Kinnard, Dingle 11th July 2009

[bassplayer]

me

morning 6 ish

calm with gentle surf

While spinning a small wedge I saw a movement away in the water and chucked wedge nearby, hooked in immediately and landed a 4 1\2 lb bass after a good tussle- personal best, just as I got him ashore the braid broke right by the lure - must check out some braid knots for next time as I used a normal mono knot - I guess this is why the braid broke?

Blanked on the big rod with legered sandeel and mackeral - probably cos of the crabs!

[donal domeney]

The knot may be your problem but braid is very abrasive and the slightest nick off a rock will weaken it.
For using braid over or near rock you should use 10/12 foot of nylon as a shock leader.
The braking strain of the shock leader would depend on the main line you were using.

[gfkelly1969]

well done on the bass

[youngrod]

well done nice bass

[bassplayer]

The knot may be your problem but braid is very abrasive and the slightest nick off a rock will weaken it.
For using braid over or near rock you should use 10/12 foot of nylon as a shock leader.
The braking strain of the shock leader would depend on the main line you were using.

Thanks, didn't realise that braid could be damaged like that - I started using iot for spinning as I heard that if I only half load the spool there would be less problems with line twists/birds nests which is the case so far. So If I'm using 20lb & 30lb braid on the spools what sort of bs nylon do I need? What's the best way of joining them - braid - nylon knot or small swivel?

thanks

[slowarm]

The knot may be your problem but braid is very abrasive and the slightest nick off a rock will weaken it.
For using braid over or near rock you should use 10/12 foot of nylon as a shock leader.
The braking strain of the shock leader would depend on the main line you were using.

Thanks, didn't realise that braid could be damaged like that - I started using iot for spinning as I heard that if I only half load the spool there would be less problems with line twists/birds nests which is the case so far. So If I'm using 20lb & 30lb braid on the spools what sort of bs nylon do I need? What's the best way of joining them - braid - nylon knot or small swivel?

thanks

I use a double grinner which seems to work but there are other knots I think would do as well - have a look here http://www.animatedknots.com/. I'd say a small swivel could mess up your rod's eyes big time.

[roger de dodger]

grinner to grinner and use 5 turns in the mono and 10 or 12 in the braid ,always test the knot well before you fish ,use the normal length of drop plus,four or five times around the spool use a lighter mono to braid ie 30lb braid to 18 or 20 lb mono then if you get snagged you normally get your braid back

[Dave]

Well done on the bass, its a good thing the braid only broke after you landed him and not on the way in. I still havent been out bass myself fishing this year, I couldnt get out before the close season and have been away since so I'm absolutely itching to get out after them now.

As for you question about braid, leaders and knots, I normally use a 3' lenght of 15 - 20lb mono or flurocarbon when I'm lure fishing with braid, it isnt shock leader in the beach casting sense but it is more abrasion resistant than the braid so it helps prevent the braid getting damaged and weakened from whatever structure you might be fishing around or indeed from the lure folding back during the cast and the hooks catching the line. As for how you would connect the braid and the mono / fluro leader, I use an Albright knot or Reversed Albright knot for that and then to connect the lure with either a uni knot or loop knot depending on what type of lure it is. The knots are shown here on the PowerPro site. Hope thats of some help to you.

[tight lines]

nice 1 good fishing

[KERRY1]

Well done on catching your bass.
I am heading down to Dingle in the last week of September for some bass fishing and to catch up with some friends who are over for the Diawa pairs competition and I can't wait.
I go down fishing to that area all the time, I was there in March this year and then again in May for over ten days a time.
Myself and my partner caught a variety of different fish - Bass, Wrasse, pollock, sea-trout, flounder, plaice.
The fishing down around that whole area of Co.Kerry is brilliant as you will know which is why we go so often.
I will try this mark when I am down and see what it produces.
Maybe see you down there sometime

[petekd]

Hi, I use 30lb braid to about 12 feet of 12lb SeaGuar Fluoro shockleader for my bass and salmon fishing. Works well.

[bassplayer]

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice on this - I was very lucky to get that one ashore in hindsight, Meanwhile I'm back on mono while I learn to tie some knots