Hooklength breaks

[silvertop]

Was fishing the margin recently. My setup was a small float on 8lb main with 6lb hooklength to size 10 hook. Hooklength is 4 inches and attached to main line with small link swivel. Hooklength is Maxima and new.

On two occasions I hooked into fish of a size that ought to be handled fine on this setup, but on both occasions the hooklengths parted about 10-15 mm away from the loop knot. I could understand if the line parted at a knot, but this seemed odd. I am extremely careful about how I tie my hooklengths and lube knots before tightening etc. but this is a bit baffling.

Any advice welcome please.

 

[spenbeck]

What size fish are you targeting? Are there any pike in the water?

 

[markcw]

I would fish straight through, even if you get snagged just reach for end of topkit with towel or something around hand, grab elastic at stonfo, and pull whilst turning your back to the water, What size elastic are you using ,?
What sized fish are you targeting,?
Also if you do decide to use hooklength, ditch the swivel and do loop to loop knot.the swivel is just an item of tackle that could get snagged in margin.Is it a swivel or quick change swivel adaptor. ? They are fine on a waggler setup in open water, but I would not use one down the edge,
Last questions, Depth of margin and distance between float and pole tip. ?

 

[tigger]

I think i'd change my hooklength and make it a couple of inches longer.

Try daiwa sensor .

 

[rayner]

Maxima is a good reel line, I've never used it for hooklengths if there's a reason I can't remember.
Why a 4" hooklength? is there a special reason for going so short, I don't have lines heavier than six-pound on my reels are all loaded with Maxima.
Hooklengths are from .08 right through to .17 nothing fancy just power line, can't say I've ever had issues similar to how you describe silvertop.
I don't use the loop to loop I prefer a figure-eight knot, I would definitely use a longer hooklength and perhaps a different brand of line for hooklengths.

 

[silvertop]

I target smaller fish but there are always carp about and in this small water they are usually in the range of about five to eight pounds, hence my float fishing with relatively heavy line. I use a rod and centrepin, not a pole, with the reel free running. The margins here are about a foot to eighteen inches deep quickly shelving to about three feet deep. I was using a ten foot rod and fishing at a distance of about three feet whilst sitting well back from the edge. The swivel I am using is one with a quick change clip; I have used the quick change adaptor swivels (drennan and Diawa) but lost several hooklengths where they appeared to work back off the hook against the rubber sleeve of the adaptor.

There are no pike in the water, in both cases there was an initial rush, which I expected, then some tumbling by the fish and they were off, with little strain on the line from me.

 

[markcw]

Rayner, if fishing pellet in margin a short hooklength is preferable, I fish short hooklength and have most of shot just above it . This gives better bite detection. I also fish as short as I can get away with at float to pole tip. More or less instant strike connection and not a lot of line to play around with when netting the fish. Yesterday I fished a 2' deep margin on a 2'6" rig.

 

[markcw]

I would say they are snagging you up. If reel free running those few seconds of fish taking the bait and moving are vital.
I would have hand on reel to slow run down and stop it,. I know this bit sounds daft, but before you fish margin, get landing net pole and prod along the margin underwater to see if it is undercut. You could think you are fishing to the edge and have a 2' undercut bank behind the float.Also find a place not undercut and fish tight to the bank so nothing can come from behind.When you strike, strike towards the bank, not out to the water, The fish will pull in opposite direction to pressure and swim out to open water.

 

[john step]

I wonder how soft or how hard your rod tip is? As its close combat stuff on a rod you have no elastic as if you were on a pole. Those carp can be brutal when first hooked can't they!
In very similar circumstances to you, I use a pin and 8lb straight through on a Daiwa SR rod that they describe as a match rod but although capable of using 8lb bs is no match rod in the old fashion sense.
It is soft enough in the tip to negate that first rush.

 

[tigger]

Maybe do as Mark and John suggest, go straight through with sensor of course .
Personally that is what I would do....and actually do.

Now, is it just to hot or should I risk the heat for a bit of trotting...decisions!

 

[rayner]

I have no hesitation putting shot on the hooklength if needed. The only time I fish a short hooklength is for roach and the dreaded F1s. I do prefer to fish a short lash especially when fishing paste or shallow, I rarely fish pellet in the margin using mostly dead maggot or corn.
I like shallow margins but rarely go four-inch if ever, perhaps six-inch but generally I look for a bare bank and hold the hook bait close to the mud with no float or shot on the line, fish just pull the pole off the grass bank.

 

[108831]

Why is a short hooklength preferable,I do prefer no shot on the hooklength,but it isn't compulsory,in fairness maybe fish 6lb maxima straight through if maxima is preferred,it could be that your foul hooking carp which would be more stressful on the short hooklength,set your feels drag,tightish but to just under the rods bottoming point,you should never,ever be broken...

 

[markcw]

A lot of margins are shallow as you know, so if you are fishing an 18" margin, you dont want to use a 12" hooklength.
All my margin rigs vary from 12" deep to around 5' deep, and all have hooklengths between 4" and 6 " apart from the 12" margin where I fish straight through.I have had no problems using these with any type of bait.
Buy a ready made pole rig and the hooklengths are around 6" long.

 

[108831]

But your 1ft hooklink doesn't stop you fishing 18" deep,just put a shot 5" from the hook,straight through would be best,no real weak spots...especially with super sensor...

 

[Molehill]

At a guess I would say there was an unseen snag there that the hooked fish go through or under - is it the same swim every time? Possibly a knot in the line making it weak, though don't see how that happens if you are not casting out, but worth a check?

 

[markcw]

But your 1ft hooklink doesn't stop you fishing 18" deep,just put a shot 5" from the hook,straight through would be best,no real weak spots...especially with super sensor...

If I am fishing the margin I want my bait nailed to the bottom, hence short hooking, with shot above loop connection, or if fishing straight through a small bulk about 4 to 6 inches above the hook. I will either fish dead depth or a few inches over depth depending on bait. I never put shot on hooklengths

 

[rayner]

It's true, to break a six-pound line is very difficult for me. If there's no problem with the line it's either your tackle or playing technique.
One point if anglers fish straight through where do they put their shot? if they won't put shot on their hooklength. What's the difference with a long hooklength or straight through. Seems a bit of a contradiction to me.

 

[tigger]

It's true, to break a six-pound line is very difficult for me. If there's no problem with the line it's either your tackle or playing technique.
One point if anglers fish straight through where do they put their shot? if they won't put shot on their hooklength. What's the difference with a long hooklength or straight through. Seems a bit of a contradiction to me.

I think most anglers use low diameter, or low B/S hooklengths which are quite delicate to start with, squeezing on a shot might be the straw that breaks the camels back, so to speak.
If your using a 8lb reel line and combine it with a 6 or 4lb reel line bottom then adding a shot wouldn't be a worry.

 

[rayner]

I don't use mega low breaking strains now even so if I need I would still put my droppers on .10. Stotz only need a nip to hold them on, damaging the line is not a concern for me.

 

[Keith M]

I have no qualms about placing small shot onto my hook lengths when using a float rod and it's rare for me to get broken at my shot.

I also never like using hook lengths shorter than 12in minimum when using a float rod as I need my hook links to have a little stretch to absorb any sudden lunges of a decent sized fish (which I suspect is the reason for your extremely short hook length breakages).

nb: on a pole it can be a lot different because of the elastic absorbing the stress.

For me there's little chance of soft No8 shot (or even No6 shot) causing breakages in my hook lengths if I put them on very carefully (famous last words ) and if I need a string of them so be it.

Keith