ADVICE....Tuna line and knot

[nmc02]

I was curious what brand of 80 lb top shot would be recommended??????????? Jinkai, Momoi, etc & What knot is best to attach the top shot of 80 lb to the braid underneath. So mant opinions. Thanks in advanced.

[Garone Custom Rods]

As far as mono goes I like something with good abrasion resistance, especially on the party boat. Personally I have used Berkeley big game, and hi seas quattro with good results.

As far as the best connection that would be a loop to loop using hollow core spectra. No knots and when done correctly 100% strength.

If I am not using a wind on with hollow core, I will typically use a Uni-uni or another knot that I do not know the name of. I am a firm believer that whatever knot you use it must be tied correctly and you must have confidence in tying it. A knot that is not tied correctly is not going to be strong.

[Gerry Zagorski]

http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/

With the Albright knot the heavier of the 2 lines is doubled (white in this video) and the lighter of the 2 (blue in this video) is used for the wrap. So in your case the mono would be doubled and the braid used to make the wrap.

As far as a top shot line, I would use a high quality floro carbon line like Seagar since Tuna can be line shy at times. There's been times that we've had to downsize as low as 30 - 40 pound leader to get them to bite.

Interesting when we were fishing for Giants with Tuna.com, they are very particular about their leaders. They use a barrel to join the leader to the main line, a crimp on the hook and stretch the leader after crimping it to the hook. Anything that is shinny like the metal on the crimps get's hit with a black sharpie to reduce it's potential for glare. Each time the leader is brought up they wipe it down with a piece of cloth to get any slime off of it as well. If the leader is on the deck and gets stepped on by accident it gets changed. Sounds extreme but I guess when you do this or a living, every little detail can increase your odds of a hook up and landing.

[AndyS]

KISS, no braid, 60lb. Jinkai, palomar knot

[Gerry Zagorski]

If you are fishing bait, I'm with Andy, all mono is fine but even then most will still add a floro leader with barrel connection. If you are jigging, braid is the way to go since it has no stretch and that tranfers the action from the rod tip to your jig better. The braid is also colored so you can tell how much line you have out. This helps a lot when you are marking fish on the sounder at a certain depth and you want to keep your jig there.

[njboarder]

I like Jinkai mono. Low memory and very soft & thin for the #.
Regarding knot, if you have hollow braid, just insert mono into hollow. If you have solid, you could try PR knot. Jiggingworld sells a nice bobbin.

I used to put braid backing for more capacity, but now I just go straight mono on my penn 50, keeping it simple like AndyS said.

[Tenacious Sportfishing]

Nick,
BAIT---3 1/2 turn 80 lb momoi to barrel, 5 turn cinch 60 lb seaguar to barrel, palomar to circle hook
JIG----uni to uni 65 lb braid to 60 lb seaguar, palomar to snap swivel

[Ol Pedro]

80 lb. Izor backing with 150 yards of Andy pink 80 lb. top shot with a Modified Albrite connection . Palomar swivel connection to what ever leader material you want . I have had good luck with Seaguar Floro , Quatro , Hi Seas , and Pink Andy. A lot of times I use whatever is on the reel . Palomar hook connection .

[AndyS]

I remember catching tuna before braid and flouro leaders. Did this fish get smarter over the years :confused:

[Gerry Zagorski]

No fishermen did :)

[Ol Pedro]

I remember catching tuna before braid and flouro leaders. Did this fish get smarter over the years :confused:
I don't think that the Tuna have changed much . The gear that we use to go after them has . An old Long Range Captain once told me " There are two kinds of fish . Smart ones and dumb ones . We want the dumb ones " . I do agree with that . Some years the dumb ones don't get caught out before they get to us . I was raised fishing line shy Tuna with live bait out West . When I was told that I could get away with 80 lb. and dead bait on my first East Coast trip I was in Heaven ! I still get my share on straight mono . If my Avet 4/2 would hold a little more mono then I wouldn't have to use the Izor backing .

[sportfishingusa]

If your bait fishing then you can use just straight mono and you will be fine just tying it off to a spro swivel and then leader to hook.. you will be fine.

If your looking to add on a wind on or top shop, we used to crimp to a spro swivel, but you need to make sure you have good rollers the whole way day, its also a pain in the ass sometimes.

[action]

I remember catching tuna before braid and flouro leaders. Did this fish get smarter over the years :confused:
aman

[Joey Dah Fish]

Boy Gerry giving away other boat secrets or spots is just plain WRONG!!

[PeteyHD]

I use 80lb test momoi and tie just about every knot with a Palmer knot.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Albright end of story

[Pennsy Guy]

I've been using braid backing for a few years now with a mono top shot of varying lengths--depending on either 80, 50 or 30# test...make connection with an Albright(& a drop of crazy glue)...Palomar or improved clinch to swivel/fluoro/hook. All leaders are Seaguar and all swivels are ball bearing or Aussie(wind-on)....I use braid backing so I only have to change top shots when necessary--a bit cheaper...I actually got into the braid twice with tuna in the past20+/- yrs...
Past 3 yrs been using 50 & 30# Cajun Red Line with good results---80# Izor Line.....

[Capt. Lou]

How & what your fishing for is the key to how u should rig.
Some instances simple Tuna chunking straiigjt mono is fine . If fish are shy then the addition of a floro leader is fine . The rigging can be simple too , via a swivel which I prefer or reverse albright.
If your trolling or Gt fishing go the HC route & use the customary
Braid or Dacron spliced loop connection to a suitable barrel swivel
then add leader suited to fishing at hand .
I never use snap swivel for any big game , that becomes the weakest link
Especially if gunning for big tuna.
PB Tuna fishing rig leader w/ swivel , if u break off or need change leader just snip & tie on fresh leader.
Preparing these spliced TS offshore is simple as well . Run mono inside HC then about 18+ " up ext mono lay in a nail knot or a series of half hitches dab some instanst gel type glue & ur done !
Palomar knot is a good choice but if leader is small enough to knot but I like the double thru hook eye nail knot or LR , WC long range knot if bigger fish not Gts. are sought.
Doubling thru hook eye can save the day if u pressure fish w/ hi drag settings!

[nmc02]

Thanks guys. As stated above, I like to use the braid with a mono top shot because it increases the line capacity and it is cheaper to replace the mono top shot. I will be chunking with this set up. I have tuna fished for several years and simply was wondering what brand mono & what knot to tie for braid/mono connection. I always use a flouro leader. I appreciate the tips and hints...........keep them coming. Hopefully we will ALL have a great canyon season. I spoke in good lengths with many Capts and one "pointer" I have discussed is using lighter weight drag than heavier. I like 12-15 lb rather than higher for 80 lb line...it places less stress on knots and line.

[sportfishingusa]

Thanks guys. As stated above, I like to use the braid with a mono top shot because it increases the line capacity and it is cheaper to replace the mono top shot. I will be chunking with this set up. I have tuna fished for several years and simply was wondering what brand mono & what knot to tie for braid/mono connection. I always use a flouro leader. I appreciate the tips and hints...........keep them coming. Hopefully we will ALL have a great canyon season. I spoke in good lengths with many Capts and one "pointer" I have discussed is using lighter weight drag than heavier. I like 12-15 lb rather than higher for 80 lb line...it places less stress on knots and line.



Keep in mind that the longer the fight lasts, the longer the terminal tackle and knots are under stress.. If you tie the knots right, you can fish more then 15lbs of drag on a chunked tuna fish, also remember that if you are chuking with 12 lbs of drag and you hook a real 80-100lb class yellowfin, you are going to be scratching your head wondering why there is nothing happening and why the fish is kicking your ass. lol chunking on a party boat with 15 lbs of drag is a hell of a lot different than a boat trolling with 15 lbs at strike

[AndyS]

No braid on party boat tuna trips .......PLEEEEEEEZE.

[Ol Pedro]

Keep in mind that the longer the fight lasts, the longer the terminal tackle and knots are under stress.. If you tie the knots right, you can fish more then 15lbs of drag on a chunked tuna fish, also remember that if you are chuking with 12 lbs of drag and you hook a real 80-100lb class yellowfin, you are going to be scratching your head wondering why there is nothing happening and why the fish is kicking your ass. lol chunking on a party boat with 15 lbs of drag is a hell of a lot different than a boat trolling with 15 lbs at strike
I'm with you Sportie .There is no finesse with 80 lb. when chunking . I would rather lose a fish early than get it to color just to have it fall off . I like to start around 20 lbs and be able to push it up when the fish stalls/circles . There's no reason you can't go 1/2 the breaking strength on any line . Rail um and keep putting the wood to um ! I also stopped using cutting edge hooks as they continue to cut the hook hole wider as the fight progresses .

[njboarder]

No braid on party boat tuna trips .......PLEEEEEEEZE.

Amen to this.
It seems like more and more people are bringing smaller reels with not enough top shots to PB and causing chaos.
I lost a nice fish when I got tangled with an idiot who only had 6 feet of mono topshot on his chunking rig. :mad:

If you really want braid, please have 100-200 yards of mono on top of braid.

[Ol Pedro]

Amen to this.
It seems like more and more people are bringing smaller reels with not enough top shots to PB and causing chaos.
I lost a nice fish when I got tangled with an idiot who only had 6 feet of mono topshot on his chunking rig. :mad:

If you really want braid, please have 100-200 yards of mono on top of braid.
NJB , I'm with you . LONNNNG top shots are the way to go . Don't forget Mono is more forgiving . Braid is forever . Like everything else Braid has it's place . If everyone fished Braid then it may be different . Long Range boats have learned to use it . Our fishing is different and we are still tuning it up .

[Pennsy Guy]

I've got 100yds topshot on the 80 and a LOT more on the 50 & even more on the 30---the lighter the drag, the more line Mr. Tuna can(and will) take...and don't forget, when lightening up on leaders with 80# main line, lighten up on the drag...