Hookset problem cost $$$

[RobbyZ5001]

This weekend I was in the BFL on the Potomac. We had a 4 hour delay due to heavy fog. So you really had to make every bite count. I was flipping with a sweet beaver 3 ot hook lead older sinker pegged with a rubber stop 30 lb braid 7'4 flipping stick. I also use a palomar knot. The day before I was using the same setup, and I snapped 2 fish on the hook set. Dumb me used the same setup on tournament day. Three casts in I set the hook on a solid fish and the line snaps between the pegged sinker and the hook. It was a clean cut, and I don't think my knot slipped since I use Palomar. I am wondering if the lead sinker since it is sort of jagged cut my line. I need to resolve this problem. It costs me a check this weekend.

[Wayne P.]

Are you sure the line is breaking and not slipping out of the gap in the hook eye? I had that occur several times especially with 30# braid before I figured out what was going one. The knot is real small and you may have not noticed it was still there when you retied especially since you use the Palomar knot. Lead is probably not hard enough to cut the braid. Flipping in the pads on the Potomac is where I experienced that.

[RobbyZ5001]

The gap in the hook eye isn't that big. I don't see how it could happen, but it is possible. What did you do to fix it?

[David P]

Look at the end of the line, if you see a little knot, that could mean that it slipped out of the eye of the hook. It's happened a few times to me. Use heavier braid, get hooks without a little gap in the eyelet, or weld the gap closed. There's quite a few hooks that sell them where they're completely closed.

The lead weight could also do it I would think. Get some tungsten weights, and if it still happens, that's not the problem  ;D

 You could have also just gotten a bad batch of braid. It does happen. Might want to buy a new spool of braid, and re spool your rods that have the old braid on it.

[RobbyZ5001]

I think I may have bad braid on. What lb test do you guys suggest for pitching/flipping weeds? Are there any stores that sell tungsten cheap? Do you think colored tungsten out fishes silver?

[Just_Old_Fisherman]

Ft Knox is the cheapest place to get tungsten weights since it is same price as gold.  JK---I have looked all over the web and locally and tungsten has gotten high as you know what.  Seems to run about $6/oz everywhere.

Never have done a scientific study, but I like colored weights.  I paint mine with powder paint---usually Green Pumpkin.

[Wayne P.]

What I did to solve the line slipping out of the eye problem was to tie a knot with either mono or braid, cut the line leaving the knot. Slide the knot around to the gap that looks like it does not exist. Then tie your line on. I pretied several hooks before hand to lessen the retie time in case of a breakoff when tournament fishing.I tried to super glue the knot in place for a while but just about any tension would negate that process. You could go to a larger diameter braid and it may prevent it. I was using spinning gear for light weight flipping/pitching and Original Spiderwire 30# which had a 6# mono diameter.

A knot change to keep your weight from even touching the knot or any slipping out is to use a uni-knot for a snell connection. That method works quite well if you use tungsten weights which are very hard and will destroy a knot when using the heavy ones.

[macmaster761]

check the rod? maybe there's a sharp point somewhere in one of the guides weakening the braid? I had a crack in my tip's guide once and it sliced through 10lb braid like a razor, i couldnt figure out why my line kept breaking until 4 knots later

[RobbyZ5001]

I just checked all the eyes. The only thing I found odd was inside an eye there was extra clear coat or something. It wasn't rough or anything and it just made the eye a little less round. I don't think that was the problem at all. I think it may be my line.

[tyrius.]

Because of its zero stretch nature braid has a lower impact/shock strength.  With a heavy rod and really hard hooksets it's possible to break braid on hooksets.

[fishfordollars]

I think I may have bad braid on. What lb test do you guys suggest for pitching/flipping weeds? Are there any stores that sell tungsten cheap? Do you think colored tungsten out fishes silver?

 Suffix 65, No, and yes