Help me understand braid to leader .

[styler]

I tried using brain to leader last summer with bad results. I was d-shotting using 10lb braid to 8 lb floro . We need this lite line set up here in n ga. very clear water and finicky fish .
I tried every knot out there and kept having issues with knots going thorough the eyes. It would start out good then end up with fraying .. i gave up and stuck with straight floro with much better results.
Now Im using an A rig and straight 20 lb floro. Getting some good distance but I see guys using braid to floro on this set up a lot. Im afraid to venture in. I guess i have a bad tase for the xtra knot required.
To me its one more thing to fail. But I realize braid would help with distance.
Can you guys explain how your doing this?
I mean which braid, knot, and how long floro leader. maybe some encourage lol.

[DrewFlu33]

Are the knots catching on the guides and fraying, or just fraying? If the latter, that kind of sounds like a problem with the braid, though I've never really had that happen unless a guide was screwed up (in which case, you'd have other problems too). If it's the former...

Lots of people are going to suggest the FG and it's a great knot, but I think there are two caveats. The first is that it's really long, so its advantage in being slightly thinner is really diminished on lighter line. You also have to crank on it pretty hard to make sure it's seated after you tie it, else it can let loose just sort of randomly after you use it for a while.

So I use the FG on leaders over 10 lbs, the "lazy Alberto" (aka Shin Fukae's knot) on those under 10 lbs. No issues with either fraying.

I do tend to use longer leaders than most, I think. When you're casting a knot through your guides, if the leader is longer, there's more momentum behind the knot by the time it gets to the guides which really helps with avoiding issues. I don't tie a leader short enough to keep it off my reel until I get to my pitching a flipping setup which uses a 25 lb Sniper leader.

If you've tried different knots and still had issues, was it all on one rod? Does it have really small guides?

All that said...At some level, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. If your straight fluoro is working for you, why go through the hassle? Everybody likes different things.

[A Wood]

So i use almost that same set up just with 7lb fluro for drop shotting and have zero issues. What brand braid and fluro are you using? I'm using sunline for both. I've tried many different lines and had frustration till I went full sunline.

[TxBassfisher]

I use the Alberto knot on all of my set ups ranging from 10-45lb braid tied to 8-20lb fluorocarbon. Zero fraying issues with mid-micros guides. Sounds like you have a gouge in one of your eyes or bad braid which is causing the fraying. I would check both.

[styler]

Thanks guys .. all good advise. Drop shotting I always use 8 lb P line 10 lb Spider line. maybe its the Spider line?
Either way I'm done fooling with it drop shotting. Straight floro has been trouble free.
Eyes are all good. its new Daiwa Kage rod bought last summer and I inspected them with a magnifying glass thinking like yall said maybe a bad one.
So, like Drew said . if it aint broke dont fix.
Now that I have the A rig bug Im wanting to cast as far as possible so that's why Im thinking about the braid to floro leader.
Right now I'm using straight 20 lb floro with not issues but im thinking maybe with the larger diameter lines ill have better luck?
We're catching mostly spots so nothing over 4 lb at the most but there are some big hybrids and stripe so we have to be prepared.

[Jig_Man]

You mention fraying but never specified if it is the standing line above the knot or the tag end of the braid that is fraying. If it is the tag end you can burn the tip of it with a lighter and stop it.

[pabasshawk]

I quit using fireline years ago because of constant fraying and never tried it again. I use 832 now and use an Alberto knot if I'm tying on a leader.

[slipknobber bot]

Just my $.02, but if you're having trouble with leader knots, the last thing you should be tying a leader to is your a rig setup. Just throw straight braid or straight flouro/copoly.

I would also highly recommend the shin fukae knot for braid to leader.

[dragon1]

Just my $.02, but if you're having trouble with leader knots, the last thing you should be tying a leader to is your a rig setup. Just throw straight braid or straight flouro/copoly.

I would also highly recommend the shin fukae knot for braid to leader.

Just be careful and know that the Shin Fukae knot will have a tendency for the braid to cut into the leader more so then knots that weave back on itself more. Shin Fukae aka lazy Alberto is really good for thinner braid and leaders and creates a small knot, but that braid will more easily cut the thin leader when pulled on hard.

[KWH]

I tried using brain to leader last summer with bad results. I was d-shotting using 10lb braid to 8 lb floro . We need this lite line set up here in n ga. very clear water and finicky fish .
I tried every knot out there and kept having issues with knots going thorough the eyes. It would start out good then end up with fraying .. i gave up and stuck with straight floro with much better results.
Now Im using an A rig and straight 20 lb floro. Getting some good distance but I see guys using braid to floro on this set up a lot. Im afraid to venture in. I guess i have a bad tase for the xtra knot required.
To me its one more thing to fail. But I realize braid would help with distance.
Can you guys explain how your doing this?
I mean which braid, knot, and how long floro leader. maybe some encourage lol.

Look up the Lefty Kreh leader knot on youtube. The knot is very easy to tie and have had good luck with it.

[slipknobber bot]

Just be careful and know that the Shin Fukae knot will have a tendency for the braid to cut into the leader more so then knots that weave back on itself more. Shin Fukae aka lazy Alberto is really good for thinner braid and leaders and creates a small knot, but that braid will more easily cut the thin leader when pulled on hard.

Interesting, never seen this happen or ever heard of it happening in all the years my buddies and I've been using it.

[mflora98ss]

I use the Alberto Knot as well. I only have issues with the knot catching on the guides if I don't tie the knot correctly.

I typically use 10lb Powerpro to 6-8lb Sunline FC Sniper.

[ECobb91]

I use the Alberto knot too. The only time it’s caught on guides is when pitching weightless baits or very light Texas rigs (mainly with casting rods and 15lb leaders)

[dragon1]

Interesting, never seen this happen or ever heard of it happening in all the years my buddies and I've been using it.

The Shin Fukae is a great and capable knot, however I noticed that the braid will cut through the leader most all the time when pulling on a snag, especially with lighter braid to fluoro when using a Shin Fukae/Lazy Alberto...I tested side by side versus an improved Alberto, and the improved Alberto is much stronger. When the braid/leader snaps on the Lazy Alberto/Shin Fukae it's usually at the leader connection.

[johnnybass]

Fluoro leader in front of five wire spreaders with swivels? Are you sure you can't get away with straight braid?

[JohnnyO]

Try the Yucatan Knot

[ThomasD]

Just be careful and know that the Shin Fukae knot will have a tendency for the braid to cut into the leader more so then knots that weave back on itself more. Shin Fukae aka lazy Alberto is really good for thinner braid and leaders and creates a small knot, but that braid will more easily cut the thin leader when pulled on hard.

Been using he Shin knot for several years now mostly with 20# Siffix 832 and 10# Invizx. Never had a problem nor have I broken at the knot.

[bassfisher444]

Forget the fluorocarbon, I use 15-20 lb regular Power pro braid with an 8 lb Pline CXX leader in low vis green and it works great, holds up far better than any fluorocarbon leader I have used and the fish don't bite it any less.

[dragon1]

Been using he Shin knot for several years now mostly with 20# Siffix 832 and 10# Invizx. Never had a problem nor have I broken at the knot.

I have never broken ANY braid to leader knot on a hookset or a fish, only on pulling a snag and the Lazy Alberto has a tendency to cut through the thinner leaders more so than connections that double wrap.

Read again, that I said this knot is an excellent one and it is one I have always recommended for thinner diameters and BFS, however for ultimate strength and durability, especially with an A-Rig, the Shin Fukae/Lazy Alberto would not be my recommendation.

And yes, I have broken at the knot many times with the Shin Fukae/Lazy Alberto, even before it was popularized by Shin Fukae.

[dragon1]

Forget the fluorocarbon, I use 15-20 lb regular Power pro braid with an 8 lb Pline CXX leader in low vis green and it works great, holds up far better than any fluorocarbon leader I have used and the fish don't bite it any less.

For A-Rig applications of the OP, this will probably not work well.