Polomar VS. Crimp

[Papa Sly]

Oh I am betting yours is better no doubt. I am more of a bass fisherman but more than that truly love the sport and always try to learn from others. I am sure I will lose a big pike some day with the flouro for sure.Oddly last year I had my bigger suckers on wire and large goldens on flouro and caught almost all the pike and bass on the smaller bait so that could be why also.

[Papa Sly]

Funny though that my PB was over 30 years ago on 10# mono at the Oxbow fishing for bass! 42.5 inches and we didn't carry scales back then.

[BaitBucket]

Funny though that my PB was over 30 years ago on 10# mono at the Oxbow fishing for bass! 42.5 inches and we didn't carry scales back then.

Thats a nice one Mr Sly. Coulda been close to 20lbs.

http://www.in-fisherman.com/pike-muskie/northern-pike/pike-length-to-weight-conversion-chart/

[lowaccord66]

40" plus on 10# is awesome and def. could be close to 20.  The only reason I have such a hard line in suggesting steel is because I've seen so many times, 80# floro get cut clean.  To each is own but I hate seeing or hearing about that happening to people...

[Papa Sly]

I understand, just ordered knot2kinky 35# to try.

[BASSQUATCH]

Y'all do realize it takes about 1 minute or less to change out a leader right ? I have sleeves (couple hooks in with sleeves), crimping tool (which isn't big) and cutters in my pocket (1 of the many pockets). I've done both methods, tie & crimp. Crimping is definitely faster & easier at the hole (my opinion )

[stripernut]

Faster than reaching in my pocket and pulling out a  pre tied rig?

[BASSQUATCH]

Faster than reaching in my pocket and pulling out a  pre tied rig?

you still have to tie that rig on, yes/no?

[stripernut]

No, I use a snap swivel between my Dacron and leader, snap off the old, snap on the new... I may switch them over to Tactical Clips in the end, even easier!

[Papa Sly]

I am like Stripernut, open snap and replace. Keith, you got me using the crimps and for that I am grateful, best thing I have learned over the last few years ice fishing.(40+ years on the ice.)
 The reason I tie several leaders is because I use a lot of different colored blades and beads and like to switch up according to what the fish are liking that day.(very superstitious) I always keep crimps, tool, and hooks blades and beads with me also but pre-tied is nice to have. Sometimes they want nothing but I like to carry everything.

[Papa Sly]

Couple of pics, Keith the High Seas crimper is a little bit bigger but a lot better quality and easier to get a great crimp with double barrels or the ovals.

[Papa Sly]

The only problem here is the leaders getting all coiled up as the flouro has some memory. I bought a leader straightner and am going to try this this year, does anyone have an easier way to straighten or store? Last year I saw someone with a 3' length of dense foam that was 6" wide and they kept the leaders on this stretched out.

[Tmuskie]

Your riggs look good. Is that a shiner hook? As for storing my rigs. I loosely coil them and put them in a small zip lock bag. I get them at Micheal's.

[lowaccord66]

Bright rigs, blades and beads, not my cup of tea but nice collection Sly. Be all one needs to troll crawlers for eyes thats for sure.  I used to dress up my rigs too....found through trial and error it doesn't help my fishing. 

[Papa Sly]

Yea  I like them with my bigger baits. I have 3 tackle tamers, 1 for bass and pickerel, 1 for trout and 1 for pannies. I tie up for pike when I go. Does the leader get coiled up in the bags and what are you using for leaders?

[Papa Sly]

Yea I'm not sure it really matters either, just seems like if your shiner is in the right place when the fish goes by. I did seem to get a lot more bass on the perch color blades and beads but that was just one lake. Just gives me more things to do while waiting for ice. Sometimes I take off everything and just fish old school with hook and sinker.

[Papa Sly]

Yea I really love those shiner hooks tmuskie, seems to keep the bait livelier. Trying some double ryder hooks this year, both quick strike and just single. Stripernut seems to love those and I think I will like having the extra hook out of the bait.

[Tmuskie]

The shiner hooks are great. I started using them a few years back. I always used the octopus ones before.
I definately have to pick up some more for this season.

[Tmuskie]

What size do you use? 2/0 and 3/0 are what I use.

[Papa Sly]

Yes but like the smaller ones also for crappie

[lowaccord66]

Yea  I like them with my bigger baits. I have 3 tackle tamers, 1 for bass and pickerel, 1 for trout and 1 for pannies. I tie up for pike when I go. Does the leader get coiled up in the bags and what are you using for leaders?

I've been fishing 18" lengths of AFW nylon coated 25# steel.  Year before last I used crimps and Owner 5/0 octopus hooks.  Last year I skipped the crimps and just twisted and melted to make my loop connections.  My leaders live on my 12 lakers.  If I fish bass I use the same rigs! 

[Papa Sly]

I was using the afw 25# also for pike after last year reading that was what you used. What about the knot2kinky? I was going to try that this year. I am still going to stick with the flouro for bass since I have a lot of seagar leader material at 30#, 4o# and 60#. I guess with steel you don't need to carry extra leaders! You only use 18" ? What are they tied off to the dacron backer?

[Papa Sly]

Are you still using the octopus hooks? I like the big bait river hooks that Keith talked about and I do use Octopus wide gap but I hate circle hooks.

[lowaccord66]

18" length was an arbitrary length I decided was appropriate figuring even the largest pike wont consume 18" of leader if a bait is swallowed.  Owner 5/0 Octopus is an octopus hook, not a circle or a hybrid octopus circle.  The big river bait hooks are good as well.  My leaders are connected to 100lb test power swivels and then tied to my dacron tipup line.  I do carry crimps, wire and hooks in case a leader gets kinked. 

Knot2kinky and the stuff shay posted are on my list to try.

[Papa Sly]

Cool thanks Jon, Jon right?

[fishermantim]

Did anyone else hear him say, while attaching the crimp, that the swivel loop had some weld material on one side of it, and that he was tying the crimp away from the weld?

Do you think that the Palomar knot might have cinched up on or near that weld?


I agree that in order to make a better determination there would have to be a more "controlled experiment" environment.

I've used that knot for years and rarely have I ever had the line break at the knot from just the force of a fish or a cast.
I've had blues bit through the line, and swivels break (not replaced soon enough).
I've had line break at the swivel, both mono and braid, due to a defect in the swivel loop. Usually a scrape that caused a sharp enough edge to cut.

Maybe another version of "Knot Wars" is needed?

[Papa Sly]

LOL I had always also used that knot but are you able to easily tie that with 60# to 100# flouro? I wasn't able to cinch that up well.

[chilly-willy]

The only problem here is the leaders getting all coiled up as the flouro has some memory. I bought a leader straightner and am going to try this this year, does anyone have an easier way to straighten or store? Last year I saw someone with a 3' length of dense foam that was 6" wide and they kept the leaders on this stretched out.

Yet another reason to get the janns net craft . Tac L Tool .. that comes with this book in picture..

[BaitBucket]

The only problem here is the leaders getting all coiled up as the flouro has some memory.

A good stretch should get the coils out. I usually hook my wedding band then grab my swivel with my other hand and give it a good seatdy pull for 5 -10 secs. Youll also find out if you have any weak knots, or a nicked line.

[Papa Sly]

Thanks I'll try that although I don't have a wedding ring anymore...to much ice fishing lol