Mid-Severn report - 8/19/13 - An interesting sighting

[Mark]

I use the loop knot on fly rod poppers because it gives them a freer action with more wiggle.

The only thing I do not like about the loop knot is that I cannot tie it efficiently. I take more line to tie it than a Trilene knot which is what I use most often. Extra line use becomes an issue if I have to also change a shortened tippet on a fly line leader.

I rarely get a break at either knot style.

To connect my tippet to the leader I use a surgeons knot. http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=ut...0fishing&type=
I have never had that knot break.

Yesterday, I had my line frayed and broken by a fish on the cable holding a white speed buoy in the Narrows. I almost cried not because I lost the fish but because I lost a brand new X Rap!

[Jaspratt]

Maybe you saw a bull shark.

[Strummerfan]

I fished with Walleye Pete several times this year and with a kayak guide in Florida. Both use the loop knot for tying jigheads to leaders. That was my incentive to learn how to tie it. It may not be as strong as the Palomar because the line passes only one time through the eye of the lure, whereas the Palomar uses two passes. However, the additional lure action allowed by the loop knot may bring more strikes. I find that I use more length of leader to tie the loop knot -- as a result, I can retie fewer times on the same leader.

I would think that attaching a split ring to the jig head would accomplish the same thing. When fishing topwater for LMB I put split rings on the lures for better action. I can't imagine it wouldn't work for trolling a jig head.

[quikdrive]

Maybe you saw a bull shark.

They just caught one down at point lookout today 8/20/13.

http://www.buzzsmarina.com/index.php?/fishtales

[reel-em-in]

I do the palomar knot (http://www.animatedknots.com/palomar/) for everything I can, and when I can't (as in can't put the loop around something) I use the improved clinch knot.

Improved cinch for mono and palomar knot for braid it what I use.

[dsiekman]

As John said, there are some large carp up near the headwaters. I was fishing with a buddy a few years ago when he snagged one. It pulled his 14' bass boat around for awhile. It's been awhile, but I'd guess he was in the 25-30" range. Big, strong, ugly fish.

My guess would be a large rock. Then again, (and yes, I've told this story several times here on the forum) late last summer I hooked something large that swallowed a 6" rapala I was trolling north of Round Bay. He started tearing line off the reel like it was nothing, and then cleanly bit, cut, or snapped a heavy flourocarbon leader somewhere around 9-12" up the line. That means either he swallowed 15-18", or he cut the leader on a gill plate. Either way, it was the hardest pull I've ever had in the kayak. There was no headshake, just a hard steady pull. I had checked the leader before I went out that morning and there were no nicks or cuts. It did not break at or near a knot. I only add this because I'm hoping somebody can give me a better idea of what the heck I hooked.

[surfdog]

I use a palamar knot for swivels and snaps but for jigs I will tie a loop knot to give the lure the best action.
Check fishing knots.com

[Platypus]

I have been using the Palomar knot. The next best thing is the uni (pronounced yoo-knee) knot. It works well, keeps more line on the reel (less waste) and works for larger set ups where Palomar knots won't work. The uni knot also allows for really good action for lures.

[kevinfry]

could it have been........http://www.somdnews.com/article/2013...uthernMaryland

[Fishinfool]

Thanks for all the great knot tips guys. I've been practicing the Loop Knot for leader to lure, and the Double-Uni for the braid to leader connection, and also wetting the lines prior to tightening.

It's like learning a new guitar lick, it's hard at first but just takes reps, and figuring out the shortest pathways to the turns and loops. Not to mention up to speed reading glasses!

[Platypus]

That is crazy that there are sharks up there. I would be scared if I hooked into one of those things. I have seen video interviews of guys yak fishing in Monterey bay in Northern California hooking into a shark and going for a ride. I think it would be fun and scary at the same time.