What do you think?

[Still Running]

Been having a problem when I get hung up black fishing. I loose my top shot.
I thought my Albright knot was pulling out.

So I tied a my power pro to 40lb leader and pulled on it till something gave out. I did this 5 times, even trying new power pro and the same thing happened every time. The power pro broke right at the knot.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Reel McCoy]

I have had the same thing happen to me.  I assume that when using a 60# test top shot and 50# main line it breaks at the weakest point, the knot.  I have started tying a swivel to the braid and a rig to the swivel.  I find it a lot faster to tie a swivel to braid and then add a pre-tied rig when blackfishing.

[Hunter 2]

Interesting link:

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniques/sport-fishing-knot-challenge

[Wreckfish]

I use a swivel also

[Eng 94]

Sounds like a swivel is your best bet, but I have used an Alberto Knot..it is a strong knot and holds well,the draw back is it is a time consuming knot on the water.Normally I don't like using swivels or snaps only because I started out using plugs and didn't want to take away from the action of the artificial bait. In your case a swivel is much more practical for many reasons.

[PeggyLee]

Try a Palomar knot  from braid to the swivel then improved clinch knot from mono to swivel. I find them easier to tie with cold wet hands than the Albright knot. Good Luck out there !!

[Bucktail]

I'll put this out there again.  This knot is fairly small, easy to tie and super strong!

Red Phillips Knot

I like another knot for casting because it goes through the guides and levelwind a little easier.  But, for most purposes this one is my favorite.

[Duffman]

Had it happen many times regardless of knot I use.  The problem is definitely with my knot tying. When the line breaks it looks like the braid is cutting thru the mono at the knot.

How are you guys using a swivel to tie a top shot on?  How does that make it thru the guides and lay on the reel with 20-50 feet of mono lying on top of it?

[Wreckfish]

My top-shot is only as long a my rod.

[Eng 94]

Had it happen many times regardless of knot I use.  The problem is definitely with my knot tying. When the line breaks it looks like the braid is cutting thru the mono at the knot.

How are you guys using a swivel to tie a top shot on?  How does that make it thru the guides and lay on the reel with 20-50 feet of mono lying on top of it?

The swivel is not supposed to go threw the guides it can only do damage to them. As wreckfish said his top shot is only as long as the rod tip to the reel or butt end..either way you should never allow terminal tackle to run threw the guides no more then placing a hook in them either. Tie the top shot to the swivel as you would with mono then tie the braid to the other end of the swivel with the prescribed knot used for braid "Berkely,Polymer,Red whatever . and its done.

Beside your reel and line the guides on the stick are the moist important part of the fishing tackle. Don't put crap in the guides....other then the fishing line.  

[Wreckfish]

Of course I suck at blackfishing. Maybe you should do the opposite of what I do. 

[Still Running]

Of course I suck at blackfishing. Maybe you should do the opposite of what I do. 

Don't do what I do or you will get even worse. 

I'll put this out there again.  This knot is fairly small, easy to tie and super strong!

Red Phillips Knot

I like another knot for casting because it goes through the guides and levelwind a little easier.  But, for most purposes this one is my favorite.

Thanks Bob I'll give it a try. 

I'll let you know how it goes if the weather doesn't mess up the next trip. 

The wife yells "6 trips this year?" She doesn't count that only 2 went off.

[Duffman]

So if the swivel is at the rod tip, the top shot runs from that to the rig ?  You won't have any mono from the rod tip to the reel?  You lose all the shock absorbing stretch of mono with a big fish at boat side.

[Kenny]

I just checked youtube and it seems there are many variations to the Albright the way guys tie them ..

This video below is the way I tie it..going 6 to 7 turns up the line and the same back down over the first set of wraps...and back through the loop at the end the same way the line came through in the first place...

Strong knot.. and has never failed for me Rick...

I'm tying it with 65 pound briad to 60 pound top shot on my rods...

Hope that helps 

[BigAl13]

I havnt had that happen yet . I use 60lb power pro. 50 lb berkley big game top shot (Belmar Rig) and 60 lb berkley or flouro to snell the hooks. My thinking is Id rather the top shot break opposed to my braid so thats why I use heavier braid, and 9 out of 10 times I get hung up its the sinker, so thats why I use heavier line to snell so if the sinker gets hung up i can still either get the fish to the boat or break the sinker loose and keep my hooks.


I tie the same way as kenny but I use 12 wraps 

[Kenny]

I did a little more poking around youtube..

This video shows the ablright knot..Difference between the two is that this video shows the wraps only going down one way...The improved version shows wraps first up then back down over the original set...

The video I showed in my last post showed the Improved Albright knot ( The one I use )

One thing I noticed after reading your post again Rick is that the line broke when you pulled on it...

That's good news...some things gota break if you pull hard enough...the knot didn't pull...

what is the line test of your braid and top shot...are the equal ?

[Still Running]

I don't have a problem with the knot. The line breaks right at the top shot knot. The knot does not move, its still on the top shot.

[Kenny]

The braid or the mono breaks ?

And what test power pro vs what test mono...are the close or equal in line test ?

[Takes Prizoners]

Whenever I've had breaks, it's 95% of the time it's at the knot.  The knot is your weakest point.  So my question would be, is it breaking near the breaking point?  I've had up and downs with power pro as far as breaking points and I wouldn't be surprised if you have line from a bad batch.  I'm trying to test a new brand of braid and mono when next season comes around since I'm due for a respooling

[Still Running]

The braid or the mono breaks ?

And what test power pro vs what test mono...are the close or equal in line test ?

The braid breaks right at the knot. You still the knot on the mono.