# crimp or knots



## bullred764 (Apr 24, 2006)

What do yall use when making a mono leader, crimp or tie, and if you tie what knot do you use most often. Also i use weedeater string if that matters. Thanks


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

i tie what i think is called an offshore knot, or a flemish, then double crimp the tag end.........heres a link on the "proper" way to crimp....http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/crimp_techniques.html


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

bullred764 said:


> What do yall use when making a mono leader, crimp or tie, and if you tie what knot do you use most often. Also i use weedeater string if that matters. Thanks


I don't crimp mono any more. I quit that practice better than 20 years ago.
Thats due to the fact that its [email protected] near imposable to get crimping pressure just right. If you over crimp(most common practice), you cut the line inside the crimp and weaken it. If you under crimp(not as common a practice), the line is likely to slip out of the crimp. Either one will lose you a good fish.
The knots I use are the same ones that I use for tieing small line. Big mono is harder to tie, but the same knots work just as well and hold just as good as they do in smaller line.

My advice is to get rid of the "eater" line. That stuff will vary from lot to lot, meaning one batch will make "OK" cheap leaders and the next batch will only make trash. It took me a while and some lost fish to learn my lesson, but now I won't touch the stuff.

The Flemish loop, AKA: offshore loop, is not one of my favorite knots. It has a reputation of cutting itself under heavy pressure.


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

gundoctor said:


> Thats due to the fact that its [email protected] near imposable to get crimping pressure just right. If you over crimp(most common practice), you cut the line inside the crimp and weaken it. If you under crimp(not as common a practice), the line is likely to slip out of the crimp. Either one will lose you a good fish.
> .


i find it hard to believe that overcrimping 600# mono will weaken it enough to be the weak spot on 50# gear, if you use a cigarette lighter to blob the tag end, it will be harder to slip through the crimp, if you follow instructions in the link i posted above, and use quality crimpers, you wont have a problem.....i didnt lose the 7' fish that picked up my mono leader earlier this year....but maybe thats not a "good fish".......one things for sure...you wont find me runnin mono out on a 12/0


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

I crimp any mono over 100lb. 

Any mono under 100lb, I use a palomar knot.


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

IDWINEASY said:


> i find it hard to believe that overcrimping 600# mono will weaken it enough to be the weak spot on 50# gear, if you use a cigarette lighter to blob the tag end, it will be harder to slip through the crimp, if you follow instructions in the link i posted above, and use quality crimpers, you wont have a problem.....i didnt lose the 7' fish that picked up my mono leader earlier this year....but maybe thats not a "good fish".......one things for sure...you wont find me runnin mono out on a 12/0


7ft is a [email protected] good fish in my book. I've only got a few that are better than 7.
As for how much you can weaken 600# mono with a improper crimp, I've seen heavy mono(400-600#) cut so bad with a improper crimp, that the leader broke at less than 30#. 
On the other hand, I've also seen some big ole blobs on the tag end, pull through a crimp that wasn't quite tight enough.
I'm not saying don't crimp mono. What I'm saying is its too [email protected] hard to get it exactly right. My solution to the problem, was to quit crimping mono and tie it. That gave me one less thing I had to worry about.
I've been fishing for shark since the early 70s. In all those years, I can't and won't say I've seen it all(I still see new ways to screw up and learn new useful tricks all the time), but I will say I saw quite a bit in over 30 years on the beach. I think I was smart enough to take a lot of those lessons, of what to do and what not to do, to heart.

BTW: Unlike you, I have run all mono leaders out on 1 of my 12/0. I didn't catch any more fish than I did with the rig next to it that had a steel leader and the fish I did hook, weren't big enough to be a good test of if a big fish can be handled on a mono leader. I'm now back to steel leaders on all my big rigs.


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

"7ft is a [email protected] good fish in my book. I've only got a few that are better than 7."

if we lived in florida it'd be a different story

"As for how much you can weaken 600# mono with a improper crimp, I've seen heavy mono(400-600#) cut so bad with a improper crimp, that the leader broke at less than 30#. "

crimped with a hammer?

"On the other hand, I've also seen some big ole blobs on the tag end, pull through a crimp that wasn't quite tight enough."

that makes me think of when it is crimped on its side, retaining its original shape rather than squishing it down...

"I'm not saying don't crimp mono. What I'm saying is its too [email protected] hard to get it exactly right. My solution to the problem, was to quit crimping mono and tie it. That gave me one less thing I had to worry about."

i dont see how if done properly it would be a problem for the size fish we see...but to each his own....i would like to see one of your knots on 200#+ mono

"I've been fishing for shark since the early 70s. In all those years, I can't and won't say I've seen it all(I still see new ways to screw up and learn new useful tricks all the time), but I will say I saw quite a bit in over 30 years on the beach. I think I was smart enough to take a lot of those lessons, of what to do and what not to do, to heart".

well i've been at it a little more than a year....and will admit that i'm far from an expert fisherman...real far...but i am the type to take my gear outside and tie off to somthing and try to break it....i know it doesnt perfectly simulate a fight....but it does give me an idea of its strength

"BTW: Unlike you, I have run all mono leaders out on 1 of my 12/0. "

i've always considered a 12 a big bait reel, a sized bait i would run j hooks on.....i personally wouldnt run j's on mono...is all i'm sayin....once again im no expert

truth be told...that 7' sandbar was a pretty lame fight considering its size...i bet a 6'blacktip could do more damage to a knot or crimp....but they've never given me a problem either


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## Mustad7731 (May 23, 2004)

*Knots and Crimps*

I'm with Jolly Roger...I crimp everything above about 100#....
I know that a faulty crimp will lose ya a fish...I haven't had much 
luck with knots in lines above 80#...
Ain't it great to be in a country where we can have the option to 
crimp or knot...
Mustad7731
Jackie


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

IDWINEASY said:


> "BTW: Unlike you, I have run all mono leaders out on 1 of my 12/0. "
> 
> i've always considered a 12 a big bait reel, a sized bait i would run j hooks on.....i personally wouldnt run j's on mono...is all i'm sayin....once again im no expert


We agree on several things and don't agree on a few.
I agree the 12/0 is a big bait reel and "J" hooks are not very good with all mono leaders. 
Where we disagree, is using circle hooks in big baits. Done correctly, a whole jack or large ray can be rigged very efficiently on 20/0 circle hooks. Thats not to say I don't ever use "J" hooks, but I don't use them often.

BTW: There ain't no "experts" here, just some guys that like to fish. Some may have more experience than others, but that don't make them experts.


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

right on....would you care to enlighten me on how you rig circles on a whole jack?
i've messed with 24/0 circles on some dam near 10#chunks of jack with good success...

and i was serious about wanting to see what heavy mono looks like tied....what knot do you use? the more options the better


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## lunkerbrad (Feb 17, 2007)

*like this*

here is a 20/0 cercle and 200 lb test








also a few drops of superglue and 100%


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## lunkerbrad (Feb 17, 2007)

now the knot is a snail . but the trick with the heavy line is soak in warm water to loosen it up . but i only crimp my shark rigs .


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

you want to crimp a loose loop in mono or cable for circle hooks, the hook should be able to roll over for an easier hook set, also why would you want to snell a shark mono leader right where the teeth are going to bite? 

you want double alum crimps for mono and copper for cable and use a crimping tool not a hammer, pinch the end flat on the mono before you snug it up to help resist pulling thru the sleeve

you can "walk" a circle down the side of a bait by stitching it under the skin, just go in and out of the same hole 2X and pull it thru.


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> also why would you want to snell a shark mono leader right where the teeth are going to bite?
> 
> .


you probably wouldnt....lunkerbrads post clearly says he only crimps his sharkleaders....read it again....he's just showing us how to snell a circle.....there are other fish in the sea besides sharks

i agree with you about the loop thing.....but do remember reading about snelling circles with offset eyes...aka sport circles....they seem to benefit most from it


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

Your right...........I'm sorry , I thought this was the shark fishing board...................


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

dont get offended sweetheart.....just helping you read lunkerbrads posts...i know it can be difficult for most


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

no offense taken, how's the shark fishing on Lake Whitney better than Travis ?


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## JD761 (Jun 7, 2006)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> how's the shark fishing on Lake Whitney better than Travis ?


Landsharks are bad on Lake Travis, in the Austin area...


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> no offense taken, how's the shark fishing on Lake Whitney better than Travis ?


probably as good as all that crack your smokin


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

IDWINEASY said:


> probably as good as all that crack your smokin


wow, that made alot of sense..........must be the paint fumes


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> wow, that made alot of sense..........must be the paint fumes


so its paint fumes that have you all loopy....i figured you for a crackhead...oh well...all the same in my book....better get back to your huffin buddy...


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

CoastalInbreeders said:


> ..........must be the paint fumes


breathe deeply into your bag of dreams







http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/art3/0721051gold1.jpg


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## JD761 (Jun 7, 2006)

lol...








Plus








Equals


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

no sorry Rudy, 

your the one in "auto restoration" making the random comments, it's all about you and the paint fumes, sorry your boyfriend left you for your hairdresser,but i'm sure you can tell your mom now your actually "out". 

someday you might actaully learn to crimp a leader or rig a bait, if you don't mess up your sissy pink nails.

pink nails, sissy nails, with little sharks on them woooooooooooo


bwaaahaaahaaaaa


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## IDWINEASY (Apr 11, 2007)

your avatar fits you well.....squirrel...lmao


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