Braid to Fluorocarbon for Dropshotting

For those of you who do it, Do you use a heavier fluorocarbon leader (meaning 12# or higher)? I might also try this technique for Shaky too

15 would be the absolute heaviest I would go. For the drop shot I stick to 10 or less 95% of the time.

What Red said Triple overhand surgeons knot, before you ask.

Is it stronger than the Alberto Knot? I just learned that over the weekend....

I just use double uni. Got pretty good at tying it quickly and hasn't failed me yet. Goes through the guides well too.

I go as small as I can... But honestly it totally depends on the cover. 8 on open structure and maybe 17-20 for heavy cover.

RedRaider3933,

The junction version of a uni knot, joining two lines together, would be better called a "uni to uni" knot; the double uni knot is what guys like Bo at Nutech Lures tie where a standard uni has its line doubled over. Aaron Martens also uses a double uni knot like this sometimes.

Fishin Machine,

For a finesse drop shot rig, I use 10 lbs. braid (Sufix 832) tied to an 8 lbs. fluorocarbon leader (I use Seaguar Invisx). Some of the pros drop to 6 lbs. straight fluorocarbon or leaders when they want more bites.

Any three of the top junction knots will work well: a uni-to-uni, an Alberto/Albright version of a junction knot, or the strongest and thinnest of them all, an FG knot.

The first two are the easiest and fastest to tie.

Brad

I tie a 12 pound leader of Invizx to my braid on my drop shot spinning rod using an Alberto knot. That knot has never failed me, it is easy to tie and it is fairly small.

Now with that being said, I am one of those that prefer to use a baitcaster rod and reel for dropshotting and have a full spool of 12 pound test Invizx. I use a #1 Owner rigging hook and Tx.pose the finesse worm.

I use 12# Invizx because I fish around a lot of timber in Lake Fork so I don't go with anything lighter.

Thanks guys... I had some 8 and 10 but just ordered some 12 and it should be here in a few days. Spooled with 20# braid 6# diameter.

A friend of mine talked me into trying this braid to fluoro combo. Gonna keep practicing my knot and I guess I'll find out this coming Saturday

14lbs braid to 7-10lbs shooter flouro. Alberto knot with a 20' leader. I fish this a ton!

Why such a long leader James?

I still don't get the whole leader thing. If your fishing with 20lb braid and you tie a 10 lb floro leader, you are now fishing with 10 lb floro leader. Why use the braid? You've got a whole spool of braid just to fish a lighter floro line, makes no sense.

Uni to uni is a good and easy knot. Have used it for years and never broke the knot.

THIS !

Someone PLEASE explain to me the reason you would fish a heavy line to a lighter line leader. WHY would you use braid for fish a drop shot in the first place.
what am I missing here ?

One reason for a relatively heavier test braid to fluorocarbon is most junction knots tie better, hold better, if the two lines are close to the same diameter. Braid is so thin.

The other reason is it is hard to find braids much under 10 lbs. test. Sufix 832 only goes down to 10 lbs. as I recall. Not sure about the others.

I get the question, by the way, but it isn't that the fluorocarbon leader is not sufficient, that you are losing anything, it is that the braid is way too strong. That 6 or 8 lbs. fluorocarbon leader has been proven to work extremely well in clear waters, and in heavily pressured waters. Ask the current AOY winner.

And, for the question about a 20 ft. leader, I have used them long like that, way longer, but I bet in this case it is to give room for a re-tie if your line gets snapped. If you master the strongest of all junction knots, the FG, you'd never feel it coming off the rod. It is that small. I don't think many folks want to tie a junction knot on a kayak or a boat. Time consuming, anyway.

Another big reason: the braid casts so much better, doesn't twist up as easily.

Brad

I am just getting started using this type of combo for dropshotting. I started out using mono and have done well with it. I have had it explained to me this way, if you are back off of your target especially in clear water the braid will allow you to get the distance minus the line twist and memory of straight fluoro. I fish with a guy that uses this technique and says he really likes it.

Here is a video of Brett Hite explaining the knot and the advantages of this technique although he is using a little lighter braid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNuKHycbnG4

I have not changed out the line on my spinning reels in 5 years, I use 20 lb braid with a 6-12 pound leader, try it, you will never go back.

Is this braid to floro combo only good for drop shotting or can it be used for just about anything that requires a spinning setup?

Reason why I use a 20' floro leader on my drop shot:

1. With a long leader you can cut a few feet off and re tie without having to redo the whole thing.
2. When you get a fish next to the boat & it make a hard run the knot is in the spool so your weakest point in the line is not receiving the pressure. (Big reason)
3. You get the full benefits of floro quiet invisible qualities with braids non twisting properties.
4. The little bit of extra stretch keeps you from shock breaking your leader.
5. Light braid throws way farther than straight floro.

8# Invisx to 30# braid

I use 10 lb braid to 8lb flouro and have caught several 7 pounders using this setup it works great that 10 lb braid is mighty strong.

http://www.seaguar.com/applications/knot-guide/64-double-uni-knot.html

RedRaider,

Sure, you are not the only one who uses the term that way, even including some pretty good company!

"Irregardless," I understand, has now been accepted as an appropriate and legitimate word by the dictionary nerd types . . . since everyone now knows what the speaker intends by it.

Double uni still isn't technically correct. It needs context to be understood, that you are referring to two uni knots and two lines joined, not the other terminal tackle application.

Just curious what one would then call the doubled over line used to tie a traditional uni knot to terminal tackle, used by Martens and Bo of Nutech?

Uni is for "universal" by the way. A Grinner knot is a uni with a double pass through the eye of the hook or swivel, etc. and is another fine knot.

Uni knots of all kinds, regardless of how we call them, are among my favorites!

Cheers! Brad

P.S. 1973 Texas Tech Invitational Meet and Stadium discus record holder. Wife, 1974 Texas Tech graduate. Yes ! Go Tech!

Yes, I do it, for both drop-shotting and with a shaky head. I use 20lb P-Line XTCB-8 braid w/ an 8lb test P-Line Halo Fluorocarbon leader. Tied together with an Alberto Knot. Best knot for braid to fluoro hands down.

FG knot for the win.

I might try it on a Shaky Head

FG is clearly stronger, and clearly a narrower profile. For most, while it can be mastered, it is still a bit tougher and takes longer.

But, when you plait two lines together so that they spiral together and bite into each other (really the braid into the fluoro I think), it makes an incredibly thin knot. And, in fair tests, it is stronger than an Alberto which is a bit stronger than a uni to uni.

All three are great and more than enough.

Here is Bo James of Nutech tying what RedRaider and I were discussing: what I refer to as a double uni. Something interesting toward the end of the video where he uses it to tie above an existing sinker. Worth a watch and a super knot.

Aaron Martens also uses this knot a lot but, God, he is one of the worst at explaining just about anything technical . . . and he mumbles to boot.

Brad

Bo James of Nutech ties a double uni knot

another reason to go braid to flouro, if the hook eyelet isn't welded shut the knot on the braid will slip right out of it because of the small diameter. Ive just started using the braid to flouro on my drop shot rods and its way better than going all flouro. after a hour or so you just have horible line twist with straight flouro. The uni to uni is the only knot i use on this rig. caught a 8lb 11oz bass last year with 10lb spiderwire invisibraid and 8lb invizx last year so i have no problem going lite line. My thing is that i cut and retie at the hook every 5 or 6 fish. but thats just me

OKay so you sold me.
I set up a drop shot rig,,,,,,,8# flouro to 30# Suffix braid,,,,,,,only I just used a swivel for the connection instead of a line-to-line knot.
went out to Athens for 2 hours at lunch and 2 hours last night. Quiet an effective set up. Based on the previous posted video I did cast and work it back to the boat. Slower than a t-Rig worm and it was very effective. with the open hook it was imperative that I keep it outside the grass line but once I got that idea in my head
there were no issues.

I like using an #1 Owner rigging hook Tx.posed for the smaller finesse worms better than the open hook concept because I fish around a lot of timber. I would get hung up too much in the timber with the open hook style. It works very well.

Do you now understand why people like the braid to fluoro. combo?

It can be used for anything if you want including using that combo with a baitcaster.

http://www.tacticalbassin.com/blog/why-you-should-use-braided-line-part-1

I would hate to try and tie that in the boat on a windy day.

The Alberto Knot is hands down the most user friendly knot for line to leader. I don't bass fish as much as I crappie fish and I've been using it for the past 3-4 years. My normal pattern is vertical jigging brush and I can only remember 3 or 4 times over those years that I've broken a line to leader knot in all the hang ups. I've also caught a fair amount of bass, catfish, and others that put more strain on the leader knot than a crappie. Learn to tie it correctly and you'll be a happy camper.

I too use braid to fluorocarbon for dropshot techniques.

I use it for all soft plastic techniques, really.

1. Braid is very sensitive
2. Braid lasts a very long time
3. I can see braided line easily, helps me visually read strikes
4. Braid casts well for me, less tangle issues
5. Fluorocarbon leaders give me the most "invisible" solution

Interesting idea on the extra long leader. Need to try that out.

where do you sign up for the 2 hour lunches!!!