Knots Breaking

[quigley595]

Hi folks,
I have had a problem recently with my leader knots breaking just at the knot.
I use 6 lb braid with a 8 lb fluoro leader and either an albright or a double uni knot.

I think I tie them carefully, but recently i have been losing a few plastics after a dozen casts or so.... the knot breaks exactly at the leader, and I am left with the braid and just a knot.

Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong? or is there a better know I should use? :bigcry:

I find that the knot hits the top eyelet with a bit of a bang every time I cast, and again when I retrieve. maybe I am using the wrong knot?

cheers,
Mike

[Leighton]

Mike Connolley Leader knot
The tag end of the leader does not face towards the top eye, its easier on your guides and pretty easy to tie once you get the hand of it
Have you tried doubling your braid, either a Bimini Twist or just doubling it over

[foggy]

I'm with Leighton on this one. In particular to the double in the braid. I used to have the same failure, but not as often as you state, but then I started tying a bimini twist in the braid and in about 6months I have not had one failure.

Foggy

[BARRAkid]

i alway use a back to back uni and i have not had a problem.
Your knot can weeken when it hits the runners when casting but not that quick :-/
Might be your braid or leader i use 4lb mostly and havent had a problem

[Tim_N]

It is most likely the braid is cutting through the leader so 2 things to do are to tie a Bimini double and also use a quality FC leader such as Yamatoyo or Nitlon via a Albright or other good leader knot. It has fixed the exact same problem for me.
Tim

[smoked]

Have u got a double on ur main line? if not do a bimini twist the albright the double to leader. that should fix ur prob.

[quigley595]

Thanks for all your quick replies folks.... I will try the double on my braid and see if that helps.

BTW... the leader I am using is Berkley Vanish. I dont think it is really leader material, more main line.

Maybe I should be using real leader material?

Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts

Mike

[TimiBoy]

While you're learning the bimini, try a spider hitch for your double. It's not as good, but still quite effective.

Cheers,

Tim

[Horse]

I had a few issue a while back. I changed to Yamatoyo leader and increased my Improved Albright turns to at least 14. Problem solved
Are you using the Improved version of the Albright?

Neil

[leelee]

I have never ever used a double in all my years of using braid/fused lines (8years+). I have never needed to so I cannot comment on the use of one except that its really a waste of time for such light line classes. Also be wary of the spider hitch as when that knot is tied in braid it weakens the braids breaking strain by about 50%. Not really a good thing I think.

In all honesty and this will upset a heap of people but double unis as a leader to mainline connection for braid is a weak knot and is basically crap for light work. Waste of time when you are putting in 40-60+ casts an hour as the will sometimes eventually give for no reason. The knot has been adapted for braid and leader work but it actually holds better as a mono to mono knot.

Personally I think the tag end on the leader side is to long and is clipping the guides and weakening then knot. The other thing it might be is that the double uni generates a hell of a lot of heat when it is tied and that weakens your leaders. You really need to lube them up well.

I use a modified version of the improved Albright and modified version of the GT knot and over all the years I have only ever broke the leader at the leader knot about 6 times. Those times were using the modified Albright with leaders that were to big. These knots have been pushed to redline on some good fish and some small fish on light line classes.

If you want to continue with the double uni knot then personally I would be trying to find someone who has no issues with the knot and can show you the tricks with the knot and how to make it snug up nice and tight without cutting into your leader.

Cheers

Lee

[Lancair]

I had been using a bimminni twist double and tony jones leader knot for my SP fishing. A mate said, "What a waste of time, just do an improve albright and she's sweet."

Well until I changed knots, I'd NEVER had any problems casting, never had a knot break, nada. Since changing Ive busted three or four knots and had more tangles at the rod tip in casting than is fun.

Once you learn how to tie a bimmini double its easy. It can take a little longer to tie until you really get it. The tony jones leader knot is easy to tie and nice and smooth for casting so no dramas there. I can have the leader wind on to the reel with no tangles during casting either. With the improved allbright, I found winding the leader onto the reel was a sure fire way to get tangled.

Andrew

[nufin_flash]

i use double uni knot, i double the numebr of loops though on the braid opposed to the leader, ie 10 loops braid to 5 loops fluro carbon , never had a problem