6lb. mono to 10lb. mono?

[papajoe222]

In a recent post I asked about using light line on a standard baitcaster. I'm sitting here tying fluoro leaders to braid and it got me to thinking; Why not tie 4, or 6lb. mono to my existing 10lb. mono rather than spooling up with the lighter line?  Has anyone ever done this to step down in line size? I've heard it done for salt water fishing. I plan on giving it a shot, but I'm concerned about weakening the strength of the leader from the connecting knot. (I tend to overthink things when I'm off the water) ?

[DitchPanda]

I guess I wouldn't worry about the connecting knot being weak as long as you tie it properly. I've been using light braid to leader...10lb to 6 lb...all season and I've broke the connecting knot once on a snag. Probably lost 8 or 10 rigs all but that one have been a break at the lure knot. I think its important to use some form of lubrication when pulling knots tight with any line besides braid.

[J Francho]

Fly anglers have been using multiple knots with mono tippets forever and don't constantly complain.  My float rigs for salmon/trout have up to five connection knots and I don't have any issues.

[MickD]

Should not be a problem.  Keep in mind that fly fishermen make their own leaders, often with 4 or 5 different pound tests of mono or FC.  The lower pound tests as you are considering take more turns of the blood knot than heavier pound tests.  Do some research on tying fly leaders, then some in-house testing to be sure you have it right.

 

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Fly anglers have been using multiple knots with mono tippets forever and don't constantly complain.  My float rigs for salmon/trout have up to five connection knots and I don't have any issues.

Great minds working at the same time.

[bulldog1935]

the spooled light line is for limp, improved casting distance. 

Fishing inshore often with light casting lines, I'll go the other way and tie on heavier, abrasion-resistant leaders for fish teeth and gill plates. 

 

You don't have to spool your reel completely with light line - you can keep the spool lighter by backing with thicker mono, and tying in smaller diameter working line (fluoro or braid) for casting. 

I use as  big as 25-lb mono, 20 yards, to back 20-lb braid (120 yds). 

The joint takes a clean Allbright knot to get through your LW line guide. 

[TnRiver46]

I tie mono leaders to mono sometimes, like when I want to use one of my baitcasters to drop a drop shot straight down . 
 

For a large disparity in diameters, I like the triple surgeons knot. For similar diameters I like the blood knot. Can you tell I’m a flyfishing guide?

[Captain Phil]

For fly fishing, I make my own tapered leaders.  I use blood knots to join the leader sections and have never had a problem.  In salt water fishing, we use a modified blood knot to join mono to short wire leaders to prevent cut offs from barracuda and king fish. We bend the wire into a U shape and wrap the mono around the wire.  The problem with leader knots in bass fishing is they can get stuck in the guides when you cast.  A blood knot tied correctly will lessen this possibility. 

[bulldog1935]

Not sure how this got to fly fishing - I guess the knots. 

 

I can live without blood knots - ever. 

Surgeon's knots are great for similar diameter mono (should be no more than 2 tippet sizes difference) - 6- to 10-lb is just right. 

 

For a  greater difference, it's Allbright knot (or improved) - I've been rolling these 40 years and shooting them through fly rod snake guides. 

the guide, btw, is the smallest microguide on a BFS rod. 

 

Totally aside, Allbright even works for titanium wire to leader butt for toothy fish - titanium wire wraps and knots extremely well (not stainless).   

You can turn the Allbright around, though, with braided stainless, and roll the leader butt around the braid loop, then use a crimp sleeve for your fly. 

[WRB]

The only time I have tied smaller diameter mono to larger diameter mono is trout fishing. Using 2 lb test mono to 6# test via a blood knot is common practice for trout that are line shy fish. 

Used to make up fly line leaders but the tapered leaders are much easier so why?

Spool the bait caster with 5# Maxima Ultra Green.

Tom

 

[JustJames]

What are you trying to achieve? Line visibility, casting distance or lure movement. It can be done as @WRBmentioned but mostly the other way around to add extra abrasion resistance to light line. If you add leader you add another weakest link into the chain. I use light line for casting distance, more natural movement of plastic and also to improve sensitivity. I rather use cheap main line than using leader in this case. Why I bought cheap 6lb 2000 yds spool Izorline line ??

[OkobojiEagle]

... what is "more natural movement of plastic baits" that is accomplished by using light line?

 

I think of natural movement as steady, non shakey or jerky movement, often easier to accomplish with a larger diameter line having more water resistance.

 

oe

 

 

[PressuredFishing]

On 10/15/2021 at 6:39 AM, papajoe222 said:

In a recent post I asked about using light line on a standard baitcaster. I'm sitting here tying fluoro leaders to braid and it got me to thinking; Why not tie 4, or 6lb. mono to my existing 10lb. mono rather than spooling up with the lighter line?  Has anyone ever done this to step down in line size? I've heard it done for salt water fishing. I plan on giving it a shot, but I'm concerned about weakening the strength of the leader from the connecting knot. (I tend to overthink things when I'm off the water) ?

Tom really helped explain this to me, now I do it all the time, it doesn't even have to be mono to floro, it can be mono to mono. So in a nutshell you do it because a lighter diameter line is limper, which can move more freely. Imagine a small dropshot worm on 10lb line. Doesn't move too freely right? Because the mono is too stiff. On the other hand if you bump down to 4lb line that worm is going to wiggle and dart alot easier because of the limper line. Now bass aren't line shy, but you can also change diameter for depth. For instance, i fish really deep riprap banks that go from 1 to 20 feet of water and rock is still down there. Deep divers get stuck in the rocks, so I use a small squarebill on 6lb floro. Sinks it down to bottom because of the thinner diameter.  By the same token if you need to stay above a grass flat or a two foot clearing under the water, I'll rock 25 lb mono and burn the crank in gen clear water above grass. 

24 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

... what is "more natural movement of plastic baits" that is accomplished by using light line?

 

I think of natural movement as steady, non shakey or jerky movement, often easier to accomplish with a larger diameter line having more water resistance.

 

oe

 

 

Thicker diameter is not limp, and creates stiffness in the bait, go to your pool and try 10lb mono on a dropshot, than 4lb. Then it will become clear