Chuck,
I am going to sound like a salesman, but here goes my opinion. Try out a Moby Series (Custom Angle Rod). These rods are built with a parobolic bend. I know without a doubt the 7' or 7'6 heavy action will suit you perfectly, problem solved.
Let me know if you are ever out this way and I will let you borrow one for the day.

Yes Clint, you sound like a Sales man! I've tried every rod in the loomis line up, and you are right, they do have more tip action than a parabolic action. I did try a 7'6" Kistler Helium for about a month, it had a parabolic action as well. After having tried it, my break-off problem was a little better, but I jumped a bunch of fish off.

I will try your rod next time I am up your way though. Thanks!

I don't think the drag gives as quick as it needs to. As in, it is set at 4lbs steady pull, but might take 10 pounds to start releasing. What I mean is that the drag doesn't react fast enough. My reels are all Curado E7's for reference.

The break usually occurs within 2 feet of the hook, and sometimes at the reel. The break is caused by a combination of shock and abrasion. And when it breaks at the reel, it is from just plain shock.

I've tried all the P-line, and CXX was the best of all of it. Halo was the worst. Flourcarbon P-line is O.K., but not as good (For me) as CXX. CXX seems to take that shock better than most lines. I tried all the offerings from 15lb to 30lb, and 20 seemed to hold up better on the CXX.

I would throw 200lb test if I could get the line through the eye of my jig!

Thanks for all the great feedback!

+19990493847637263726398729837917239872139
I HATE powerpro! Spiderwire is better, but I really like Suffix. I have 20lb on my regular rods and 65 on my heavy cover/flipping rods. I only use 20lb suffix in saltwater and dont break off like yall are saying?

I 2nd that I think that it is the "popping" if there is slack in the line that breaks it.

Never heard of someone that could break 50 or 65# braid on a consistent basis. I'd have to say the same for 20-25# Fluoro.

My opinion....knots. No doubt.

No one in the world is just running around breaking straight line with no problems.

I tie a double-uni with fluoro and either a palomar with an overhand OR a snell knot (only with straight shanks, though) with braid.

It's either your knots or you are using razor-blades instead of ceramic guides.

- Your braid knot might be slipping (Tie overhand knot or burn the tag end)

- Big game is garbage - Buy some real line.

If you are running stock drag washers still, you might need to upgrade to some carbontex drag washers. This will allow the drag to properly "break" under the right strength.

I tie a palomar, and cinch up the tag end real tight on a wet pull. I wax my rod eyes on a monthly basis, so I know my rods are in good shape. I did seem to have more problems with the titanium guides though...

Do I need to tie a different knot?

Thank you!

I agree. I have seen tests with hook sets that show that you do not generate a whole lot of pressure on the initial hook set. On top of that the line will have some stretch in it, you said that you went to a softer action rod and reduced the drag on your reel. With all that in play, you should not be able to generate enough force to break the line.
There must be some other problem. Are you sure your knot is holding up? You have to tie the Palomar knot CORRECTLY for it to be a 100% knot. Here is how.
http://heartlandtackleservice.com/palomar.stm

The double loops around the eyelet of you hook MUST be side by side and not crossed. The knot WILL break if the loops are crossed.

If you are breaking 25 pound CXX there is a problem because that stuff is tuff as nails. You could use 25 pound test to anchor your boat with.LOL

Well your previous post said that you were breaking the line 2ft above the bait or at the reel so that wouldn't be a knot problem. It sounds like your line has a bad spot in it or you did not tell us that you are fishing around docks with rusty metal poles with barnacles on them. LOL

Loosen the drag until you can feel it slip when you set the hook. You might need to go to a line with more stretch in it, maybe that might help. You have a problem I have never heard of before having that many break offs.

+1 on the triple fish line. I use 10# mostly and very rarely have a break. This past weekend, I was fishing a tournament with my bass club. Hooked a nice fish around a dock. He wrapped me around two of the legs of the dock. I just worked him and moved the boat closer to the dock and he finally came out. I thought for sure I was going to lose it because he kept sawing the line around the post. It turned out to be a 4.1# fish and put my partner in second place in the tournament. Triple fish, in my humble opinion is the best line out there bar none.

You are fishing for Bass, correct? Not some toothy critter...

I agree 100% that is your problem. Get the slack out of the line, I know because I had that bad habit myself.

I have the exact same problem and I fill your frustration I know I set the hook way to hard because I constantly bend the handles on my reel. everyone i've talked to tells me how great floro line is but I have broken every brand mentioned here as for as braid 65# power pro dose not stand a chance don't change your hook set that will really mess you up I have gone back to 20# big game for most of my fishing. I use a Terry Oldham custom made scrape rod that you can pick up a 5gal bucket of water with for flipping on Choke and Falcon. I changed to 65# suffix braid on it and have not broken a fish off since.

If your breaking 65lb braid get something heavier. Try spiderwire in 100lb test. I use it on one rod and its about the size of 20lb mono. If your breaking that then something is wrong.

check your line guide on your REEL to see if it is cracked or burred and weakening the line

I have to ask because this was happening to my partner. Are you using a glass bead? tungstun weights and glass beads don't mix well.

You know what, when I fish a worm or creature I sure do! Tunsten weight and a glass bead!

However, I still break off just as much when I fish a jig.

Thanks! I wax my reels once a month too, so they get looked at real good. They're fine. ???

I first realized I had a problem when I broke two ribs setting the hook on a 5 pounder. I had to fish crankbaits for several months because I was too sore to set a hook flipping.

Chuck, rarely would I advocate the use of marijuana unless you had glaucoma or something but it sounds like you might need it or valium or something to slow down your reactions!

ROFLMAO! You've hit the nail on the head! Its that reaction like I just got shot at or somthing! I actually just got some really major dental work done this week, so I got some pretty major pain pills. I'll give them a shot!

Unfortunatly, my eyes are good and my employer does periodic drug tests, so the smoke is out!

Great stuff!

Tough love time.......... At this point Chuck you've pointed out the problem pretty well...... Your hookset. It doesn't seem to matter what you do line, rod, drag, etc.... you are still breaking line because of your hookset. And if you are still breaking 65 lb braid with your drag set at 4lbs.....that's a wakeup call brotha.

Well, maybe it's time to change your hookset. I still think you are getting slack and that's what's causing it, and fixing that will help, but overall you are setting the hook to hard if you can break ribs. I suspect you lose fish also when they jump because I can imagine you are ripping a hole the size of a volkswagen in their lip.

I think if you start with reeling in your slack before you set the hook it will also make you more aware of the whole process of hooksetting and get over your reaction to act like you are setting the hook on a 200lb Mako Shark, lol

Joe

I think you are absolutly correct. My hookset is way to hard, I know it is, and have known it since I broke my ribs in '03. The problem is that its just plain automatic. I don't conciously think to myself "There's a thump, set the hook Chuck." I just set the hook without knowing I've even had a fish hit at all. And I'm often surprised when a fish comes in the boat, because I never "Felt" the bite. Most of the time I'm in awe of the way my brain is wired to my arm/wrist/shoulder and fires those instantly without my knowledge of anything ever happening on the end of my line.

I had big problems in the past jumping off fish. I switched from Owner hooks to Mustad, and that improved landing percentage quite a bit. But usually, the fish don't have time to jump, and if they do, I just go ahead and pull them in the boat. The holes in their mouths really aren't very big, surprisingly.

I have decided that I am going to try to NOT set the hook at all the next time I go fishin. I'm going to try just let the fish mouth the bait, and see how "light" of a hookset I can get away with. Heck, I don't even set the hook when I'm fishing crankbaits, and I learned that would catch more fish when my ribs were broken. I just don't want to have to break my ribs to learn a new hookset.

Anybody know of a 12 step program for Heavy Hooksetters?