the baits shaky head, drop shot, and Texas rigged with no leader. He clobbered them. He outfished me while I was using fluorocarbon.

 

He then told me that if you are going to use a leader, no matter what line test or type of line you are using, put a dab of fast drying glue on the knot. This will keep the knot together. Some guys have more confidence in using a leader and he suggested the glue trick be used.

 

As for what knot to use? Doesn't matter as long as you put a drop of glue on it. An old granny knot will work as long as you put glue over it.  So tie the knot you have confidence or one that goes through your line guides.

 

Just food for thought. Your comments, please.

 

 

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

17 minutes ago, Sam said:

Do you really need a leader? Here is some food for thought and I know the guys will chime in and tell me I am crazy. So here it goes!

 

Bass are attracted to your bait because of smell, vibration, and light or solid color schemes. The line does not matter. Bass will attack your bait if they are hungry or aggravated no matter what line you are using.

 

A pro showed me a number of interesting things a few years ago and one is fishing with braid tied directly to your hook for fishing plastics.  I was amazed at how he fished the baits shaky head, drop shot, and Texas rigged with no leader. He clobbered them. He outfished me while I was using fluorocarbon.

 

He then told me that if you are going to use a leader, no matter what line test or type of line you are using, put a dab of fast drying glue on the knot. This will keep the knot together. Some guys have more confidence in using a leader and he suggested the glue trick be used.

 

As for what knot to use? Doesn't matter as long as you put a drop of glue on it. An old granny knot will work as long as you put glue over it.  So tie the knot you have confidence or one that goes through your line guides.

 

Just food for thought. Your comments, please.

 

 

 

 

I always use a blood knot and put a dab of superglue on it.  I had the Alberto knot and the Albright knot fail one too many times on me.  The blood knot has not failed me yet

[redux]

I agree that bass don't normally care about your line from a visual stand point. However, your line affects your bait's action in the water and braid can affect the action negatively. There are other nit-picky reason, but the main one is that it affects the action of the bait and that is enough for me.

 

You need a decent amount of consistent, even tension on your braid to ensure the initial plaiting is laid down well. Your first half hitch has to be cinched down hard to work (as mentioned earlier). I also should do another 3 alternating half hitches before the heavy pulling to fully seat the plait before cutting the leader off. You really really, really need to pull hard to seat the plait. Pull evenly and watch the braid as you do. It will slowly darken before starting to look kind of clear. You want the entire plait to change color before you work on finishing the rest of the knot.

 

Something I have not heard anyone mention is burning the bit of leader that's sticking out. You need to wet the entire knot so the wetness absorbs any heat form burning. Use the clear part of the flame just above the metal guard on your lighter because it does not flicker like the rest of the flame and it is also not super hot. You want to control the flame so the leader melts slowly and forms a mushroom cap just above the 4 half hitches. If you do not get it down to even with the knot carefully add a couple half hitches over the exposed tag to fill in that gap. Otherwise that excess leader will create a heavy hing that will catch you guides and cause other line issues.

 

Finish off with another 4-5 alternating half hitches then you can do a Rizzuto. Before you clip the braid tie a single overhand knot and work it down as close to the knot as you can then clip off the braid. If you don't want to do a Rizzuto you should still do the overhand knot. After all that burn the last bit of braid like before.

 

I know this is a lot of stuff but it helps your FG stay straight and hold together longer. Given time all the Rizzuto and the half hitches can work loose and compromise your knot.

 

Yes. On the water all of the finishing steps are way too much to do properly and in the moment you're not likely to want to take the time to do even a basic FG. In this situation I do an Alberto so I can get back at it quickly. Likely I'm going to learn the Shinn because that looks pretty d**n fast and strong.

[WRB]

If you can't tie a knot under fishing conditions in the wind or poor weather where you fish the knot is worthless.

If you must super glue a knot to make hold you tied it wrong.

Retying your your line should be done as needed whenever you have damaged your or pulled on the line over 50% of it's lb test to unsnag a lure. 

Tom

[Fried Lemons]

If you are deadset on braid to leader the FG knot is well worth learning. I've used it to connect braids from 10-80lbs and once I got the hang of tying the knot it has never failed me. Contrary to what a lot of people seem to believe it is not that hard to tie with some practice. You use one hand to keep tension in the braid. Use your other hand and your foot to keep tension on the leader. I do this all the time on the water in adverse conditions and it never takes me longer than 2 minutes.

[FLAGATOR49]

Try Fieders FG knot, make sure to tighten both main lines hard after the first half hitch