Hi all,
I've been spring-cleaning in preparation for the new season - cleaning tackle, making up hook-lengths, etc. I've also put new line on my reels. Last year I used Maxima Chameleon (10lb). This season I'm trying Berkley Big Game (10lb clear).
I had some problems joining the two lines together and thought I'd share my experiences.
I decided to leave about half of the Maxima on the spools as backing and to wind about 100m of the Big Game on top. This meant I needed to join the two lines together, and that's where the fun started.
First I tried a back-to-back uni knot - it snapped like cotton. Then a double blood knot same thing. Hmmm. Time for some research. Next up was a double centaur knot - a bit stronger but still very weak.
I think the problem was that the Big Game is softer than the Maxima so it was just getting cut when the knots pulled tight.
So, I had another scout around t'internet and found... the Albright knot. Here's an animated guide to tying it:
www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php
I used the Maxima as the "thick" line (the loop) and tied the knot with the Big Game. What a difference - a much stronger join than any of the other knots I tried and quite flat too.
R.
I've been spring-cleaning in preparation for the new season - cleaning tackle, making up hook-lengths, etc. I've also put new line on my reels. Last year I used Maxima Chameleon (10lb). This season I'm trying Berkley Big Game (10lb clear).
I had some problems joining the two lines together and thought I'd share my experiences.
I decided to leave about half of the Maxima on the spools as backing and to wind about 100m of the Big Game on top. This meant I needed to join the two lines together, and that's where the fun started.
First I tried a back-to-back uni knot - it snapped like cotton. Then a double blood knot same thing. Hmmm. Time for some research. Next up was a double centaur knot - a bit stronger but still very weak.
I think the problem was that the Big Game is softer than the Maxima so it was just getting cut when the knots pulled tight.
So, I had another scout around t'internet and found... the Albright knot. Here's an animated guide to tying it:
www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php
I used the Maxima as the "thick" line (the loop) and tied the knot with the Big Game. What a difference - a much stronger join than any of the other knots I tried and quite flat too.
R.
