# shock leader



## 757drummin (Oct 8, 2012)

how many others use a Bimini for their shock knots?


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## BigWillJ (Jan 21, 2001)

OK if you get a nope? Haven't told this story in a while. I recall asking years ago what the best knot was for joining running line and shock leader, to alleviate the knot passing thru the guides. I still remember an answer being, "you can tie a knot the size of a 55 gallon drum, and it'll go thru the guides". That was a lot of years ago, and of course that was an exaggeration, but to this day I've never really concerned myself with any of the (more involved) knots for joining lines of different diameters, even if they have to pass thru a levelwind. I like to keep it simple, and a bimini just isn't in my arsenal.


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

Bimini to slim beauty here.


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## BAYFISHER (Jul 6, 2001)

Need hook suggestion. I ordered 4/0 size crcle hooks are they min size enuff not to hook striper catch and release? I also need link to bottom rigs which have a high and low and r stiff rigs like wire not loose.


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## BAYFISHER (Jul 6, 2001)

Btw i do bimini all the time even with same size powerpro


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## afout07 (Jan 29, 2014)

No Bimini twist for me either. I use a very simple knot I picked up from Tommy on a thread here. It's similar to a slim beauty but easier to tie. Make an overhand loop on the shock leader, run main line through over hand loop, pull over hand loop tight, then tie a uni knot with main line and pull it down to the over hand knot on the shock leader. It takes 30 seconds to tie and is strong enough.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Bimini to uni-nail is the one I tie... You can tie whatever feels comfortable and you can tie the easiest... Just me,but I always tie one I can't break with my bare hands and that is for sure one of those...


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## George Gravier (Oct 28, 1999)

Bimini to no name here, if im in a hurry ill tie a spider to a no name but prefer the bimini....geo


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## George Gravier (Oct 28, 1999)

Drumdum said:


> Bimini to uni-nail is the one I tie... You can tie whatever feels comfortable and you can tie the easiest... Just me,but I always tie one I can't break with my bare hands and that is for sure one of those...


Drumdum how do you tie a uni/nail combo?


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

Many moons ago the late Mike White of Hatteras Jacks showed how to tie a shock knot when using 6500s fishing for drum or any similar sized level wind. It's simply a slim beauty without doubling the running line. It tapers back to front and slips through guides smoothly. Love it with a 30# shock leader for spoons/bucktails less than 4 oz and 40# for drum rigs and spoons/bucktails 4-6 oz.

With my larger reels I use a triple surgeons/no name or simply uni-uni.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

On a CT style casting reel if you are not starting with a double line your missing out...


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

afout07 said:


> No Bimini twist for me either. I use a very simple knot I picked up from Tommy on a thread here. It's similar to a slim beauty but easier to tie. Make an overhand loop on the shock leader, run main line through over hand loop, pull over hand loop tight, then tie a uni knot with main line and pull it down to the over hand knot on the shock leader. It takes 30 seconds to tie and is strong enough.


This is what I use too, although I double the overhand knot because mine always slipped with a single. I may experiment this year to see if I can get it to stick with a single.
I tried the bimini twist to a slim beauty, and got to tie it pretty well.
Then I found out how bad a doubled line knot (two knots) slams the guides when using a spinner. Learn something knew everyday I guess?


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## hunter1 (Jul 31, 2009)

I use the Albertho knot.


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## RobVB (Mar 17, 2012)

Red Philips


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## Islander80 (Mar 27, 2010)

I use an albright. The only thing I do different is instead of passing the tag end back through the loop once, I pass it through twice, if that makes any sense. I know it's not as strong as attaching to a doubled line but I'm good at tying it and can still put some heat on a fish with it.


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## Catch This (Nov 19, 2005)

Bimini to slim beauty for me too


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

Bimini to a no name

I like the slim beauty but it takes too much time to tie


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## BigWillJ (Jan 21, 2001)

Drumdum said:


> ....Just me,but I always tie one I can't break with my bare hands..


Never heard of a knot that can handle a large ray, bull red or decent shark which can be broken with bare hands!  I want you on my side when a line is drawn in the sand. :beer: ...that, and please share which connections you've broken so I can avoid tying them.


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## afout07 (Jan 29, 2014)

pods said:


> This is what I use too, although I double the overhand knot because mine always slipped with a single. I may experiment this year to see if I can get it to stick with a single.
> I tried the bimini twist to a slim beauty, and got to tie it pretty well.
> Then I found out how bad a doubled line knot (two knots) slams the guides when using a spinner. Learn something knew everyday I guess?


I haven't caught anything real huge yet but I did get a couple 50-70 pound stingrays on the beach using that knot.


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

For surf fishing I like small, easy to tie, strong knots so I use an Albright for mono to mono. I use an alberto for braid to mono.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

geo said:


> Drumdum how do you tie a uni/nail combo?


 Three wrap nail knot in 50shock and 4 wrap uni in doubled running line...



BigWillJ said:


> Never heard of a knot that can handle a large ray, bull red or decent shark which can be broken with bare hands!  I want you on my side when a line is drawn in the sand. :beer: ...that, and please share which connections you've broken so I can avoid tying them.


 In non doubled line can break any of the above mentioned from slimbeauty to uni uni... The fg knot is the only one I can't break,and it takes longer to tie in the daylight than tying three bimini to uni nails with a flashlight.. I want to try to break it in mono have only tried to break fg when in braid to mono,very strong in that application.. Although I still tie bimini to no-name and can't break it and tie it in a quarter the time... As far as double line connections... I'll edit a link in here to show you what was tested on this very board... 

http://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-...-scientific-proof-of-the-strongest-shock-knot!


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## George Gravier (Oct 28, 1999)

Thanks drumdum have to try that one


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## BAYFISHER (Jul 6, 2001)

I ordered 4/0 size crcle hooks are they min size enuff not to hook striper catch and release?


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

Drumdum said:


> Three wrap nail knot in 50shock and 4 wrap uni in doubled running line...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have been practicing tying 10lb braid to 10lb mono with FG knot and I can tie it pretty quick. Love how slim and strong it is.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Elgreco said:


> I have been practicing tying 10lb braid to 10lb mono with FG knot and I can tie it pretty quick. Love how slim and strong it is.


 My son is pretty good at tying it also... I can tell you,and he will also tell you,I can tie 3 biminis to no-names in the same length of time it takes him to tie one.. I can tell you it is strong,especially braid to mono... I like the knot,shame it can't be tied (or should I say my son and I can't tie it that quickly) in a blitz of fish like mine can...


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## SteveMcD (Sep 7, 2013)

Uni to Uni has worked well for me.


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## Jersey Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

Elgreco said:


> I have been practicing tying 10lb braid to 10lb mono with FG knot and I can tie it pretty quick. Love how slim and strong it is.


Don't understand why you use a 10 lb. shock with 10 lb. line???


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Jersey Hunter said:


> Don't understand why you use a 10 lb. shock with 10 lb. line???


 Don't know what he's hunting,but that would work good for bonefish,cause that was my setup for them.. Trace of floro on there is good for all kinds of species that feed on sight.. It would also break before the mainline,in the case of being dumped that would be an advantage to not loosing all your line.. Just guessing??


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

Jersey Hunter said:


> Don't understand why you use a 10 lb. shock with 10 lb. line???


Use it for some finesse freshwater pond fishing. I use 20 or 30lb leader for inshore creek fishing.


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## Jersey Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

Drumdum said:


> Don't know what he's hunting,but that would work good for bonefish,cause that was my setup for them.. Trace of floro on there is good for all kinds of species that feed on sight.. It would also break before the mainline,in the case of being dumped that would be an advantage to not loosing all your line.. Just guessing??


That seems to be a bite leader I always thought a shock leader was to prevent a break off when casting.


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

Also check out the Fishing Bible for more info on knots and shock leader


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

Jersey Hunter said:


> That seems to be a bite leader I always thought a shock leader was to prevent a break off when casting.


Either way, you are joining 2 different lines together.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Green Cart said:


> Also check out the Fishing Bible for more info on knots and shock leader


 If you look at the link (first page of this thread) I posted to the fishing bible earlier it has multiple pages in that thread with some good info about all kinds of knots for connecting lines.. Also,I believe it's the last page in that thread that tells you what they all test out at with 17 suffix to 50lb shock on a scale.... 

Yes Jersey,I believe we were talking shock leaders but the knots apply to both shock leaders and bite leaders as well...


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

Drumdum

Actually, you did not mention this link until your second reply in this thread, but you still are ahead of me (SMILE)!


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## Jersey Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

Elgreco said:


> Either way, you are joining 2 different lines together.


Yes but the knots don't have to go thru the rod guides, I like to use a swivel with a palomar knot on both ends.


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## Elgreco (Aug 12, 2014)

Jersey Hunter said:


> Yes but the knots don't have to go thru the rod guides, I like to use a swivel with a palomar knot on both ends.


I make my bite leaders 6 feet or so long because im constantly tying new rigs/lures on and it gets short quick.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Drumdum said:


> If you look at the link (first page of this thread) I posted to the fishing bible earlier it has multiple pages in that thread with some good info





Green Cart said:


> Drumdum
> 
> Actually, you did not mention this link until your second reply in this thread, but you still are ahead of me (SMILE)!


 If you look it says first page not first reply... Not ahead of you,at my age lucky to keep pace... 


Jersey Hunter said:


> Yes but the knots don't have to go thru the rod guides, I like to use a swivel with a palomar knot on both ends.


All of the knots discussed I have used to connect my "bite leader",all of the knots above (except fg knot) I have tied as shock leaders and they went through the guides fine..Many prefer a swivel and in terms of convenience no doubt better.. In my small fishing world it is a knot,but that's just me...


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