rigging Huddleston swimbaits

[Huddleston Help]

Winter fishing a Huddleston grass minnow on the bottom slowly here in Austin.  I feel the bite, see the line moving, and set the hook.  I snap clean off.  I never feel the line load up at all, just gone.  I am using 30 lb braid with 17 lb Flourocoated leader.  Always breaks in the leader.  What am I doing wrong.  I am using the Paloma knot to attach the lure to the leader...

[bwjay]

Well, there are a few possible reasons, in order of likelihood (IMO).

 

1. You're tying a bad leader knot.

2. You're not wetting your knot enough and weakening it during the cinching process.

3. Your fluoro is too stiff and is shattering upon hookset.

4. Your braid is too thin for your fluoro and is digging too much into it, making it easy for the fluoro to snap.

5. You're just unlucky.

[Oklahoma Mike]

Switch to mono. I'd recommend  Defier Armilo.

[A-Jay]

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ 

IMO - your mainline braid is too small.

Especially if your Rod is pretty beefy and you're rocking the full blown, drop step, Bassmaster hookset.

I'd recommend setting up your swimbait gear (Line & leader) in a manner that will easily handle the Biggest Bass you ever hope to catch.  While you're waiting for her to bite, all the others you may catch should be good.

Perhaps bump up to 50 - 65lb braid and 20, 25 or even 30lb leader.

Bet that doesn't part as easily.

A-Jay

 

 

 

1 minute ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

Switch to mono. I'd recommend  Defier Armilo.

Good Call.

A-Jay

[garroyo130]

Who makes your flouro? You said Flourocoated ... does that mean its a copoly? 

 

What kind of rod are you using? A moderate rod should be more forgiving of a hard hookset. 

[looking45]

Your rod might be too stiff and you might be setting the hook too hard. When a fish hits a swim bait, it's best to just keep reeling and let the rod load up. It's hard to do this with a rod with a stiff tip. Let the rod load, and use a sweep set.

[Bass Rutten]

1. Where are you breaking off exactly, the leader knot or along the leader somewhere?

2. What kind of leader to mainline knot are you using?

3. What kind of hookset? Up? To the side? Snapping? Sweeping?

 

If you're breaking the leader off clean at the knot the try the crazy alberto, it's as good as it gets.

If you're not feeling the line or rod load up you shouldn't be setting the hook, when you feel the bite keep reeling and only when you feel the weight of the fish should you slam the hook home otherwise you're shocking the leader/knots due to slack line. You didn't mention your hookset but think hard sweep to the side like in carolina rigging rather than a snapping or upwards hookset.

 

[Huddleston Help]

Ok...more information on this thread.  I am using an old abugarcia black max med heavy rod.  I am dragging the bait slowly along the bottom.  I feel the bite, usually on the pause.  I see the somewhat slack line moving the I set the line up and hard, I guess you would say a snap.  My 30 pound braid holds up but both my 17 and 22pound leaders have broken.  I used 22 pound,but it was too stiff to tie.  Two breaks were in the leader a couple inches from the bait, one was at the knot.  One person was right, I am not big on knot wetting.  Could contribute?  Just frustrated!

[garroyo130]

Have you checked your rod guides? 

[Huddleston Help]

Just replaced the tip, but haven’t looked at the rest...

[Bass Rutten]

If you leaders are breaking off near the lure then it isn’t your knots or guides, it seems to me like your hookset is the culprit. If I was you I would simplify and go to a 15-20lb mono or copolymer line and use a hard but smooth sweeping hookset. 

[looking45]

16 hours ago, Huddleston Help said:

Ok...more information on this thread.  I am using an old abugarcia black max med heavy rod.  I am dragging the bait slowly along the bottom.  I feel the bite, usually on the pause.  I see the somewhat slack line moving the I set the line up and hard, I guess you would say a snap.  My 30 pound braid holds up but both my 17 and 22pound leaders have broken.  I used 22 pound,but it was too stiff to tie.  Two breaks were in the leader a couple inches from the bait, one was at the knot.  One person was right, I am not big on knot wetting.  Could contribute?  Just frustrated!

I would try a rod with a more limber tip, and definitely learn the sweep set. 

[Shimano_1]

I'm with A-Jay up the braid size and throw some 25 or 30 lb mobo leader. Also make sure it's not your knot connecting the two that's breaking.  

[Hook2Jaw]

Being not big on knot wetting is a definite problem.  Slobber that thing.

[WRB]

Snap setting into slack line is a major problem that over stresses the knot with high impact forces. 

What could go wrong using braid with a FC leader that has 2 knots to fail....

Get rid of the braid and use straight FC or Mono.

Change your hook setting technique to the reel set with rod sweep similar to how you should be setting crankbaits. Feel the strike and crank the reel as it starts to load up make firm rod sweep while you continue to crank.

Huddleston Grass Minnow is small @ 3 3/4" /7/16 oz with 3/0 weedless hook. I would use the 17 FC or 30 lb braid direct, no leader with your rod/reel combo.

Tom