Rigs

[Coop]

Stripers really arent leader shy and many people just use the 3" leader for both drums and stripers, I just prefer a slightly longer leader for stripers but in reality, it's really not that much longer,,,the best thing to do is just keep it simple.

Beads are used to keep the wieght from riding pass your shock leader when fighting a big fish and protects your main line and your shock leader knot,,,personally, I don't use the bead and many others dont,,,there is always a slim chance your main line may break during a fight and the result is the fish not only has a hook in its mouth but it is also dragging 15' of shock leader line with the weight behind them.

As far as knots, I use the uni knot and improved cinch knot and have been working on a few others,,,I am by no means an expert knot maker,,,just find one you can tie easy and has a strong breaking strength,,,trilene knot is another good one.

[trowpa]

oh ok - thanks. I use the trilene knot and the improved clinch - but i heard somewhere that you shouldn't use those on mono over 20lb. I'm not sure where I heard it so I hope its wrong, since i'm very familiar with those knots. I've got everything I need then for my rigs but only 30lb leader material - perhaps I should invest in some stronger stuff and some wire in case i get cut off by blues....

Man I can't wait to get out and try things out...Those fish up here yet? :P

[Coop]

uni knot for the heavy leader works good :v:

[Randy Stinchcomb]

Ah-Haa, I see what I was doing wrong in snelling my hooks. I was passing the standing line thru the hook eye

thanks for the pic Coop 8)

[Coop]

The snell:

http://www.fish4fun.com/snell.htm

[Randy Stinchcomb]

ok, well it looks like either way is ok to-do. thanks Coop 8)

[Steve]

I've been using the Trilene for pretty much everything up to 80#.
Seems like it's the only easy one that's double-looped through the eye.
I'll try out the Snell this year.
Only other line above that I use is 250# and I crimp that.
Never heard about not using it above 30#.

http://www.fish4fun.com/knots.htm

[Coop]

I think I read somewhere that some knots are not recommended for larger diameter line, but I have even used the improved clinch knot for the heavy line and never had one break or slip,,,in fact the above pic is an imroved clinch,,I do like the 3 turn uni.

Steve, I really like the snelled hook,,,the large hooks we use looks great hanging down from the leader.

[Randy Stinchcomb]

yeah, I use the Trilene knot on most hooks n' swivels and the Uni-knot on most lures & for tying 2 lines of either equal or un-equal diameter together instead of the Bloodknot, anyone else do that wth the Uni-Knot

[Steve]

Coop, I use Malin on the Chark stuff with a crimp.
I'll give it a swing on the smaller stuff like the 12/0.

As for other Uni-knot uses, well, this IS a family forum so I won't go into it.
:twisted:

[Coop]

Steve, I use haywire twist with the wire/hook for them toothy critters.

Randy, I use to use the the imroved albright/alberto knot,,,after one failed when I had a large, I switched and I now use the no name knot tied to a loop, for the loop, I use one that I got out of an old knot book thats very easy to tie and am not sure what its called,,,I do know that its not a widely used loop knot but seems to be extremely strong,,,its one strong connection with 40lb shock leader to 17lb main line.