TO LOOP or NOT TO LOOP

[NAGG]

Hey all you fresh water gurus ( & salt too)
With all the recent talk about top water lures! ..... I'm undecided on what type of connection would allow the best action! ..... Is is best to go with a loop connection ( or snap) or tie a standard knot directly to a lure or the lures split ring.

I guess the same would apply for bass as it would to barra ..... & salt water fishing too

Nagg

[Peter4]

G'day Nagg,

For Monduran barra I use the Jack Erskine Twisted Leader using 60lb Magic supple leader and a Halco snap. I learned about this leader on this forum.

This style of leader allows a quick lure change, no impact on the lure action and protection of the rod guides with a small bead. I have landed 19 barra using this leader and have only lost big brutes that have utilised nearby timber to assist their release!

Easy to make, easy to tie to braid (I use an Improved Albright knot) and so far very reliable.

Just my preference!

Regs

Pete

[McCod]

Yeah mate’ there are a lot of variables in top water lures eh!
Not all are robust enough to just tie it on any old how or any sized leader……… Especially the smaller ones’ Loop knots or Egg snaps are usually ya best options……. Egg type snaps out perform all others as they have a bigger rounded contact area with the lure tow point allowing freer movement!
Prop baits and Cone Poppers are less likely to have ill effect from any old tie on for obvious reasons but can still suffer.

Cheers Les

PS: Sorry but I’m not a guru

[the_matrix]

Loop knot hands down.
Not a single failure for me.
Jas

[Vindicator]

I prefer the homer rhodes loop, doesn't interfere with the action of the lure and is dead easy to tie. You should find it in any fishing knots book.

Cheers
Kezza

[Keechie]

i fish saltwater and i find the loop is the best but i don't know the name of the knotbut i saw it on ifish and have remembered it from there.

regards,
keechie

[warrior]

loop knot on all my lures ,baas bream barra the lot i use a simple little one shown to me by a local NT fisho and it hasnt failed me yet .me guru no way never in that class.

[the_matrix]

I prefer the homer rhodes loop, doesn't interfere with the action of the lure and is dead easy to tie. Cheers
Kezza

Hey Kezza,
How does a loop knot interfere with a lure's action?
Thats the whole idea of a loop knot, a knot that doesnt affect action.
Cheers
Jas

[Vindicator]

Hey Kezza,
How does a loop knot interfere with a lure's action?
Thats the whole idea of a loop knot, a knot that doesnt affect action.
Cheers
Jas

What I meant was that tying a homer rhodes loop as opposed to tying direct to the lure does not affect the action.

Cheers
Kezza

[NAGG]

OK ..... I'm in agreeance with a loop ( & use it with 95% of my SP & HB application)

However when fishing a SP that has little action (eg: flick bait) I tie directly to the jig head to get immediate response & action ..... I certainly feel this is the case

So when using say a .... tango dancer , Zara spook or Ecogear TP88F ..... wouldn't you not get a better action when WALKING THE DOG if you used a direct knot rather than a free swinging loop

Its a little more specific

Cheers All

Nagg

[Hardb8]

Hi Nagg,
The walk the dog retrieve applys to mainly two lure styles,Being (Pencilb8's,Sit tail downin the water,And rest at about 40 degrees,Eg :- Megabass Dog X) & (Stickb8's which sit flatter,And almost horizontal,Eg :- The famous Zarra Spook's,Pooch's and Puppys)
Certain Poppers can also be walked as well as popped like the Lucky Craft Keroll.

In my experience a loop knot will give you the best action hands down when applying the walking action.My prefered knot is The Perfection Loop.I haven't had this knot fail yet,From Barra to Bass.I use it on both Twisted Leader systems as well as single strand leaders.

Hard knots such as the Uni etc,Will definantly dampen ya action when walking,As they don't allow the lure to swing,Which is the vital ingreediant.

For a true dedicated topwater setup I'd prefer the lightest mono leader suitable for the target,With consideration also given to the cover present in the immediate vacinity.

Mono as you probably know floats better than Flurocarbon,And it will aid in the action of surface walkers.Keep in mind that most of ya topwater fishing is done around and in the dark,When fish seem to be more confident in entering the upper water collumn.I believe alot of the flurocarbons advantage is lost on cloudy nights or around the new moon,As there's no light to be reflected anyway.Many,Many fish were taken on mono leaders before this stuff came out.And it still has it's places.

I think the bouyency and the ability to consistantly,And immediatly impart the walk on the first twitch,Outweighs the light refractive index of fluro when it's time to go for a walk .Sometimes with fluro leader it takes around four,Or even five twitches to get it sliding right off the cast.

I've used fluro leaders with great success,And also snaps.

But my answer to ya question,If I had to choose the ultimate surface setup for walkers,My own experiences and lessons on the water would have me reaching for :- A mono leader with the lure connected via a Perfection Loop.

Cheers. B8.

[the_matrix]

In my experience a loop knot will give you the best action hands down

Too right!
That goes for every scenario as far as I am concerned when using lures/plastics.
I too use soft mono for topwater, but I am using plastics which are small and light.
Anything hard will make the presenation wander off to one side.
Each presentation will require different thought and tune to get the right dance, theres no one great leader set up in my eyes. Find what works!
Cheers
Jas

[eotbmg]

Definately a loop fan. I still tie a uni knot and pull the tag with plyers until the mono "melts' together. Never ever in 10 years has this knot failed me, and doesn't affect the lures action so i cant see any reason to change. It works for me!!!!
Not a fan of snaps of any type. I origionally used tiny snaps when bream fishing in Melbourne with hard bodies and quickly woke up how much they affected the action and roll of the lure. So i changed then and never went back.
I dont change my lures that often so a knot connection is all i need.
Cheers
Ben

[NAGG]

Thanks guys .... As always a wealth of information!
Just wanted to be clear in my mind in what set up & technique to use in an upcoming trip.
Cheers all
Nagg