Northwest Fishing Reports

I had written a much longer thread starter but she disappeared when I went to post it.

Heavier monofilament lines, 25-40# used in salt water for mainline, topshots and leaders. What's your favorite? My favorite of the last 3 decades is now garbage and dead to me! Berkley Big Game...

For MONO, I'm using the uni, some call it the fishing fool knot. http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/fish-n-fool-knot/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Do you have a favorite for terminal tackle of heavier monofilament, 25-40# Using it for tuna and salmon fishing.

This article almost helped, lighter lines and so many of the mono lines tested 100% during the knot test it still leaves lots of room for personal choices. http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniqu ... 1?page=0,4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting knot: http://www.animatedknots.com/australian ... dknots.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This more recent article seems to give the edge to Stren high impact and P-Line CXX over a wider range of knots.

http://www.leeroysramblings.com/strong_knots.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've been using Maxima Ultragreen for quite some time now as a topshot for my saltwater reels. It isn't as stiff as some other lines which makes it more forgiving when tying knots to terminal tackle. I mostly use the improved clinch knot for this, sometimes the eye crosser, and the Ultragreen handles it just fine.

I checked out the article you referenced, and noted the knot they used was a 12 turn bimini. This knot should be expected to run around 100% for any line used, which is why big game fishermen use it.

There are a bunch of knots rated in the 95%+ range and the difference between 95% and 100% doesn't worry me much. I'd much rather have my terminal knot fail than bust my mainline. That being said, I cannot recall the last time one of my terminal knots failed. When I have had my line break, it is typically the leader that gives out somewhere between the two knots.

Just curious what the problem is with Berkeley Trilene Big Game. I used fresh Big Game on a 2 day albacore charter last week with fluoro leaders and had no line or knot failures on 25 albacore landed up to 30#. I landed 3 albies that were 20#+ on 15 pound Big Game. Using the 15 was a tactical error and I needed to crank up the drag up to around 5 lb to avoid going around the boat too many times. I was expecting a breakoff and it never happened. All other fish were on 20# Big Game with a double uni to 20# fluoro.

I wouldn't prefer this line for Salmon mooching since it is so stretchy affecting sensitivity.

It seems like a lot of westport charter boats including some of the albacore charters are using pink Ande. The SoCal multiday boat boat people often use pink Ande, and a lot of them swear by Trilene Big Game. It is cheap, so you only use it for one trip. It seems like it is super stretchy and is stronger than it is rated.

Thanks G-Man! That 12 turn is a bit more complicated than what I'm ever going to use. I need to tie them fast. For me, I use leaders for my live bait hooks... Others use topshots and tie hooks directly to their topshots. Main is usually braid except on the big charters, they religiously use mono.

Thanks rwl! Big Game is busting in the knot way too many times on tuna, at the hook, using various knots and even brand new. I've never had the issue with salmon, it's just time for me to get better line for tuna. I'll check out pink Ande!

I'm not fishing for finesse, I want em in the boat as quick as possible. I need to control the fish as best I can, can't run around the boat, just have the stern dance floor. 30 is the lowest I will ever go for tuna, but, as many break offs as I've had and seen the last 2 years at the hook, 40 is more likely my first choice. Thanks again!

What kind of hooks are you using for your bait setups? If they aren't ringed hooks, I would use a bumper knot/snell if you aren't already doing so. Just need to be mindful of how the line contacts the split between the eye and the shank and not to burn the line when pulling the knot tight. I've never had a bumper/snell knot fail on me.

Glad to hear it isn't the Big Game itself that is breaking. I definitely feel like wet Big Game is softer than other brands, not sure if affects knot strength, certainly makes it easier for me to retie. I would assume you are checking for frayed line near the eye of the hook after each fish, since the albies can put some wear on the line. Circle hooks avoid this generally since the hook goes in the side of the mouth.

I've switched to the San Diego knot, there is also a double san diego knot and almost never have knots fail. But that is pretty similar to the uni knot

G-Man wrote:What kind of hooks are you using for your bait setups? If they aren't ringed hooks, I would use a bumper knot/snell if you aren't already doing so. Just need to be mindful of how the line contacts the split between the eye and the shank and not to burn the line when pulling the knot tight. I've never had a bumper/snell knot fail on me.

That's the thing G-Man, hitting one store or another, they don't always have what I want AND I'm still learning this new game, tuna, about 20 tuna trips in the nearly last two years(going on my 3rd season)... I've been using both ringed hooks and non ringed, Gamas, Owner, others in sizes 1, 2 and 4... #2 Gamis are the same size as #4 Owner...So manufacturers aren't consistently sized and quick availability of the same hook is inconsistent... because of the line breakages at the hook, I'm avoiding ringed since it's generally a smaller diameter wire ring, seems the line, big game and others being used as leader or direct hook tie topshot when on someone else's boat, cuts AT that wire whether it's a ring or the eye of a hook. I haven't used the snell on those hooks, seems that most do not for tuna. Something about it affecting the actin of a live bait??? still learning! Damn it's addicting! Fishing solo I can go through 20 hooks easily due to sharks.... That's a lot of tying fishing solo so I try to have plenty of leaders on hand to snap em on. Because of the size of my boat, available space and of course cost of rods/reels, my troll setups double as my bait setups. I'll snell some up G-Man... see how it goes, test em when I'm fishing solo. I try not to disrupt another fishers routine when I fish off their boat... Their boat, their game/routine. Generally, others use topshots that in essence are 25 yard to 25 feet of leader for their dedicated live bait rods/reels. The hook is tied directly to the topshot, no swivel for most tuna fishers. I'm in the minority using a swivel with about 6' leaders and 65# slick power pro. My preferred hook is size 1 mustad live bait hook ref 94140BLN.. I need to just order up a couple hundred and be done with looking for them. LOL I did experiment with trebles, actually worked pretty well. When the fish are biting, they don't seem to care. The modified uni, fish fool version, really did improve the loss ratio when using floro, but it doesn't seem to be quite enough to satisfy me completely.

rwl wrote:Glad to hear it isn't the Big Game itself that is breaking. I definitely feel like wet Big Game is softer than other brands, not sure if affects knot strength, certainly makes it easier for me to retie. I would assume you are checking for frayed line near the eye of the hook after each fish, since the albies can put some wear on the line. Circle hooks avoid this generally since the hook goes in the side of the mouth.

I've switched to the San Diego knot, there is also a double san diego knot and almost never have knots fail. But that is pretty similar to the uni knot

It is the big game that is breaking as well as other lines I've tried with various knots. Yes, I check for frays every time... That san diego knot is a good one!

Ande Monster blue caught my attention this morning... but, alas, it is blue, and basically I want to purchase a mono main line that is used like a leader. I go through a LOT of it!

i use ande mono for all my salt trolling rods.