shock leader knot help

[bazw]

hi all been having some problems of late with crack offs just after the leader leaves the rod tip and need some help

i have used all the different types of knot i can find or have been shown
normally use a thumb knot on leader and grinner on main line (50 or 60 lb leader , and 11, 15, or 18 lb main line ) but i end up winding back to a tiny pig tale which i have been told is a sign of the knot catching the rings
i have tried

shortened leader down to drop + 3 turns on reel to try and clear rod before tip recovers

long leader to allow rod to steady before knot goes through

but all having problems to some extent so the question is
is there any thing i can use to smooth the progress of the knot like
coat it with something to ease to guide it through the rings better

i was thinking of something like the rubber tube used on pole floats and a dab of super glue (for those that dont use one the bristle on the tiny pole float has a thin rubber tube cut to a few mm long put the line is threaded through it and the bristle pushed into it to grip the line and keep the float in place but let you slide the float up and down the line to adjust depth )

lead is getting expensive at the rate i am having snap offs LOL

btw
2 years cubs
5 years scouts
4 years venture scouts
so i can kind of tie a knot or two i think

any other ideas

yours leadless of hendon

[fishfinder]

Bimini twist leader knot will give you 100 percent knot strength and I know its obvious but check your line and rings for wear and abrasion.

[alan]

Like Paul says Baz,also try and keep the knot as tidy and neat as possible.Have you tried using a different rod and reel to eliminate all possibilities
What make is your mainline's ?
Knots - How to tie the Bimini Twist
Animated Knots by Grog

[alan]

Came across this Baz
I prefer this one myself as its easy
YouTube - Adventure Bound - Gear Guide Slim Beauty Shock Leader Knot

[RONVIK]

Came across this Baz
I prefer this one myself as its easy
YouTube - Adventure Bound - Gear Guide Slim Beauty Shock Leader Knot

Thats the knot i use, i just dont make as many turns as that and never had any probs, i also cearfully melt the clipped off ends with a heated thick bit of wire and smooth it out with fingers.
is your main line getting old?

[willywetegg]

Baz, have you recently changed your rod or your casting style mate? My money would go on that, if not then get one of your mates to try your rod and see if they have the same problems. If they don't have problems it takes your line and rings out of things.

Jim.

[MickA]

Go along with whats already be said above but when you have a crack-off are you just tying up a new leader straight back on ?. When the line snaps the area around the break will also be weakened so cut off about 5yds or so of your main line before you re-tie a new leader. If you dont essentially you're tying a knot (creating in a weak link) with line that has already been weakened (ie- already been stretched to breaking point).
Don't know what rod you're using but aswell as checking the rings for damage also check the diameter of them, does the knot have enough clearance to pass through easily. Stand to be correct here, but a size 10 ring is really the smallest you could get away with on a beachcaster.

[bazw]

rod is a zzipy sst and new, condition of rings new
reals are an abu 6500 or 7000I
mains line i have tried
f1 and an other ( name slips me right now )[edit sakuma] both new and in good condition
shock leaders are greasy weasel tapered or Berkley and new each time LOL
happening with 4-5-6 oz weights

cast is normally Brighton/high inertia but i do use OTG and pendulum

the tip ring is a 10mm but as the rings are alconite's they will not be getting changed if i can help it

when it works i am happy as hell as it is pushing out to high end of 180 yards ( bit of a pain to wind back when you can see the knot on the spool but one day i will invent a power wind if abu does not beat me to it )

yes mick i allow for strain on the main line before retying a new shock leader


how do i turn the bimini twist shown into a one for joining 2 unequal size lines ? i cant work it out unless i would be doing a loop to loop joint ?

[fishfinder]

Tie your bimini twist loop into your main line then thread your shockleader through the loop five turns round your main line then back through the loop end.. try using untapered shockleader may help.

[johnf]

Does anyone use a dab of superglue on the knot?, sure I've seen this method reported on before.

[RONVIK]

Does anyone use a dab of superglue on the knot?, sure I've seen this method reported on before.

Some superglues can weaken some lines but berkley`s is made for sea anglers never tried it mind you.. Berkley-fishing)

[bazw]

changed the tip ring today for a 10mm diamite one and it seams to help a lot

did some casting tonight and only crack off was when i got too ambitious with the mag brake and it spooled up during the back end of the cast + the one after, guess i missed some damage on the line with that one

might change the first 3 rings to 12's as they are all 10's at the moment but will wait and see first


best cast when i measured it after i got home ( line tightened up and then a bit of tape to mark it ) was 196 yards
so pleased as punch

would have went to the top of our stairs if it passed 200 but will do for now

[CHUKKA]

Have you tried bigger rings? Just a suggestion as i get more crack offs with bnhgs than zircons. The zircons have a larger inner diameter.

Also worth a try putting 2 bigger butt rings on.

I had a appollo with two 30 mm zircons one on the butt and one on the base of the tip made a hell of a difference. went 30,30, 25,20,16,12,12,12 and worked a treat. Dont think i ever got a crackoff on that rod.

You could also be suffering from over recovery of the tip. You should be stopping the rod abruptly on the final punch pull.

Sound like a casting technique problem to me though.

Get along to NESA this sunday at Redcar.

[bazw]

its 30-25-16-12-10-10-10 and had a 7 mm bore tip when i got it now 10mm

as i said i will see how i go with it this week then if needed i will change the 10's for 12's

i dont think i can make sunday but you never know the wife might get sick of me and chase me out of the house for a while

(where's it at btw just in case )

if its dry enough tomorrow i will go to a field and try a few different casts and drops to see how it works out

a friend who also has one of these (swopped a sst with him for an m4 for the wife ) has been getting the same trouble when high inertia casting but not when pendulum casting so we think it will be the rings , this is why i will be doing a few different casts tomorrow


i also have an xtr and a zti do you think if its a clash between style and rod one of them may be better for high inertia casting ? i know the xtr is for otg mainly but its ringed
30-25-16-12-10-7-7-7 and a 7 tip ring and i think this will be worse

[bazw]

did a bunch of field casting today , no crack offs from casting just 3 from slowing casts as the lead nears ground ( must of pinched line or something with thumb then bang )

feels much better with new tip ring , could do all 3 power casts no problem as loads of room , still had mags wound in a lot so no great distance but enough for now to work on the casts and not take out the dogs and coffin dodgers walking them