# Leader knots



## YAKMANANOFF (Sep 29, 2009)

Fellow Yakkers, I am after some advice as to leader to braid knots on light setups, I use a uni to uni setup but I am not overlly impressed by strenght of it. It seems ok for smallish fish, but if you snag it doesn't ake much and your off, and that nice new lure is usally gone for good. some of the more elaborate knots require your feet and a science degree to accomplish. :?


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## fishodude (May 26, 2007)

I use a knot called a 5 turn surgeons loop (or something like that) and I have never had it let go on me.


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## OBee (Dec 2, 2009)

FG knot!


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

double uni everytime. so simple and easy to tie and I haven't ever had one fail. I've snapped jigheads in half before the knot has given way.

Its not the slimmest knot around (the albright is better) but on leader under 20lb its slim enough and I use it on leader up to 80lb without any dramas.

again, its extremely simple and easy, a bit like me.  :?


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## Hughman (Nov 14, 2009)

I like the albright knot or improved albright knot. http://www.adventurebound.com.au/review ... _knot.html.
Cheers


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## Kevlar (Nov 7, 2008)

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Good site with easy to follow step (you can play them slow too).


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

slim beauty reliable and very easy to tie


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## bimbo (Sep 15, 2009)

I have tried the albright on 6lb braid to 6lb leader and it just kept slipping. Now i only use the double uni but know of many people using the improved albright which will hold the thinner lines and still slide nice throught the guides.
I only use the albrigth on my heavier line though and it is good (20lb braid to 30lb leader)
Cheers
James


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

I use a 12 turn bimini twist and the Bristol knot, as recommended by Doug Olander in this article http://www.sportfishingmag.com/article.jsp?ID=43557 which he tested as the strongest of all the leader connections. (He calls the Bristol knot the Yucatan, but he confirmed to me that the knot he tested was the Bristol knot as shown here: http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/artic ... D=21012464 ) Here's a link to how Doug ties the bimini (no pics unfortunately) http://forums.sportfishingmag.com/showt ... imini+turn

To get the Bristol to hold in bream strength leaders you need to do around 20 turns of the leader around the doubled braid. It still comes out as a very small slim knot which is quite easy to tie. I've only once had the knot itself fail, when I think I must have cut the tag of the leader too short.

I also use this connection with 20 lb braid and 40lb fluorocarbon leader in which case you only need to do 6 to 8 turns. I've been busted off by big rays a few times, and the knot itself hasn't failed - the braid broke above the bimini in each case, which shows how strong the knot is.

OK, the bimini is a bit of a faff to tie, but with practice it is relatively quick even in the confines of a kayak. I do the turns around my hand and then slip the loop around my knee when I'm tensioning it up - you don't need a long bimini which you would have to tension around your feet and knees. The loop ends up being around 25 cm long.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,


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## ohagas (Dec 4, 2006)

go the Albright, yak ma nan off?


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

40 turn bimini twist to an improved albright, never had a failure


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

On 4lb and 6lb braid to 10lb and 12lb leader I have taken to a 40 twist bimini as well. Then uni-uni, but increasingly I dont like the uni. Might try the albright.

I find the bimini takes away a lot of the issues that come with knoting really light braid.


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## jaredluke (Nov 23, 2007)

I tie a 40 turn bimini first and then use this jigging knot which I found on this page:
http://fishinkona.com/jigging.htm

Very easy to tie and is very slim. I have tested this knot and each time the leader or just above the bimini has broken before the knot.


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## GoneFishn (May 17, 2007)

The Stren Knot








or the Slim Beauty








http://www.fishnet.com.au/knotsrigs/knotsrigs.html


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

fishodude said:


> I use a knot called a 5 turn surgeons loop (or something like that) and I have never had it let go on me.


Same here so simple you can tie in the dark, some leader knots are to much mucking around on a kayak. 8)


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

I'm pretty old school with my leader knot - two half blood knots. Its never failed me in almost 30 years.
I have used the Albright a few times (when using snapper leaders) as it is much slimmer as we all know, but the two half bloods with 4 or 6lb braid and up to 10lb leader is still very castable, and super quick to tie.


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## Saltiga5 (May 15, 2009)

Has the Slim Beauty failed any of you guys?
Is it important to do a double overhand knot if can you just do a single?


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## phil79 (Nov 7, 2008)

stren looks interesting,,,,hmmmmmmmmmmm
albright seems to be the easiest when tying in wind,,for me anyway (I feel disadvantaged ever since dopey pom chopped my index finger off with hedger)
the other thing is that the tag on the leader faces the direction you cast with albright,which makes a difference as you up you Lb rating.its ok on 2-6 Lb if trimmed neatly,yet leave a good little 10Lb spike and you start catching on guides.
double uni faces back at you,,food for thought


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## Saltiga5 (May 15, 2009)

Yeah you need the tag facing towards the reel.


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

Never had the slim beauty fail caught some good fish on 6lb fireline through to 30lb fins.


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## PhilK (Jan 4, 2010)

Albright knot for me... I am exceptionally knot challenged and find this knot easy. After being shown how to do it (I do 5 turns up, 5 turns back) I picked it up straight away, which is odd for me. It goes into my arsenal of knots (making the total about 4)


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## serpil15 (Nov 8, 2021)

this knot tying is very good.


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