Attn RK

[Cooter]

Rob, how bout some more info on that flouro knot Lee Tauchen has a pic of in the last issue of EA? I've had trouble with that stiff, heavy stuff. Thanks, later.

[RK]

Hey Cooter -

The knot pretty much goes like this:

1. Run the Fluoro through the swivel or snap, and leave a tag end of about 5 inches.

2. Wrap the tag end around the main leader, and pinch it between your fingers so the loops don't overlap. Make 3 wraps for 100# plus Fluoro, 4 or so for lighter stuff.

3. Run the tag end back through the wraps you just made, and slowly pull it tight. Again, make sure the loops don't overlap as you cinch the knot up. Helps to lube the Fluoro up. Spit works...

That all having been said, I crimp my fluoro leaders. Tying knots on 100# plus fluoro (which is as light as I'll use anymore for muskies or big pike) is really a pain, and I don't always trust knots. I crimp mine with 3mm (for 100 to 130 # Fluoro or 175# 49-strand wire) oval or double-barrel aluminum sleeves and a compound-pressure cup-to-cup crimper. Do NOT use the cheap, red-handled point-to-cup crimpers you can find all over with Fluoro - or wire for that matter. Crimps should be compressed around the leader material, which is what a cup-to-cup crimper does. Point-to-cup crimpers just mash the sleeve down on the leader material and can actually almost cut it through. When you do it right a crimp should have flared ends like the bell on a trumpet. I've never had a crimp fail with these. You can get the pliers (they run about 30 bucks) and sleeves from a saltwater tackle catalog.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Random guy]

I have messed around with the knots on many levels and went back to crimps. They just work better in my opinion.