salokcinnodrog

The weakest spot is usually the mainline knot to the hook link swivel. This does change if you use a leader, you move the weakest point closer to the rod tip, basically, any mainline knot becomes the weak spot. It is very rare that with most knots you will get 100% breaking strain, with anything except the Palomar knot, (95%+), the average knot breaks at a lot lower rating. With braided hooklinks especially, a fine braid of say 15lb, may cut into a fishes lip, however up the material to 25lb, and it does not cut. Basically the theory is the same, leaving the shortest link possible in the event of a loss. As it happens, I lost 3 rigs to a new snag last week on the lagoon. On checking each line breakage, I had the remains of the 'curly' on the line, where the knot itself had given way.

I have moved this thread into Tackle and Equipment section. In theory, if your Fox alarms have a 2.5mm Jack plug then any Fox receiver system using a 2.5mm Jack should work with that alarm, however it's likely that Fox won't like to admit it... Best suggestion is actually get the Atts receiver system as that does work.

I'd never thought about it... Honest!

I would avoid inline. Although clay is a firmish lakebed, the nose of an inline lead could push into the clay, this could mean your hooklink swivel or quick link is buried, leaving your hooklink looped up from the lakebed, so for me a pendant lead. Starting point on most waters would be a bottom bait, so that makes life simple. Then as Newmarket says, how much are you worried about camouflage? I use Kryston hooklinks, and for the sake of it would get as close as I could to the lakebed, so that would probably mean a Mantis coated braid hooklink. I would cut a length of Mantis, around 30centimetres, and remove the coating of around half of that. Tie a loop for your bait stop in the stripped end, then knotless knot the hook on. As much as I like the knotless knot, I would also add a line aligner from shrink or silicon tubing. I'm not one for the latest fashionable term, 'kicker', I prefer a standard straight piece of tubing with the line exiting from the front of the tubing, and silicon tubing actually saves faffing about with kettle and steaming etc.

Adam, I think that to some extent almost every angler is influenced by tackle manufacturers, what they say, advise and sell, and even to some extent by the name of the tackle. The Safezone range of tackle does not mean that the tackle is safe for the fish, but that there is supposedly a safe feeding zone around the end tackle. Safe zone as in the area is not going to spook the fish by feeling the leader, or safe as in camouflaged so they can't see it. However, in the event of a snap or break-off, the tackle may be a risk if the fish gets snagged. I really don't like leaders of any sort, they create an extra knot, an extra weak spot in the tackle, as the first knot from rod tip to tackle is usually the one that breaks under pressure. So if that is the leader knot, that is where it breaks. If you fish straight through to a swivel or quick link clip, it breaks there, and that leaves the carp just trailing a hooklink only, compared to pulling a leader around with the risk of snagging and tethering that involves. Also a large looped leader, with a bit of weed, or even some au naturale, the lead clip, bead or swivel and rig won't pass over the leader knot meaning a fish is stuck with that lot behind it. This makes another point, a lead clip I don't think is always the safest option. The lead link itself can catch up on weed and rubbish, whereas a sliding run ring is the safer option, it will slide off the leader, even if the line balls up as it snaps, yet a lead clip will be trapped. Lead clips are designed to stay on the swivel full stop, clicking in, being pegged in place, however the manufacturer makes it, yet some manufacturers have been advocating using a lead clip for a running lead, which is a flawed idea to my thoughts. To my mind, the only safe place for a leader is when the lake is snag and weed free, and you need a shockleader to give it a big cast for distance. However as you say, lake rules may mean that leaders are banned, that is where you have to consider the breaking strain and diameter of your line to get the distance you require, or fish short! I guess if you used braided mainline, subject to rules, then to avoid damaging the fish, you would consider a length of leader to avoid cutting a fish up, or cover the last length near the fish with tubing. Again, a leader. I have seen a braided mainline used, then a leader, then a length of leadcore all on one set-up, imagine the mess that little lot could be.

On a weed and snag free lake a 10ft shock leader is not long enough, you need around 12 feet to prevent snap-offs. Again on a clear water where you need a fluorocarbon leader for 'invisibility', 10ft is around right I reckon. Sorry mate, I really think you need to think your arguments through properly. As an aside, and in response to Mooseman, I refuse to use Lead clips for various reasons. I don't often want to eject the lead, I use generic swivels, as in I don't buy one end tackle manufacturers bits, I have a variety that suits, and I don't think that I should be forced to buy overpriced swivels from Korda, Nash or Fox just to suit a lead clip, or I use a tail rubber for more than one purpose, and so have loads of tail rubbers, but why would I buy Nash tail rubbers when I already have plenty just to suit his lead clip. As he says, a lead clip tail rubber can be jammed on by a bit of weed, the leadcore on a pendant or inline set-up is a danger in itself, even if the lead comes off, the leadcore is an inherent trailing weight. Basically leadcore should only ever be used with a heli set-up, and even then, you have to be sure that the beads and rig can be ejected, as a kink can trap a standard bead, stopping the rib coming off the end. On that helicopter set-up, you actually rely on the lead NOT being ejected, so that rig CAN be ejected!

Problem is, you try to snap 6inches of 40lb leadcore from a standing start, then try the same with a 15lb hooklink. It is likely that you can snap the hooklink, but almost definitely not the leadcore. As for the hooklink with swivel on it, the hook can still be ejected, there is minimal inherent weight. Yet with the leadcore, even if only 6inches long, the inherent weight of the leadcore will stop the hook being ejected. A carp can eject a hook, even barbed, if there is no weight on it. As soon as you add weight, this ejection is prevented, as it pulls the hook down in the lip, and it makes a fresh hookhold, or stops the hook lifting up and out.

It only takes 6inches to catch around a twig or snag if a fish swims in a circle! Also a well known angler was advocating a length of leadcore around 10feet long.

I do believe Ian used them in the past: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Sunglasses-Warehouse-Online-Shop/_i.html?_nkw=Fishing+sunglasses&submit=Search&_sid=195197055 This is Eyelevel, but I know some tackle shops sell them (we do) http://www.xxl-sale.co.uk/search/?q=Eyelevel%20Sunglasses&campid=5337249842&gclid=COrRzobc4csCFeop0woddRoMmA

Sunglasses warehouse on ebay, or a company called Eyelevel glasses, which should Google

I picked up this abomination last trip: a shop bought preformed leadcore leader, with the lead clip tight over the hooklink join, but it is the leadcore leader itself that worries me. I had retrieved it from a tree, all tangled up, just above water level. I have no problem with the rig itself, although the plastic hookbait was still held in place by a bait stop, which if it had landed and tangled in the water, would have been fishing continuously and permanently until the hook rusted away, potentially leading to tethered fish Please, please if you use leadcore, don't use it in snags or weedy waters, it is lethal. Personal choice, please, don't use it at all.

If your usual lead set-up is catching then why change it? Even then, as it is working at the moment, I wouldn't think to change the way I attached my lead, but more tweak and fine tune the rig if I stopped catching. If you need to cast further, to maximum distance, then I may consider switching to a helicopter lead, but I don't particularly like them any other time.

I use running leads most of the time, undertow and current allowing. I think bite indication is much better than a semi-fixed lead. You can use the large ring on the swivel straight on the line, my only worry with that is that if that ring gets a scratch or nick in it, it may damage the line, hence my preference for a proper run ring. If you are buying run rings, Solar, Fox and others all do them, most come in a kit complete with run ring, link and protective beads.

The loop does pull out when it snags up, which is why I still use it. A short length of Amnesia pushed in and through, with the ends lighter blobbed to stop them pulling out on the cast, but allowing it to pull out on any tension or snagging

I used to use plasticine as a weight for chub fishing, moulded around the line or as a drop off weight moulded around a couple of shot on a paternoster link. After time it sets solid in the tackle box, and no amount of kneading will make it go soft again, so some blocks had a loop of line pushed through them.

I must admit I have been enjoying watching this season's football. The Premiership is much more open, the big four, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal seem out of it. It is very refreshing to see Tottenham and Leicester so far fighting for the top spot, after spending far less money than the other teams. Claudio Ranieri has been keeping his players motivated without appearing big headed, and they are certainly doing the do on other teams. As for Spurs, quietly keeping on keeping on, and winning when they play.