Kevin Van Dam Forums

Palomar knots and super glue have been my standard for years.  Certain braids (fireline) can slip given the best of knots and is why I recommend glue (or the lighter trick) and consideration given to hook setting.  Even in the heaviest of cover with the worst of lures I do not leap across the casting deck, driving my body weight into the fish while hook setting as you see on TV with the pros fishing nylon mono when I’m using any type of braided or low stretch line.  You’re asking from trouble doing that with braid IMO.  I don’t mean to discredit Fireline as it is an awesome braid.  It’s as different from power pro as fluorocarbon mono is to nylon mono but its knot strength is the worst out there.

you don’t need a jawbreaking hookset with braid, if your lure has a good quality hook that is sticky sharp, a quick firm snap is basically all you need. with no stretch to the braid when i set the hook on a solid body frog, ie horny toad. just a quick little snap and the hook usually goes all the way through. a little slack and a quick snap. not a hookset that will pull a 20lber 100 feet out of thick weeds and heavy cover

CincySid - 21 January 2012 07:40 PM

Flymantex - 28 July 2009 12:43 PM

The only time I use straight braid-to-lure is with my spinnerbaits and frogs.  I use a palomar knot and leave the tag a little longer.  I don’t recall ever having it slip.

I use a mono leader on most of my applications where I use braid.  The issue I have is my leader will break right at the knot.  I use a double uni to attach my leader to the braid.

What could be causing that?

Braid is such small diameter through a couple more loops on the braid side of the double uni.

How long are you making the leader?  Do you run the knot through the guides? I know I do.  I tried to make the leader about four feet last year and I know that there were 2 times that the knot broke.  I assumed that it was the floro that failed because most of the braid was still in the shape of the knot It had been the same leader for a very long time.  Like Cincy said the floro or mono is thicker are would likelu wear trough sooner.  The double uniknot is one of the strongest knots out there…I know because I use to rock climb and that kind of info was critical to keeping you alive