How do you tie your lure?

[chex]

I'm learning so much from you guys, I can't help but to ask more questions.

So, now that I've got a bunch of awesome lures (beautiful x-raps of various depths and colors, jigs and plastics of all sorts), I need to make sure I'm tying them on right.

Here's what I've been doing:

15Lb braid > clip > swivel > 2ft 30lb mono leader > lure (tied with a regular fishing knot).

Does that sound right?

[Southerly]

i wish i had one standard. i sometimes use your exact setup but more often don't have a snap on the end of mainline, and sometimes no swivel at all.

a snap swivel on end of mainline is nice for changing lures and i've been using that on one rod, for pulling various crankbait-type lures, already provided with a short leader (just long enough to keep hooks safely away from the mainline and terminal tackle) and inexpensive inline swivel on the leader for tieing or snapping onto. i may tow a shallow and med crankbait, but decide to change the shallow for a deep. a snap swivel reduces the rigging time for this change to near zero.

i think you need a good quality ballbearing swivel inline if you're goofing around with spoons, ie metal jigging lures. especially if you troll them. i try to keep the more expensive lures away from rocks because you lose the lure, swivel, etc.

most always, i have a rod dedicated to bkd/jigheads. i'll tie the mainline directly to the leader using a uni to uni knot, and tie the jighead directly to the leader. this saves money during breakoffs in rocks.

i'll tie stuff directly to mainline sometimes, but i think breakoffs are more common and don't want to lose good fish, for trying to save a minute.

i've been doing mostly very short trips to reduce time away from work/family. to make the most out of that short time, i try to prepare 2-3 rods with my starting line-up of lures the night before.

[chex]

good info, thanks!

Do you think wire leaders scare the fish away? With some lures costing upwards of $15 it would suck to lose one to a blue biting through mono...

[Yakfisher]

good info, thanks!

Do you think wire leaders scare the fish away? With some lures costing upwards of $15 it would suck to lose one to a blue biting through mono...

All my reels are spooled with PowerPro and have a topshot of Flouro for the leader, which is very abrasion resistant. Aggressive fish may not be bothered by the wire but I'm pretty sure Specks and other fish with good vision would be. The only time I ever use wire leader is if we are fishing for Barricuda because they will bite through almost anything. Other than that, Flouro should get the job done if you use the right pound test.

[chex]

Is 30lb mono bluefish-safe?

[surfdog]

i usually tie a 18-24" fluorocarbon leader to lures using a weedless loop knot and make a 2 turn loop knot on the other end and attach it to a snap swivel, this makes change out much easier. some i dont have a leader on i put a heavy split ring then to the snap this still gives the lure good action. unless there is evidence of large blues around i wouldn't use wire leaders

[chex]

Ah, a loop knot. That's a good one to add to my arsenal for lures without a ring.

Surfdog, what makes your loop knot weedless that this one doesn't have? http://www.netknots.com/html/non_slip_loop_knot.html

[Pinch]

I generally use 15lb powerpro with 20lb seagar flouro I connect them with a uni-uni knot and i use an improved cinch knot.

bigger fish i use 40lb braid 50lb flouro.

24'' or more of flouro

[tufnik]

With 50# mono leader, I use the improved clinch on swivels, hooks and jigheads. Lately, I've been using the rapala knot on jigheads and non-ringed lures. My leader on jigs is just over a foot.

I don't use wire leader anymore. Mono at 50# works fine on blues, but probably not good on those big blues.

[Pinch]

I dont use swivels unless using drone spoons

[DOGFISH]

I used to be a tie direct fisherman, all the time. I would use a polamar knot or a loop knot. As of late I have been using light weight duolocks and lewis quick connects. That way the lures can move freely, even those without a split ring. I have found that I really don't need the split rings. Now, if I were in very clear water, which the bay is not, I would probably go back to tie directly to the lure. I have not noticed any drop in catches or hookups following the use of the duolocks or the quick connects. With the duolocks and the quick connects, they do just that, allow me to quickly change lures for changing conditions. In a kayak I find that they allow me more time on the fish. I still tie the connectors on with a polamar knot.

I also use a florocarbon leader in almost all situations. Depending on the lure type, I would even use heavy mono or floro leaders for bluefish. The larger blues, while fishing with bait, wire is the way to go. I only use wire when absolutely necessary.

[Southerly]

in bass fishing, i always tied direct. i tie palomar knot on swivels sometimes and i think it's easier for that than improved clinch. professional bass fishermen seem to love them, but i don't have enough experience to develop my own full confidence yet. i want to look into the duolocks - sound nice.

on the bay, besides abrasion and knot fatigue at the lure, i like a leader as a potential 'handle' for landing fish. i leave about 4-5' of mainline out; try not to hi-stik any worse then needed while i either; grab the leader, lip him by hand, or grab lip with plastic lipgrabber.

if i'm releasing him and he doesn't need a photo, i'll let him stay in the water, grab the shank of the hook solidly with my pliers, turn it upside-down and shake the fish loose, not touching him at all to avoid wiping off his slime. even trebles come out pretty easy with this method.

if i'm keeping him, i try to get him in the boat as soon as possible since it seems easiest to break off or pull out while the fish is at the water surface and i like having a leader to grab if i need it. i haven't gotten cut from grabbing braid, but have heard it happens.

[ronaultmtd]

I use braid on everything, so I have mono/floro leaders tied using double Uni knots to join the braid to mono/floro. I have started using the stainless 40# test snaps that are round to give my lures good action and make change out faster- I don't use swivels unless using spoons. I use mostly improved clinch knots as they are easy to tie (even without wearing glasses), fast and 95% strength of test knot.