Swim jig breaking off 16lb FC

[lynxcat]

I’ve had two big fish break off on the hook set this week. I’ve got braid to 16lb FC and each time the break is near where the bait is tied. I’ve been using a Palomar knot for years and never had this issue. I’m starting to wonder if this is a bad section of FC because I’m at a loss. The hook sets haven’t been crazy strong and I’m on a moderate action rod. 
 

The FC is Daiwa Samurai so it’s fairly high end / quality line. 
 

The water is quite clear where I fish but shallow. The FC helps given the visibility but I’m close to tying straight braid. 
 

I watched a 4-5lber gobble the bait this evening only to break it off. Extremely frustrating and can’t say I’ve experienced this. 

 

[jbsoonerfan]

I would bet it's most likely the knot. Make sure you wet the knot good. One other thing I do with FC and a palomar is only pull the tag end when tightening the knot, that way if there is any "burning" it is on the part I am cutting off.

[lynxcat]

11 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I would bet it's most likely the knot. Make sure you wet the knot good. One other thing I do with FC and a palomar is only pull the tag end when tightening the knot, that way if there is any "burning" it is on the part I am cutting off.

Yep, wet prior to and as I am tightening down...I think I typically tighten tag and main simultaneously with it being wet. Maybe that’s burning the main enough to create a weak spot. 

[jbsoonerfan]

4 minutes ago, lynxcat said:

Yep, wet prior to and as I am tightening down...I think I typically tighten tag and main simultaneously with it being wet. Maybe that’s burning the main enough to create a weak spot. 

Could be. You might try it just to see if it works. 

 

Also make sure to go slow and snug the knot, don't pull it as hard as you can.

[GreenPig]

Try a San Diego Jam knot. If the line breaks then I'd respool with new line.

[Hammer 4]

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

Try a San Diego Jam knot. If the line breaks then I'd respool with new line.

I agree with this ^^^^

[Biglittle8]

Or an improved clinch knot.

[ATA]

Do Double uni knot and make sure your line didn't past the shelf life. and if you do that you got almost 100% knot(there is no 100% knot out there).

Double uni knot proves me for few years now, I never broke any.

[Jig Man]

You might loosen up your drag some.  Swim jigs don’t require much of a hook set.

[BrianMDTX]

Tying a Palomar, take care the line doesn’t get nicked by the end of the hook eye. That knot always seems to migrate in that direction so I make sure before tightening the line is at the top of the eye and nowhere near the end. One nick can doom you. 

 

In fact, it’s the primary reason I shy away from Palomar knots on lures and tend to use them only on bare hooks. 

[Russ E]

Flourocarbon can be tricky with the knots. 

From my own experience the Palomar and improved clinch knot have to be tied perfectly. 

I use the double pitzen. It cushions the line and is very easy to tie.

I have never had a break off with this knot and fluorocarbon.

Shaw grigsby has a few videos on how to tie it.

 

Unless you are built like the hulk and using a broomstick rod, 16 pound line should not break on a hookset.

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Since your having problems with flouro substitute a good copoly line instead like Maxima Ultragreen or Suffix Advantage. I guarantee your breakoff problems will go away & you will get just as many bites. Problem solved.   

[Chris at Tech]

I almost gave up on using Sniper due to similar mystery breakoffs.  Once I started using the San Diego Jam knot (and stopped using the palomar), my breakoff issue disappeared entirely.

[FishTank]

I fished jigs with this same line last weekend (except in 14lb) and had no issues.   I caught a few fish but nothing major.  It casts well and seems to hold up just as good as other FC.   I would put it somewhere around or just slightly above Invizx overall but not as good as Tatsu. 

 

One thing though, I did get hung up (bad) using a jig in a large pile of rocks and couldn't hardly break this line.   I finally had to thumb the spool and break it while I close to it.  I should have just cut the line.  I was using an improved clinch knot.   In my opinion, this line is pretty tough.

[waymont]

I'd switch to the San Diego Jam knot as others have said. It's very easy to tie with FC.

There are less possible things to go wrong. The Palomar knot can break itself if the line doesn't line up perfectly on the lure.

[Deleted account]

On 3/18/2021 at 7:56 AM, Russ E said:

Flourocarbon can be tricky with the knots. 

LMAO

[Sir Shamsalot]

As others have said, the pintzer knot that Shaw Grimsby has a video of on YouTube. If... after you make your three wraps... you run your "running end" through the eyelet side loop the wraps form before going thru the upper loop, you'll be tying a Double San Diego Jam Knot. This Double SDJ is the Knot I use and it has never broken. Also, leave your tags long when you cut them. Since both of these knots have three tag lines, cutting the tags short turns them into little pitch forks to snag clumps of weeds. Leaving the tags about an inch long will cause the tags to just bend over making them more weedless. Fishing swim jigs in the junk and open water is one of my favorite things to do.