# Question about tying a leader



## jfarkas (Apr 14, 2008)

Hello, I am getting ready to switch to using braid and then tying on a flouro leader to do some smallie fishing. I have a question though. Whats your opinion on just tying on a barrel swivel and then putting on a flouro leader? It seems like I never see this done and was wondering what the draw backs are.

Thanks


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I prefer to use a double Uni Knot or a Blood Knot as these are not a hard on the rod top guides if you forget and wind the connection into the rod top guides. I really don't care to hear that small Spro Swivel hitting the inner surface or insert of the guide.


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## lukejhoward (Jul 1, 2013)

I use an Albright knot with a three turn lock. Very easy and quick knot to tie. Just YouTube it and you will be set! 

On that note...I use 15 pound braid as my main line and a 15 pound fluorocarbon as my leader. I used to tie the uni-uni knot but it would always slip...is this likely if using the same pound braid as fluoro? Obviously the fluoro diameter is much larger so that may explain it. Would the uni-uni work better with a 15 pound braid to 10 pound fluoro or mono leader matchup? Any input on this would be great.


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## mck1975 (Jun 18, 2009)

I say barrel swivel then leader.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Try a Wolf Knot, easy to tie, simple and effective. Also, a drop of superglue would help on any knot.

Mr. A


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I use the uni to uni for everything but a dropshot. I use a swivel, and have a bunch of rigs tied up and wrapped around a piece of a foam pool noodle for when I break it off. Makes re-rigging a dropshot quick and easy when in a tournament, and I'm liable to break it off 3 or 4 times in a typical summer tournament on the Ohio river.... and I've never had the back to back uni slip or fail, even when punching or flipping.

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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

When ever I fish lures for smallies that can lead to a lot of twist, spoons, I always use a swivel 24-28" up the line to attach the leader. I do this same routine when ice fishing with Spoons, Rapala's and blade baits. If you try ripping Hopkins spoons for smallmouth on Erie, or jigging a rapala through the ice and don't have a swivel you will regret it pretty quickly.

Casting lures that don't twist or shiner fishing I use a knot to attach the leader with no swivel. I always have at least one rod set up both ways with me in the boat


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Like Shortdrift said, back to back Uni knots work great for tying leader to braided line. As for the swivel......... I second what Shortdrift said...... I wouldn't use a swivel because I wouldn't want the line passing through my guides. And if you use a big enough swivel that it won't pass through your guides then you could be presenting problems with casting, depending how long the leader you are using, is.

LukeJ.......... the back to back Uni knots works better when the lines are close to being the same diameter. I use a blood knot or a nail knot if the lines aren't close to being the same diameter....... and be sure to use at least 8 turns on the braided section of line. At least that's what I do.


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## lukejhoward (Jul 1, 2013)

Bassbme said:


> Like Shortdrift said, back to back Uni knots work great for tying leader to braided line. As for the swivel......... I second what Shortdrift said...... I wouldn't use a swivel because I wouldn't want the line passing through my guides. And if you use a big enough swivel that it won't pass through your guides then you could be presenting problems with casting, depending how long the leader you are using, is.
> 
> LukeJ.......... the back to back Uni knots works better when the lines are close to being the same diameter. I use a blood knot or a nail knot if the lines aren't close to being the same diameter....... and be sure to use at least 8 turns on the braided section of line. At least that's what I do.



So I guess this leads me to ask, since most people seem to use uni-uni knot for joining the braid to the leader line, and since 15 pound braid and 15 pound fluoro are not close in diameter, should I be using more like 10 pound fluoro or mono for my leader line? I never really knew what the ideal braid-fluoro(or mono) pound test ratio should look like. Of course this all depends on what you want out of your line but for the most part would you say that 15 pound braid should have a lighter pound test for the leader line?


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Not me, I don't go lighter I go heavier for a bunch of reasons. Never had an issue with the knot with the different diameter lines.

On Erie I normally have at a minimum a 15 or 20 lb leader, sometimes 25 lb if I am jigging the reefs early season.

I much prefer the knot to leader connection but there are some highly productive lures types you will not be able to fish without a swivel somewhere in the line, either at the leader connection or at the lure connection. If you don't fish those type lures then just a leader knot connection and a snap work just fine.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

10 lb braid with a 15lb fluorocarbon leader is my standard setup for a spinning reel.
Dirty water no need for a leader at all.
I have never had a back to back uni knot slip. And almost every time you snag and have to break off its the line just up from the knot that breaks instead of the knot.
The last few feet of line takes all the abuse from fish teeth and the bottom so a heavier leader will save tons of time and baits in the long run and the fish don't mind at all.

For a baitcast set up I like 15-20 braid with a 20lb leader personally.
The confidence you gain from fishing with slightly heavier line will catch you more fish since you will let your baits fish closer to cover and slower without the constant worry of loosing them. IMO


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## lukejhoward (Jul 1, 2013)

Big Joshy said:


> 10 lb braid with a 15lb fluorocarbon leader is my standard setup for a spinning reel.
> 
> Dirty water no need for a leader at all.
> 
> ...



Gotcha. Yea I probably just didn't tie the uni-uni knot exactly how it should have been. I think I gave the braid the same amount of wraps as the fluoro, so I probably should have given the braid more wraps...That being said, the Albright knot has been great but the uni-uni seems very simple. Next time I tie on a leader I'll have to retry to the uni-uni and make sure I get it right


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## jfarkas (Apr 14, 2008)

Thanks for all the info everyone.


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## yakfish (Mar 13, 2005)

Look on YouTube for "Alberto's Knot" It is the strongest braid to floro connection I have seen It's not too difficult to tie, I can tie it while bobbing around in the kayak.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've tied smaller fluro line to braid many times with a uni to uni knot and never had a problem with the knot.
sherman


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## 9dodgefan (Jul 11, 2009)

Double uni. Have never had one break.


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## barillms (Aug 28, 2013)

Do a line to line knot. Use about 4 feet of leader.


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## JohnPD (Jun 12, 2012)

jfarkas said:


> Hello, I am getting ready to switch to using braid and then tying on a flouro leader to do some smallie fishing. I have a question though. Whats your opinion on just tying on a barrel swivel and then putting on a flouro leader? It seems like I never see this done and was wondering what the draw backs are.
> 
> Thanks


Line twist is what I say when using a swivel


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Tie the double UNI directly to the braid...never had one fail!


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> Do a line to line knot. Use about 4 feet of leader.


+1. Very simple, and a drop of super glue finishes it off.


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## barillms (Aug 28, 2013)

Yeah, cause catfish love the smell and taste of superglue.


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## barillms (Aug 28, 2013)

Best bet is 1 knot at the hook. Technique I learned from Robbie Katfish Robinson.... One knot leader-less Carolina rig. I use a rubber bobber stop to hold my sinker about 18" away from my hook. I love this rig.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> Yeah, cause catfish love the smell and taste of superglue.





> Hello, I am getting ready to switch to using braid and then tying on a flouro leader to do some* smallie fishing*.



I don't think he's fishing for bottom feeders.


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

barillms said:


> Do a line to line knot. Use about 4 feet of leader.


That's a uni- knot, also called a blood knot.


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

barillms said:


> Best bet is 1 knot at the hook. Technique I learned from Robbie Katfish Robinson.... One knot leader-less Carolina rig. I use a rubber bobber stop to hold my sinker about 18" away from my hook. I love this rig.


The point of using a leader is to be able to break it off from your main line, Or to have heavier line than your main line for toothy critters. Personally I would not use that set up for cats either, if using braid for my main line.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

winguy7 said:


> That's a uni- knot, also called a blood knot.


The uni to uni, and the blood knot are two completely different knots...

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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

lukejhoward said:


> I use an Albright knot with a three turn lock. Very easy and quick knot to tie. Just YouTube it and you will be set!


Works for me, I use it for fresh and saltwater.

Check your braid instructions, mine came with recommended knots for various connections.


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

Bad Bub said:


> The uni to uni, and the blood knot are two completely different knots...
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


not really, a blood is just two uni knots joining two lines.


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

guess I was wrong, they are different. Still though I've seen a zillion people tie a uni to uni and call it a blood.


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## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

i agree with the masses...double uniknot. simple to tie, strong, and easy to get through the guides.


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## Blue Collar Bob (Nov 13, 2011)

I like the surgeons knot better for the line to line knot and the Miller knot at the hook.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYeUl5bBCA TackleTour Video - Braid to Fluorocarbon knot connections - YouTube


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## Crawdude (Feb 6, 2013)

yakfish said:


> Look on YouTube for "Alberto's Knot" It is the strongest braid to floro connection I have seen It's not too difficult to tie, I can tie it while bobbing around in the kayak.


What he said.


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