knotty issues

Went to Wal-Mart and bought a cheap roll of 50# mono ( Zebco OmniFlex ) for Spanish leaders, and have been practicing tying it ever since. It is some stiff stuff, and will not cinch for each and every knot type. I am cool with that. What I have decided, within my skill sets, which knots I can tie well. We are using 10# & 8# mono. As of right now, the most successful line to leader knot that I can tie is an Albright..... so is it a good knot for line to leader, or what? The terminal knots will be No-Slip mono knot, and a Davy knot. Love the Davy; someone on the Forum told me about it. I have never tied leaders for Spanish; it is fun learning something new, and I might catch one. Or more importantly, someone else, for whom I have set-up to catch 'a biggun'. Bigguns are 1 to 10 lbs, as everyone knows. If the knots I have learned are O.K., please let me know now, so's I can quit practicing. If these are useless, please let me know now, so I can practice. We launch in 26 days. Warn the fish; a piscevore is coming.

If you are using 8-10 pound main line you could use an overhand knot and probably not put enough pressure on 50 pound to pull the knot out.
50# may be a little 'overkill' IMO
I use 20#, 30# or 40# clear mono for shock leaders with 4# - 10# main line and have never pulled a knot in the leader.
If the leader gets cut a couple of times I will switch to light steel leader ;-)

Not to insult your abilities but moistening the knot when tightening makes a huge difference with that 50 omniflex. I have good luck with alomar knots using it.

I use that same 50# mono and have success with both the Albright and the double Uni for joining two lines, only using three turns with the heavy line. A three-turn uni does a fine job attaching a hook or lure---using 8# or 10# main line, there's no way I can put enough pressure on the knot to break it loose. God willing, I will do some experimenting with 40# leader toward the end of Oct.

I've also got a spool of that stuff and I have no problems with a double uni. When skeptical, I just add more turns. The problem I have with it is the memory that it seems to have when it's brand new off the spool. I honestly only keep it in my bag as a backup, because I already own it.

I use the Albright for line to leader and never have had a problem with it. However, I do add a locking knot to each tag end of it before trimming it. The locking knot is nothing more than a 3 turn surgeons knot of the tag end over the standing line. For hooks I'll use a snell, clinch, palamar or uni depending on size and type of line. For lures I use the nonslip loop. The only other knots I can tie are a half hitch and a hatchet knot.

If you have problems with it retaining memory, (coils) after it's been in your tackle box awhile, before you tie it pull it across your knee with a sawing motion a few times if you're wearing jeans. The friction/heat will straighten it out. I use a small loop knot on both ends. I tie a regular fishing knot with my mainline on the top loop. When the bite is on it doesn't take long to get a jig back in the water that way.

Another vote for albright going from line to leader. Palomar at a lure or terminal tackle. Snell on a bare hook.

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Originally Posted by chillinfish

Not to insult your abilities but moistening the knot when tightening makes a huge difference with that 50 omniflex. I have good luck with alomar knots using it.

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Lubrication is never an issue, as my nickname is slobbermouth, lol. I was trying to tie a slim beauty and nother knot I can't remember, and the heavy mono doesn't cinch; after reading what Mr. # said, I may just use a surgeons knot, as there isn't anything faster. Will try the uni with the heavy mono. The Albright is fun to tie, and a real pretty knot. Thanks to everybody for sharing knowledge.

Using a palomar was a bit of pain due to the stiffness of 50 &60 lb mono for me. I settled on a San Diego Jam as it a little better behaved and was nice and compact. For a loop knot the Kreh Loop was quick and easy. Also use Albright and FG Knot to go from braid main line to heavy leader. What ever you use it needs practice to make it second nature. Otherwise in the heat of battle it will be impossible to tie anything correctly. Try different knots until you find what works for you and then practice until you can tie it in the dark. When fishing at night this becomes important!