Just found this one.
Look at post #2.
http://www.allcoastsportfishing.com/foru...52293&page=

Coban = vetwrap = fingerguard

NOT electrical tape. NOT duct/duck tape.

Note: making a loop with a loop puller requires a Spectra line that is hollow. Jerry Brown Line One is my reccomended line for reel backing.

Great info Papa Tuna!!

All these different ways of trying to get spectra to around the spool and hold is kindof funny to me. Much is made out of so little.

Best, easiest, fastest, and totally effective way to do this is simply get a layer or two of mono on the spool, then do a double uni knot to connect mono to spectra and it will hold and never slip. The spectra gets good'traction' on the mono, so don't worry about the strength of the base mono layer- unless you plan on getting spooled..LOL The base mono layer doesn't take more than 5 or 10 yards of line. 25 lb test works good- just don't get spooled-if you do- you'll get broke off anyway-even with spectra to the spool--only giving up 5 yds of capacity. Also another must-spool the spectra on the spool with a "TON" of resistance on the line. It is hard- unless you have an automatic linewinder. If you don't have an automatic, have a friend put tension on the spool, or run the line through a wet towel to make resistance. If using an automatic, crank the spectra spool tension way up. This will keep the top layers from digging in at all into the lower levels. Can also be done at Sea by letting all the line out with a fairly resitant plug on the end, and winding it un with boat under power--I like a Manns stretch plug for this.

Jimmy,
On smaller reels I've seen as little as 4 or 5 wraps left on the spool, if it had been 25# or a much thicker mono the fish would have been lost.

Snagged, don't know what to say other than crank the engines and chase it or get a bigger reel.

Chasing obviously works unless they sound on you(had this happen-lost 350 yds. of braid to a large yellowfin), or you are in a double hookup situation, or on a partyboat. Nothing you can do if they sound or on a party boat, double hookup is always a bonus, sometimes you gotta just pick which one to go after.

Worrying of losing 5 yds.(15 feet) of capacity is kindof pointlss IMO. If a fish gets you that far and you still land them-that is lucky-lucky that it didn't take your last 15 feet, or two rod lengths of line.

If you have 80 or 100lb. or higher test braid on, crank down the drag if it is getting that close. It takes a huge reel to generate 80 or 100 lbs. of drag force. That is when you need to push it to the limit, and if you can hold that much drag, the fish will surely slow a little.

Mono backing is the best way to go IMO, been using braid offshore for a long time- back when it was still a secret for large bottomfish. I've landed quite a few grandes on braid- yellowfin tuna, warsaw grouper, some jumbo AJ's, and one sailfish that took a chunk while tuna fishing. Only been spooled once, and an extra 5 yds. wouldn't have mattered.

If you take a knfe to a gunfight, you will lose a few. Get a bigger reel if you are that worried about it.

Jimmy,
Most of the YF fishing done here is on party boats, chasing is not an option.
Big reels will tire you out rapidly on an all night bite.
To each his own.

Then by all means, save room for that extra 15 feet of line.
Just hope your knot doesn't slip, and I'm not just talking about it slipping and freely spinning around the spool which is the point of this thread. Knots slipping is a common problem with braid tied to itself. Source of most of the stories you hear about people saying the braid broke waaaay too easy on a fish. I've heard some say they can tell it didn't break at the knot by lack of a tell tale culed tip of the broken end- remember- braid has no memory. Make sure you use a doubled line uni knot(my favorite with big braid, leaves 3 tag ends though) or some other double line knot to secure line around spool arbor. A dab of super glue(ie:stren lock-knot) to the knot wouldn't hurt either.

Getting spooled sucks. It's happened to me several times. Usually by a different species than I was fishing for. Here is a tip I learned in Hawaii. Even if you have full aftco roller guides always point the tip of the rod at the fish if you are thinking you might get spooled.

When the line is screaming off the reel it gets hot. I've had 130lb test break halfway thru the first run by having the rod bent in half. Let the drag on the reel do the work durning a hard run. The rod is made for pumping line back on the reel.

I Agree with Poppa Tuna...Vet wrap is the way to go...no mono required. Thanks for the tip Jerry!

I had a good sized YF Tuna take 450 Yds of line straight down Smoken off with right at 20# of drag on a Torium 30 65# Braid! That was a humbeling experiance...especialy when the hooks pulled free. Smoken!!!

Sometimes you just get out gunned!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bazztex<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Bazztex- with mono - no 'Vet wrap' Required..lol

I'm sure Poppa Tuna's system is very effective. Not trying to take anything away from his system at all.

My original post stated"best,easiest, fastest,and most effective" method. That is certainly IMO, thats all.

IMO, only the "best and most effective" parts are really debateable. Mono backing is w/o a doubt, the easiest and fastest way of spooling braid on a reel and not having the 'traction' problems encountered with braid tied directly to the spool.

Going out and getting all that other stuff, special tape wrap, etc. is extra stuff and time consuming. More power to ya, but not necessary IMO. Are you going to carry extra quantities of"X" material out on the boat in case you need to respool? Seems to me just one more thing you would have to remember. But,then again, we fisherman have that disease of taking and collecting WAAAAYYY too much stuff anyway


Went and read the replies from the link from the original poster. We all put in our own values for different aspects to come up with the 'best' way. Many of the repliers use mono as a backing and they sound like they have tried many different ways, and have found the mono backing to their liking as well. To each his own.

Re: line capacity==I would also argue that using wraps of tape to the spool in preparation for tying braid directly to the spool probably robs just as much spool capacity as a baselayer one layer thick of mono.


I was also interested to read the knots used by some of those fishermen. The San Diego Jam knot is used by several there.That is a great one and very strong. One guy uses a double line San Diego knot when tying braid.

I use the San Diego jam knot and the double line uni more than any other w/braid. Sometimes only a double palomar on the terminal end. I also thought the comment about using a bimini twist and then a San Diego at the spool was a great idea if you tie directly to the spool. I always use a bimini twist on the terminal end w/ braid when using topwaters for tuna, gives you that extra piece of full strength line incase one is damaged or broken by getting wrapped around the hooks or something.

Anyone else have some favorite braid knots, or any other braid related tips that you have found useful and effective?

Jimmy J: I respect your opinion...I wasn't yanking anyone's chain.

I just favor Vet Wrap when I use braid on my reels... being elastic it stretches very thin and takes up very little spool depth. Vet Wrap also protects the spool arbor from corrosion... Mono Absorbs SaltWater...Spectra does not. I'm all for Upgrading a system.

I've been fishing with Spectra braid since the 80's when it was first used as compitition Kite String on the Weat Coast. That was well before Spiderline,Gorilla Line, or Power Pro. So yes I'm firmilar with the Mono to braid connection methods. Every Bass Rod I own that has braid, is rigged in that manner. Yes it's somewhat simpler to rig Mono on the arbor then braid and the system works well. :p

The SD Jamb Knot is a good one for terminal ends and the Biminy Twist is simple to tie in braid for connecting mono leaders and topshots.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bazztex<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I use mono for backing. I try to match the width of the mono with the width of the spectra but I really don't think that is necessary, I just have to be anal retentive I guess.