canned tuna recipes: monofilament

Showing posts with label monofilament. Show all posts

Showing posts with label monofilament. Show all posts

Grinner Knot - Fishing Knots

The grinner knot is not a knot I am very familiar with although I use variations of this knot for attaching braided lines to a swivel. It is reputedly one of the best ways to attach all the different line types (monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid) to a swivel or hook and in some cases lures. This makes it a very versatile knot and coupled with the knot strength (which is very high) the knot is certainly one all anglers should have in their arsenal.

This knot is fairly easy to tie and after a couple of practice knots it became quite easy to tie quickly. I also found that the knot was surprisingly strong as when I got snagged it was very difficult to break! The knot is one of the most secure fishing knots I have used and it just does not slip. It is certainly worth a try.

The Dropper Loop - Fishing Knots and Rigs

The dropper loop is probably my most used fishing knot (I suppose it is more that a loop than a knot). Before I head out on the water I have usually tied at least ten of these loops. The dropper loop is used above a sinker to attach a hook and this type of rig is perfect for bottom fishing. Where I come from this is called the paternoster rig and is widely accepted as one of the best reef fishing rigs available.

The dropper loop knot is fairly easy to tie after a bit of practice. I personally prefer to tie a twisted dropper loop as I find that the loops don't tangle with the main line as easily as the hooks sit away from the leader. This loop works well in both monofilament and fluorocarbon leader materials.

How to tie a dropper loop
The first video shows a regular dropper loop and the second demonstrates a twisted dropper loop. I would advice to test both loops out and see which works best for you.

Seaguar Knot - Fluorocarbon knots for fishing

Fluorocarbon is one of the latest fishing fashions, but apart from simply being in fashion, it is also a fantastic innovative product. If you are unfamiliar fluorocarbon it is a leader material that is basically invisible in water meaning fish feel more comfortable to bite.

I was a little skeptical when I switched to fluorocarbon about a year ago, but have been pleasantly surprised by the bite rate, abrasion resistance and durability. The one downside to the product is susceptibility to friction and this problem can be avoided by tying really good knots and lubricating the knots well. One of the best knots for fluorocarbon is the Seaguar knot designed specifically for joining this type of line to the mainline.

How to tie the Seaguar Knot
To make it easy I found a video!

Fishing Knots: World's Fair Knot

The world's fair knot was created by Gary Martin and was selected by a panel of professionals as the best knot out of 498 entries in the great knot search at the 1982 world fair. This fishing knot is quick to tie, does not slip and is very strong. These features make the world's fair knot a very versatile and popular knot with many anglers. Most anglers use this knot with monofilament lines although, because it is well known for a lack of slipping, may also be tied in braided lines in some situations.

How to tie the world's fair knot
While this knot is fairly simple to tie it does take a some practice to perfect.

Fishing Knots: Thumb Knot

The thumb knot is one of my favorite knots and with practice is very quick and easy to tie. It is a popular knot for attaching hooks, swivels and rings to very heavy monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line. The knot tightens down very well and provides a strong connection.

note - this knot should not be confused with the overhand knot, which is also called the thumb knot in rope tying circles

It will take some practice to get this knot correct

Click to enlarge

1. Thread your hook with the line
and make a loop so that the hook
is suspended from the loop.

2. Wrapping your left thumb
and loop with the tag three times.

3. Push the tag back under those three wraps.

4. Hold both ends and ease the wraps off your thumb,
one at a time, in sequence.

5. Close the knot by exerting pressure
on the loop against the tag.

Fishing Knots: Cat's Paw Knot (offshore swivel knot)

The cat's paw knot, also called an offshore swivel knot, is used to attach a swivel or ring to a double line with a complete loop (like the bimini twist knot). It is widely accepted as the best knot for this application and is an extremely strong and effective knot that resists slipping. It is usually tied in monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing lines and can be tied in many different line strengths. For general applications follow this guide:

3 loops for greater than 50 lb line
4 loops for lines between 30 lb and 50 lb
5 loops for line between 12 lb and 30 lb
6 loops for line less than 12 lbs
How to tie a cat's paw knot

Ice Fishing Knots

Like all forms of fishing ice fishing requires strong knots that can handle the tough conditions they will be put through. Choosing the correct knots for ice fishing depends on the line you are using. Contrary to popular belief you do not need a special type of line for this form of fishing either monofilament or braided fishing line will work well with a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader to withstand any abrasion.

Ice fishing knots

Line to leader
There are many good knots for this situation and the knots listed below work equally well with monofilament or braid. Just remember to add some extra turns if using braid.

Albright knot
This knot works well joining lines of very different diameters. You can find instructions (and a video) for this knot at my earlier post - how to tie an albright knot.

Uni to Uni (Double Uni) Knot
This knot is my personal favorite for joining my line to my leader. It is easy to tie, but still retains its strength. You can find instructions for this knot at my earlier post - how to tie a double uni knot.

Leader to hook (and other terminal tackle)

Improved Clinch Knot
This knot works well with mono and braid lines (increase turns when tying in braid). It is simple to tie and sufficiently strong for most situations. You will find the instructions for this knot at the post how to tie an improved clinch knot.

Jansik Knot
One of the most popular ice fishing knots the jansik knot is easy to tie and has one of the strongest knots strengths when tied correctly. I have not tested it with braided line. You will find instructions for the Jansik knot here.

Uni Knot
Another popular method of joining the leader to a hook is the uni knot. You can find instructions for the uni knot at the post how to tie a uni knot.

Advanced knots
Although the need for advanced knots when ice fishing is rare. There are a couple of advanced leader knots that may be useful.
Bimini Twist
Bristol Knot

I hope this little post has helped you out. If you would like to see any knots that aren't on the list (or think I have made a glaring omission) feel free to leave a comment.

Tackle Test: Fins Braid Review (Product Review)

If you are a regular reader to my blog you will remember that I had my fishing rods stolen recently and this also meant that I had to replace all my fishing line. I must admit to being a braid addict - I love the stuff - but I have only ever used Berkley Fireline. Being a bit of a creature of habit isn't always a good thing so I decided to try a new braid this time around.

Fins Braid Review

Knots and line strength
My initial impressions of this line were that it was much more limp and smooth than fireline. This makes Fins braid is easy to tie and it knots very easily and smoothly. Like most braids the actual breaking strain is much higher than the manufacturers breaking strain, but even when this is taken into consideration the knot strength is very impressive. Knots are generally the weakest part of the braid, but because of the smoothness of Fins I didn't have any problems in this area.

On the water
The high vis yellow is very easy to see even on the brightest of days. In my initial tests the limpness of the line seems to reduce air knots slightly although it is still not recommended to use this line if others on the boat are using monofilament. The abrasion resistance was fairly low, but this seems to be a problem with every braid, my suggestion to overcome this problem is to use a slightly longer leader than usual. I was fishing over a rusty, coral infested wreck and only had one major snag and resulting bust off the entire day.

Fighting a fish
This is where this braid comes into its own. It is very smooth through the rod guides when a fish is taking line and even with the drag on tight it doesn't seem to cut into itself on the reel like many other braids.

Overall
This is one great braid, but for the price I expected it to be. The line smoothness makes knot tying a pleasure and the knot strength is probably the strongest of any braid you will try. On the water it is great to use and I look forward to using it in the future.

If you have used Fins braid or have a different opinion to mine feel free to leave a comment

*This product was paid for by myself and I received no money for this post.*

Fishing Knots: Palomar Knot (video)

When I was trying to tie this knot the first time I was so confused as it can be called two different things, but the knots are exactly the same.

The palomar knot is a high strength fishing knot that is suggested for use with braided fishing line. However in a recent fishing magazine tests this knot proved far from adequate when tied with braid failing at anywhere between 40-70% if the stated breaking strain. However this knot is still very effective when tied with monofilament and is quick and easy to tie. This knot is also useful when tying a drop shot rig with soft plastics.

Care for your fishing line

Whether fishing with mono or braid always check the line for nicks or frazzles or areas of abrasion that will cause a weakness. After every fishing trip, or after playing out a nice fish, cut off about 50cms of line and throw it away especially if it is badly frayed or cut up.

There are 3 main causes/reasons for doing this
1. The fish goes deep, pulling the line across rocks, logs or other hard objects
2. The fish is big and the line will rub across its body or tail (especially bad if the fish has sharp gills)
3. other objects, such as the boat, a jetty, surface objects or dock, and deep snags may bump into your line.

These factors will cause abrasion, eventually causing the line to break. Trimming the line before this happens will potentially prevent you from losing a trophy fish. Take the time...it is worth it.

Note: some braids can become frayed over time, which is not usually a detriment to their strength - always err on the side of caution.

Putting fishing line on your reel

Before I start this tip I just have to say if your tackle store is happy to spool up your reel and has a line winding machine let them do it! This is by far the most efficient method.

When you're spooling up a reel, put a pencil/pen, through the center of the line spool and have someone hold it to keep some tension on the line. Tie the line to the reel with a (Uni-knot or Arbor knot) trimming off the tag end and make sure the knot is snug to the reel spool. One person should reel while another holds both ends of the rod, applying pressure as the line is reeled onto the spool. Keep the line away from anything that could cause abrasion and remember to never overfill the reel.

If you are using monofilament it may twist. If it happens while fishing from a boat, play the line out with nothing on the end, trolling behind the boat for a few minutes. Then simply wind the line back on the spool under pressure. A ball bearing swivel can be used to avoid line twist.

Adapted from www.fish4fun.com

Fishing Knots and Rigs: Trilene Knot

The Trilene Knot is a strong reliable connection that resists slippage and failure.

The Trilene Knot is an all-purpose connection to be used in joining monofilament or fluorocarbon to swivels, snaps, hooks and artificial lures. The knot's unique design and ease of tying mean that it is a consistently strong knot with dependable connections. This knot retains 85-90% of the original line strength, which is above average. The double wrap of mono through the eyelet provides a protective cushion for added safety.

Fishing Knots and Rigs: Rapala Knot

The Rapala Knot is popular method to tie a lure to a line. It has the advantage of allowing the lures to move freely and unimpeded by the knot. It can be tied successfully in monofilament and fluorocarbon leaders.

This knot was invented by the Rapala company

Perfection Loop - Fishing Knots and Rigs (Video)

Name: The Perfection Loop
Strength: Retains a high proportion of line strength
Uses: Attaching lures and flies to a leader
Difficulty: Easy

The perfection loop forms a strong yet compact loop in the end of the line. This knot will not slip and it has the added advantage of being very easy to tie. It is generally used for attaching leader to lures or flies as it retains a high degree of line strength. It can be tied in fluorocarbon and monofilament.

Instructional Video

Caring for monofilament line

Does anyone still use monofilament fishing line any more? Every fishing report I hear, read or watch these days is about braid. In my own fishing braid is used 99.9% of the time after I switched to it a few years ago I have never looked back. However, there are some situations where monofilament fishing line is still king of the fishing lines, not to mention much cheaper than braid!

Here are some important tips to keep your monofilament fresh so it lasts as long as possible and doesn't break when the big fish gets on*

(thanks to tackletactics.co.nz for these tips)

Sunlight weakens monofilament. Don't leave in direct sunlight when you are not using it. Pronglong heat weakens it. Never store your line (or your rods) in hot areas like car boots or a back car window, attics etc. The best place to store your fishing rods and excess line is in a dark, cool room, closet or garage.

Don't let your line come in contact with gasoline, oil, suntan lotion, or other harm-full chemicals. These cause monofilament line to break down or become brittle.

With proper care and normal use, monofilament lines ages. However, it's a good idea to periodically strip and replace old line. Two line changes a year should be sufficient - at the beginning and the middle of the season.

Last but most important be on constant guard against nicks abrasions or other weak spots in your line. You can detect these spots by running the line through your thumb and forefinger. If you find a rough spot, clip off the line above the bad spot and retie your bait. It's better to lose a few feet of line than to lose that trophy fish!

*this may have happened to the author more than once!

Knots and Rigs - Bristol Knot

This knot goes hand in hand with the bimini twist that I gave instructions for last week.

This knot is easy to tie and is a very strong knot. When tied correctly the bimini twist bristol knot combo can actually form a combination that is stronger than the main line! It is suitable for braid, monofilament and fluorocarbon. Most commonly the knot was tied with 20 turns, but recent testing has shown only 8 turns are needed for the best strength and that less turns may actually be even better for this knot!

1. Pass trace through the loop of doubled line

2. wrap the leader line five to seven times around the doubled line

3. Pass the leader line end back through the loop in the opposite direction from which it entered in step 1.

4. Lubricate and pull each end of the knot evenly until it tightens. Trim the tag end.

Fishing Knots and Rigs - The Paternoster Rig (with dropper loops)

No one really knows where the name came from, but the Paternoster Rig is one of the most used rigs in fishing. It works well in many situations, but is a great rig for reef and rocky areas.
Basically the rig consists of a sinker at the bottom with the hooks above it.

The Paternoster Rig

Now the dropper loops can be tricky to tie at first, but once you get the hang of them they are a breeze and you can whip up one of these rigs in no time. The dropper loop is best tied in leader line like monofilament and fluorocarbon.

The Dropper Loop

1 Form a loop in the line and turn one of the ends of the line through the loop for about 6-8 turns.

2. Pry open the middle of the turns and take hold of the other side of the loop and pull it through the centre opening (you can use a finger or matchstick in this place so that it is not lost).

3 Place the loop over a hook, door handle etc. (or get someone to hold it) and pull both ends of the line. This makes the turns gather together and tighten down on the loop.

4 Lubricate the knot (especially in fluorocarbon) and pull the lines until the knot is completely tight.

To attach a hook thread the loop through the hook eye and around the shank.

I hope that this little instructional post has helped you. Feel free to leave any comment/questions and remember you can subscribe to this blog for more fishing tips

Fishing Knots and Rigs - The Polymer Knot

The polymer knot is reputed to be one of the best choices for tying braid (some braid manufactures even print the knot on their packets). However, testing has found the polymer knot proved mediocre in most braids, breaking from about 40 -70% of the line strength. In saying the though the polymer knot is still a great knot for monofilament and is one of the quickest knots to tie.

1. Double about 10 cm of line, and pass it through the eye of the hook.

2. Tie a simple Overhand Knot (granny knot) in the doubled line letting the hook hang loose. Avoid twisting the lines.

3. Pull the end of loop down, passing it over the hook.

4. Lubricate and pull both ends of the line to tighten the knot.

Fishing Knots and Rigs - Double Uni Knot

Sometimes called the uni to uni knot, the double uni knot is a fantastic knot for joining two lines together and can be used for lines with different diameter. Nowadays this knot is commonly tied between braid and a leader line (mono or fluorocarbon) and you must always increase the number of turns in the braid section of this knot and lubricate well to avoid chafing.

1. Overlap the two lines for about 15 cm. Using one end of the line, form a circle that overlaps both lines.

2. Pass the end six to eight times around the two lines (more can be used for braid).

3. Lubricate and pull the tag end tight to form the first knot.

4. Repeat the process using the end of the other line.

5. Lubricate and pull both lines to slide the two knots together.

Fishing Knots and Rigs - The Uni Knot

This is a favourite knot of mine and is best tied in monofilament and flurocarbon line. It is a very adaptable knot and can be used for attaching terminal tackle and is often used for attaching leader to line. It is reputed to retain strength fairly well, but when joining line to line the strength can be cut in half.

1. Pass 12cm of line through the eye of the hook. Create a loop and pass the line under the loop.

2. Make five loops over the doubled part of the loop (more for braid).

3. Pull the tag end (free end) to form a knot.

4. Lubricate and tighten until the knot forms at the eye of hook or swivel.

Note: when using fluorocarbon leader be sure to lubricate very well or the friction will weaken the knot.