I don't know what has happened, but in the last 2 years I have experienced an absurd amount of breakoffs on the hookset when I use a Texas rig. It doesn't matter if I'm using 65lb braid or 20lb fluoro, snell knot or Palomar knot, I end up breaking off well over 40% of my bites. Normally if I'm lucky to have brought in the fish, I have to immediately retire because my line is so frayed from the weight. I'm using strike king tungsten weights. Does anyone else have these issues?
Never use tungsten except for a punch rig.
I throw a Trig >75% of the time. I use lead weights and a tough line such as CXX. I have not broke off a Trig in probably five years.
I would ditch the tungsten and see if your luck changes,
I use Strike King tungsten too but have never had the problems you speak of.
Have you tried pegging your weight so it doesn't not move? Do the weights have burs on the inside of them?
You could also try the Hawgtech weights. I know they have inserts in them. I use them only for punching due to the cost, but never experience fraying from them.
I make sure that the ones I use don't have the burrs inside of them. Almost all of mine are pegged tooOriginally Posted by rockchalk06
Humm. I use the SK ones for light 1/4 oz Trigs and never had that problem. I seriously doubt it's the weights. Only two other things come to mind. Bad quality braid or maybe zebra mussels?
I use both braid and flouro of different sizes and experience the same issues. There are no zebra mussels in the lakes I fish as well. It's not the knot either because I don't experience these issues when using a jig or any other bait
I would check your guides to especially the tip
I texas rig with tungsten all the time and don't have that issue. I have not used SK brand but have used several others.
Where is it fraying? At the knot/hook connection or where the line leaves the other end of the weight?
Try using a bead between the weight and the knot to isolate the knot from getting beat on by the weight and see if that helps.
Maybe dial back on your hookset a notch or two.
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Check the guides on your rod for cracks that could fray the line. Also, check the eyes of your hooks to make sure that they are closed and there are no sharp edges that could cut your line.
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It's certainly not the rod causing the issue. I'm pretty positive it's the weights fraying the line. I just wouldn't think that a hookset right after retying would be enough to snap it clean.
Aaron Martens has video on YouTube about using heat shrink tubing in his tungsten weights. You should definitely check it out, pretty sure it may solve your problem
I would try pegging the weights. Could be the holes are not deburred all the way through. I use SK weights quite a bit. Have never had your issue with them...but have with other brands. I peg all my t-rig weights.
That effectively turns a tungsten weight into a lead weight. The size would be the only benefit in using tungsten
I don't follow, please explainThat effectively turns a tungsten weight into a lead weight
I'm thinking your knot has to be the problem. Tie on a jig with a heavy hook and hook it up to something solid. In water if possible because line can slip. Give it your best hook set and see where you are breaking off. If you can't break it then maybe you are getting bit off.
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I was thinking the same thing. The Palomar is a great knot IF tied properly. And, it takes some time to learn to tie it properly so that the lines going through the hookeye do not overlap, which can result in one line cutting the other. But, the OP said that he's also breaking off when tying a snell, which led me to think that maybe the eyes of his hooks had a sharp edge that was cutting the line.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
It is not tungsten causing your issue. I use tungsten exclusively for texas rigs and never have a breakage issue. I use a palomar knot too. Are you setting the hook on a slack line? You want some tension on it before setting the hook.
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