80# Fluoro

[Rooger]

Headed to Pike & Muskie country - Ontario - on Tuesday. After reading some articles on using 80# fluoro instead of steel or titanium leaders, I thought I'd give it a try. This stuff is just like what I use in my weed eater.


Any suggestions on knots? Braid to leader, or terminal tackle in between?

[Gator]

Braid to leader - Uni-knot

Terminal Tackle - Palomar or Double Palomar

Good Luck!

[davet.]

Why 80? Those things don't get any bigger than the stripers we get right here on 25lb.
I realize they're toothier, maybe have the first 2 feet of 80, but I could'nt imagine even trying to use weed wacker line.

[jamescaird]

A uni/uni is not going to work well tying say 50# braid to 80# fluoro, the diameters are too far apart, it will not be strong. The 80# fluoro will not pull down tight enough to keep the braid side of the uni from pulling through. A better choice would be a slim beauty, albright/improved albright, tony pena knot, or similar. Albright probably the easiest to learn to tie properly. Pull HARD with leather gloves on to seat them, or wrap the lines around a dowel 10 times so you can pull 20#+ when seating the knot. If it's tied properly it'll suck down tight, if not, it'll break when tightening. Leave at least an 1/8" tag on the braid.

You can also make leaders using a small barrel swivel, a snap, and crimps to connect them together, then just tie your main line to the barrel swivel. This is the most reliable way to do if you're not comfortable with any of the above knots. You can also just tie knots in the 80# fluoro to connect the snap and barrel swivel, 80# fluoro will need a san diego jam knot or a uni knot, you won't be able to pull up a palomar in 80#.

Good luck!

[big_limits]

try the knot in this dudes post below. looks like the right knot for what ur doing

http://westernbass.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=58312&f=2

[Guyle]

What part of Ontario?

[Rooger]

Western Arm of Eagle Lake. Our camp is Stanley's, about 3-4 miles west of Vermillion Bay. I highly recommend it if you ever are going for pike, muskie, lake trout, walleye and smallies.


The smallie fishing really isn't targeted by most and it's the only place I've ever been that comes close to what my dad used to tell of his childhood "good old days" smallie fishing on Bull Shoals

[ken]

I think you are over doing it. I have used 65 braid and no problems. Also used the titanium leaders which is a lot simpler. See what the guides in the area recomend when you get there.

[Bill K]

Headed to Pike & Muskie country - Ontario - on Tuesday. After reading some articles on using 80# fluoro instead of steel or titanium leaders, I thought I'd give it a try. This stuff is just like what I use in my weed eater.


Any suggestions on knots? Braid to leader, or terminal tackle in between?

Good Gollie man, 80lb. Even with those choppers we never used more than 30 lb. As for connection, use a barrell swivel, uni knots, etc hard hard to make hold in line to line usage. The swivel also allows less line twist with large spinners, etc that you probably will throw on those big fish. Just a thought or two. Bill K

[myrtle]

I used to use the fluoro for bucktails and soft plastics and single strand wire for everything else

[Rooger]

Yeah, once I saw the diameter of this 80# stuff, I started thinking "overkill" too. I think it's simply for the abrasion resistance to the teeth - my biggest muskie, 48", was caught on 10# mono.


I tried some 30# last year and even the small pike shredded it (my fingers, too). One of the guides that fishes primarily muskie in his little free time said that the trend was going toward fluoro and away from steel/titanium to minimize the damage to the mouths and gill plates of the big ones when they roll.


Can't hurt to try though - I'll let you know when I get back. (Leaving tomorrow a.m.)