Dropshot Leader Breakage Below Knot

[Kellss]

I’ve been fishing the dropshot recently and had some breakage on my fluorocarbon leader right below the knot.

I currently run 15lb braid to 6lb flourocarbon (going to increase to 8lb) leader with a uni-to-uni knot. The knot holds but the flourocarbon breaks right below the knot on a hookset so I lose my hook and sinker. When I reel back in, the flourocarbon line is still tied in the knot and about 0.5” of the flourocarbon is still left before the breakage.
No issues with my guides, not fishing heavy cover, and I don’t believe it was an old batch of line.

Hoping someone can shed some light on what I need to do differently or change.

[A-Jay]

My usually drop shot leader is 8 lb FC however I've had some of that break off stuff myself

whenever I went down to a 6 lb FC leaders.  (I was using InvisX)

Kind of a bummer.

I use 8 & 10 lb braid mostly and have since switched to using Maxima Ultragreen Line

anytime I wanted 6 lb.

Problem solved and I still get plenty of bites. 

This line at that test might be 0.001 inches larger in diameter  than the FC I was using

but the added knot strength is highly desirable. 

Started using it for the smaller Spybaits with decent success as well.

A-Jay

 

[MickD]

Try leader grade FC and going up to at least 10 pound test.  I just came back from catching a number of LMB on drop shot using 15 pound test leader.  Pretty clear water, not gin.

 

If that doesn't work, or you want to try something that uses entirely different knots, try the VMC spin shot.  You can have different pound tests above and below the hook, it helps some with line twist, and you can use any terminal rig knot you choose to tie the rig onto your leader.  

[TOXIC]

I hate leaders but with that being said, switch to a mono leader.  Setting the hook on a dropshot should never be hard enough to snap line.  It should just be a sideways sweep.  At least that’s how I fish it but I use straight mono.  

[WRB]

There isn’t a reason to use FC as a leader, bass are not normally line shy fish. Line diameter can affect the small finesse drop shot rigged soft plastic movements. 

Nose hooked small finesse worms using sharp drop shot style size 4  to 1 hook doesn’t need more then a firm rod lift or sweep and reeling. The issue is over hook setting and too tight of drag force.

I personally void using braid with leaders for the simple reason 2 knots to fail. My finesse lines are Sniper 7 lb FC  and 5 lb Maxima UG Copolymer. Small dia line because the highly pressured bass in clear water tend to be over 20’ deep, prefer 4 1/2” to 6” worms and avoid larger size soft plastics on drop shot rigs. Larger worms you can use 8# FC or Copolymer line effectively in most lakes, but not  recommended here in SoCal.

Tom

 

[Bankc]

1/2" of line left says to me that the line was weakened when you tied the leader knot.  Make sure you're wetting the line enough.  

 

Also, try a different line.  It may just be a bad line for leaders.  

[QED]

12 hours ago, Kellss said:

I’ve been fishing the dropshot recently and had some breakage on my fluorocarbon leader right below the knot. [stuff deleted]

 

Which knot?  If you are referring to the line to leader knot, then that problem has nothing to do with the drop shot rig.

[Big Swimbait]

No leader is best. Just put on a bobber stop, thread your hook on the line point up, put another bobber stop below the hook. No knot failure, infinitely adjustable leader length, bait movement you can't get with a knot. Surprisingly the hook doesn't move very far fighting a fish.  I've never had a bass pull the hook all the way to the weight but just in case I use ringed lead bell sinkers.

 

Not my idea - came from my Japanese neighbor.

Edited June 20, 2022 by Big Swimbait
More info.

[WRB]

^^^going to try this ^^^ 

Tom

 

[Bankc]

9 hours ago, Big Swimbait said:

No leader is best. Just put on a bobber stop, thread your hook on the line point up, put another bobber stop below the hook. No knot failure, infinitely adjustable leader length, bait movement you can't get with a knot. Surprisingly the hook doesn't move very far fighting a fish.  I've never had a bass pull the hook all the way to the weight but just in case I use ringed lead bell sinkers.

 

Not my idea - came from my Japanese neighbor.

Brilliant!

[J Francho]

I prefer straight 6# fluoro. It's much more sensitive and more natural presentation. 

[MN Fisher]

10 hours ago, WRB said:

^^^going to try this ^^^ 

Tom

 

You and me both, man. This is genius.

[waymont]

Switch to mono. I have great success using McCoy 6lb

[A-Jay]

12 hours ago, Big Swimbait said:

No leader is best. Just put on a bobber stop, thread your hook on the line point up, put another bobber stop below the hook. No knot failure, infinitely adjustable leader length, bait movement you can't get with a knot. Surprisingly the hook doesn't move very far fighting a fish.  I've never had a bass pull the hook all the way to the weight but just in case I use ringed lead bell sinkers.

 

Not my idea - came from my Japanese neighbor.

Sure sounds do-able.

And feels like it falls in the 

'why didn't I think of that' category

A-Jay

[J Francho]

I've heard of it for some time now. I don't like the idea at all. 

[A-Jay]

I still wouldn't use it on straight braid.

Has to some mono and at least one sketchy knot involved.

A-Jay

[J Francho]

I think it also defeats one of the strengths of the rig: the direct connection from the tip of the rod to the hook. Save for a jig, few other weighted rigs do that. 

[MickD]

I still say VMC spin shots solve a lot of these problems.  

[RDB]

To answer your question, there is no reason you should be having this problem outside of user error or bad line.  You shouldn’t have to change to a different test line or change your entire setup.  Your setup is used successfully by thousands of people every day…6 & 8lb leader is VERY common.  I can’t speak specifically to a uni knot and potential failures there as I use a Palomar with the line back through the eye.

 

Edit:  People on this site will always try to get you to change because whatever they use is always the best.  You will hear all the reasons why it is so and most of it will be speculation or anecdotal at best.  Use quality lines and try to sort out the teachable content from the sales pitches.