Snags and Fireline

[Coach1310]

I started using Fireline two years ago when live bait rigging and I absoluetly love it.....except for when I get snagged. I have tried putting the weight on a 12" leader of mono between to swivels, but I bust the whole rig off a lot then. I have tried just putting the weight above the swivel on the Fireline, but some snags just don't come free then. I am no Walleye expert and need some advice. Thanks!!

[Team Otter]

I tighten the drag down, point the rod at the snag and let the hook(s) straighten. I also drive around the perimeter of the snag to see if it'll come just a touch easier.

[Liar]

I have snagged most of the structure in the MN river I think. Like TO said. main thing is not to put all that pressure on the rod. I have a small piece of wood I wrap the line around and pull till the tree comes up or the hook straightens.

If you havent found out already, pulling the line by hand is a no-no.

Dan

[Coach1310]

I have done that before, but haven't had as much luck with straightening the hook as you guys seem to...I will have to try that...are the "no snags" weights worth it?? Thanks for the tips

[Liar]

I dont know about anyone else , but no sinker is "no snag" on the river. at least not for me. I really havent fished lakes in the last 5 years. Someone else might have used them before.

Dan

[manitobawalleye2]

i assume you are using the all lead lindy weights

try this

use side cutters,snip thru the top of the line pass thru,close tight lightly

now when snagged the cut you made will open up

from the pressure put on it by the swivel

if it is your weight snagged

[slipperybob]

You can also buy those sinker made by northland with the little wire'd eye. The wire will open up and allow the line to free itself. Although on occassions, I've lost the sinker because of this when I don't intend for it to fall off after fishing awhile. So I must remind myself to check the eye if it's prematurely opening up and leaving a gap that allows my line to free off.

[hanson]

If you are looking to save your rig but don't mind losing a few sinkers, try 3-way rigging or a variation of a 3-way.

You can make your dropper line as long or short as you need and tie it out of a lighter test mono line. When your sinker snags up, pull hard and the dropper line should snap first and you'll save your rig.

An easy way to apply this to Lindy rigging or spinner fishing would be to thread one end of a small barrel swivel onto your mainline and then tie on your rig. You'll attach your sinker to the other end of the barrel swivel that was threaded on with a short (2-3") piece of light mono. You now have a sinker that still slides and a way to break it off if it gets hung up.

I can probably post a pic of this rig later if a picture would help.

[BobT]

I'm a bit confused. Listening to those who have used fireline I notice that it sounds like you can't hardly break the stuff. If I have 6# test Fireline, why then won't it break off if I apply excess of 6# force?

Bob

[Coach1310]

Thanks for all the ideas. I think I will try the 3 way this weekend(Hanson) and see how it goes. If I break off a couple of times I will try some other methods mentioned here as well. No sense in getting frustrated....It is gonna be just great to get out after those marble eyes again!!! Thanks again for all the info. Good luck this weekend

[Scott K]

I have 6# on one of my jiggen rods, when you snag it on something, I gaurentee it takes alot more then 6# of pull to break this stuff, even a 6# I will normally straighten out the hook , or break the hook before the line.

[musky hunter]

With Fireline or any of the other super lines retying can be a real pain. First is to lighten up as much as you can. But given you have found the lightest combination that keeps your line down and you are stil hanging up, tie on a swivel and as said before attach a dropper line. Crimp on your split shot, but not too tightly. When you do get hung up, the split shot slip off the dropper releasing the rest of the works. Nothing breaks, and you just reattach new split shot.

[slipperybob]

Well, if it's the hook that's snagfu'd a quick jerk will normally break the line at the knot...in my experience, at least. The super lines don't have a shock absorption, so it'll break where it's weakest, normally at the knot I believe.

[Black_Bay]

Quote:

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I'm a bit confused. Listening to those who have used fireline I notice that it sounds like you can't hardly break the stuff. If I have 6# test Fireline, why then won't it break off if I apply excess of 6# force?

Bob

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The issue is that the stuff will cut into your hand if you grab it or it can damage your rod if you pull too hard. The best way still is to wrap superlines around something and pull with that.

[BobT]

This past weekend I had my first experience using a super line (6# Fireline) up in Black Bay on Vermilion. I really liked the added feel and I think it helped since I outfished the rest in the boat about 2 to 1. Could have just been lucky though. My little bit of experience this weekend says that yes, you are correct about the line diameter making it much easier to cut your skin. Other than that, I didn't have a sense of any significant strength except that perhaps the knot is stronger and so it actually takes most of the 6# of force to break it. It would be interesting to know how much a particular knot reduces the breakoff point of various lines. My guess is that what we believe is 6# of force to break off mono is probably significantly less due to the knot strength. I would also think that because super lines don't stretch like mono, the knot doesn't lose strength every time it gets pulled a little whereas mono probably gets weeker with each tug.

Bob

[Liar]

I don't know if I could find it again Bob, but I did see a chart once with the percentages for knot strength.

I think the monos break near their weight and the superlines break much above.

I had a chance to fish the fireline crystal next to flurocarbon snells. I got just as many bites with the fireline snells as my son did with the fluro. Same hook and bead. I'll still have some fluro snells with me but for now I'm going to use the crystal.

Dan

[slipperybob]

I remember reading in some fishing magazines about absorbtion of water and UV damage. Likewise nylon is heavy water resist, but can still absorb water and take on UV damage. Copolymer lines are said to be more water resistance or some say water resistant. If I remember right, I think that fireline does not absorb water into the fibers.

I think that fishing rods are also susceptable to UV damage too. Had a quantum graphite rod once, then one day it just snaps. I went to check the rod, squeezed it with my thumb and finger and it snaps, snaps, snaps,...like a dry hollow insect husk crumbling under the slightest pressure.