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4lb leaders and lousy knots

Moose-Hunter

By Moose-Hunter
in Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports

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Moose-Hunter Mentor

Moose-Hunter

Posted
Posted

Come on guys! If you're going to use light/ultra light leaders, AT LEAST tie a know that's going to hold!! And be mindful of your drag!!!

I was on the pond yesterday (slammed them, BTW...) of my four box fish, two had long leaders still attached. One you couldn't see the hook. Just 5' or so of very light line coming out it's throat. My guess is it came off a 3-way rig that broke.

The other was a small red leech sized hook, 7 or 8 feet of spun up, tangled line and a curly, "pig tail" looking end. This was no doubt a clinch knot that had come un-done.

If you're going to use light leader material, set your drag to the weight of your leader. NOT your heavy main line. And please... Pay attention to your knots folks!! Use a knot that "locks". Do a little research on knots and you'll see what I mean by "lock".

If you're still using any version of clinch knot, go that extra step and put the final "lock" loop into it to make it the "improved" version. With light line especially, it keeps you know snug to the hook with very little chance of it slipping.

Thanks...

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BrdHunter01 Proficient

BrdHunter01

Posted
Posted

I caught a couple earlier this year w rigs coming out of there mouth. Some w jig heads in there lips. I've tied a million knots and mine will still break a couple times a year. I use nothing but 8 lb test on all my rigs. It happens to the best of us.

You never had a line snap or a knot come undone?

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thatoneguy Mentor

thatoneguy

Posted
Posted

Lines breaking - that happens. Knots coming undone...that should happen pretty much never if you take the time to tie a knot properly.

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Moose-Hunter Mentor

Moose-Hunter

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  • Author
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I caught a couple earlier this year w rigs coming out of there mouth. Some w jig heads in there lips. I've tied a million knots and mine will still break a couple times a year. I use nothing but 8 lb test on all my rigs. It happens to the best of us.

You never had a line snap or a knot come undone?

Sure I have... As you said, it happens to the best of us.

I was just trying to comment on how important PROPER knots are and how much more important knots are when light line is used. Any "pinch" point is going to be your downfall with light line. All knots pinch to some extent, but minimizing that puts the odds in your favor. Old line coupled with a "pinching" or improperly tied knot is a recipe for failure.

Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. That was NOT my intention. Just a little public service announcement...

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aanderud Mentor

aanderud

Posted
Posted

What's the advantage to using such light line for a leader anyway? I guess I don't see what the advantage of 4 lb is, and the disadvantage is that you're constantly worrying about whether it's going to be enough and you have much less margin for error (and so does the netman).

I always use 8 lb or better, and I would think with flouro leaders one could easily get away with 12 -- though you'd run the risk of having your leader be stronger than your main line then. But I usually use braid as my main line.

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DrJ Community Regular

DrJ

Posted
Posted

Last week we caught 12 fish on bobbers and leeches. Since all but 2 had the hook down to the stomach I cut the line and left the hook in so not to tear there stomach. Does this really help the fish. Thats what I heard to do some time ago. I figure anything that will help reduce the amount of FLOATERS we saw. Any thought on this? DrJ....

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BrdHunter01 Proficient

BrdHunter01

Posted
Posted

Sure I have... As you said, it happens to the best of us.

I was just trying to comment on how important PROPER knots are and how much more important knots are when light line is used. Any "pinch" point is going to be your downfall with light line. All knots pinch to some extent, but minimizing that puts the odds in your favor. Old line coupled with a "pinching" or improperly tied knot is a recipe for failure.

Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. That was NOT my intention. Just a little public service announcement...

There is a learning curve to good knots.... Doesn't matter what "kind" of knot it is.

If you haven't tied 1000+ knots and/or fished for more that 4 years your not allowed to fish Mille Lacs in fear of your line breaking laugh

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Moose-Hunter Mentor

Moose-Hunter

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If you haven't tied 1000+ knots and/or fished for more that 4 years your not allowed to fish Mille Lacs in fear of your line breaking laugh

NOW you're talkin'!!! Get all them rookies off MY lake!! They're killin' MY fish!!! LOL!!

Sheesh... Sometime a full on face palm is just not enough.

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BrdHunter01 Proficient

BrdHunter01

Posted
Posted

NOW you're talkin'!!! Get all them rookies off MY lake!! They're killin' MY fish!!! LOL!!

Sheesh... Sometime a full on face palm is just not enough.

How about a knot seminar required for Mille Lacs anglers. We can put in on. It will be once a year. Friday before fishing opener at a local resort on Mille Lacs. Only $150 per person grin

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thatoneguy Mentor

thatoneguy

Posted
Posted

Maybe the DNR can print some stickers showing proper knot tying technique, and mandate that they be placed somewhere visible crazy

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ole matty Proficient

ole matty

Posted
Posted

Maybe the DNR can print some stickers showing proper knot tying technique, and mandate that they be placed somewhere visible crazy

From what I heard dnr going to hire 100-200 new inspector to check out people's knots before let them go out on lake!!!!!!

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BrdHunter01 Proficient

BrdHunter01

Posted
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From what I heard dnr going to hire 100-200 new inspector to check out people's knots before let them go out on lake!!!!!!

I just got the job! grin

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tom fellegy Collaborator

tom fellegy

Posted
Posted

drj,

try setting the hook a little faster. in most cases, if the bobber is down, the fish has the hook in it's mouth. 10 of 12 fish gut hooked sounds like alot to me.

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BrdHunter01 Proficient

BrdHunter01

Posted
Posted

drj,

try setting the hook a little faster. in most cases, if the bobber is down, the fish has the hook in it's mouth. 10 of 12 fish gut hooked sounds like alot to me.

^^^ Agree

I also find that using small jig heads instead of plain (red or any color) hooks helps A LOT in hooking fish in the lip 2c

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators
Borch Grand Master

Borch

Posted
  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators
Posted

The knot wars app is really nice for learning new knots. I've used it several times in the last month to increase my knot arsenal.

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