Why do you use a double? (ie a bimini twist)

[reelcrazy]

Reelcrazy

That is very interesting stuff. Have you had any problems with it?

Neil

Neil,

Except for a little "springiness" there's no problem with the titanium wire. I'm using 30# for a trace, and it really works well with live bait.

Initially the cost seemed a little high, but after a few sessions fishing, there were no kinks in the wire, you could see where the teeth had scraped the wire, but there was no damage at all.

Tom

[reelcrazy]

I think is a really good airing of points of view, as I have mates like many others swear by Fireline. But then again they use eggbeaters and not overheads so there is no need to be touch the line during a fight.

Tom, not trying to get picky only asking for my own knowledge, Very fair call with lubing and laying it over when tieing a knot. But what the hell do you do when tieing a bimini?

AJ

AJ

Fair enough, your opinion is valued, fireline is not completely round, so your concerns are also valid.

Saying that though, I use fireline only on my egg beaters (baitrunners), and PowerPro braid on my overheads.

I do use a finger stall when I'm casting with fireline.

Tying a bimini on Fireline is not hard, though sometimes I really wish for a third hand.

I tie off the rod end on a cleat, two fingers and my thumb in the loop, approx 40 twists, then put the tag end in my mouth, as I spread my fingers and thumb to get the twist going. With the other two fingers and thumb (well lubricated with the universal lubricant) I stroke, roll and smooth the line as it twists down, letting the tag end rotate in my mouth (sure helps to have a slight gap between your front teeth).

I tie off the first hitch, then wet my palms and roll the bimini in my palms, this also smooths it as well. I inspect, make sure all twists are even and tight by working the loop as well, then finish tieing off.

The though occured to me as I'm writing this, of the similarity in principle to the way Alberto's knot is tied.

[Kiktz]

Sorry For not being clear what I was actually trying to get at was how do you ensure that the braid lays flat in the bimini knot it's self.

I always try and make my hoop large enough that I can put it over my knees to pullit tight.

[reelcrazy]

Sorry For not being clear what I was actually trying to get at was how do you ensure that the braid lays flat in the bimini knot it's self.

I always try and make my hoop large enough that I can put it over my knees to pullit tight.

The clue is to tie off the rod end of the line on something higher than the knot being formed. I usually clove hitch on a cleat, or whatever is handy. This frees the other hand.

I wet my thumb and forefinger and stroke the line down as it twists back on itself, this helps to lay the coils evenly back down the twist. It's just look, feel and practice. This results in a thin compact knot that slips through the guides.

If you are using a long shock leader/topshot as I sometimes do (1.5-2 times the rod length), you must make the double shorter than the diameter of the spool so the leader join does not catch on the twist, and potentially interfere with casting.

[Kiktz]

you must make the double #shorter than the diameter of the spool so the leader join does not catch on the twist, and potentially interfere with casting.

Tom,
So from the top of your bimini knot to the end of the loop is less than one turm on your spool. EG if you were to lay your knot on one side of your reel and then proceed to lay your line/ Double around your spool they would not touch?

I am guessing here, If my understanding is correct you end up with a bloody short double?

Aj

[reelcrazy]

Tom,
So from the top of your bimini knot to the end of the loop is less than one turm on your spool. EG if you were to lay your knot on one side of your reel and then proceed to lay your line/ Double around your spool they would not touch?

I am guessing here, If my understanding is correct you end up with a bloody short double?

Aj

Yes, for putting on these long shock leaders this is why I tie this with two or three fingers in the double's loop.

The length of the double is irrelevant.

[reelcrazy]

The length of the double is irrelevant.

Need to clarify this. For most of my purposes the double does not have to be long, and unless you are using the double as the leader itself, I question whether it ever needs to be longer than a few inches.

[Kiktz]

Tom,

Its a personal thing, I would suggest that a bimini too short is not going to be as effective. Again nothing to back up that statement just my own thoughts.

I have always tied my double around the 40cm mark, I have to say I can not remember when my knot has been caught when dropping or casting off an egg beater.

I ask others that are reading this thread to offer their thoughts and opions, on what lenght of double/ Bimini you use

Cheers Aj

[damons33]

i keep my bimini double as short as i can tie it, to allow for tying the leader knot, its function is only to create a doubled end for the leader knot. you can snug it up in the leader knot and trim the double tag end so you can do longer see the actual double part any more as in your photo at the start of the post.
#i think the bimini is the "perfect" double knot for braid and its fast and easy to tie and retains 100% knot strenght sending all failures to the terminal knot of the leader to the hook/jighead.
# damon.
wind wind go away!
blow instead on monday.