Leader

[Duke]

Looking to re rig and really like a windon setup. Was wondering about using an Albright to connect my 80# braid to the 200# leader versus a loop to loop windon connect. How do they compare strentgth wise? THANKS!!

[jerry]

Duke, I just refitted two 50wides with braid and a mono top shot of 80lb. The braid is 150lb though. I asked Bobby Boyle his advice on using the albright and he suggested that I tie a bimini in the braid a bimini in the mono and use a doubel uni knot to connect the two doubles. All I can say is this: I have tied albrights before but never really had them tested under pressure. As far as the connection above I have had a couple decent swords on and some 100lb yellowfin. These knots have not failed me. I set my strike drag at 25lbs and when the fish were deep and holding i had 35lbs of drag on the yellow fin and swordfish. For what its worth I would second the two doubles joined by a double uni which is very easy to tie.
As far as the wind on goes with the braid I am not sure if the braid might cut through the dacron loop but you could try doubling the braid with a bimini and try the double uni with the braid and the 200lb windon

[RiskTaker]

Duke:

I just recently lost a swordfish and a $100 rig due to a failure at the loop to loop. That just said, I am still going to recommend that you use a loop to loop connection; suggesting it be spectra to spectra and not a dacron to spectra, loop to loop.

I am not sure if it makes a difference or not. But I know that my dacron loop was the point of failure: I cannot tell however, if it was a chafing failure or a loop splice failure. But likely one of those two reasons was the cause.

You mentioned #200 leader. I will assume that this is your nylon monofilament wind-on leader. I am not sure if you really want to tie any knots with 200 lb. test mono. (but I have never tried an albright with test that large.)

I suggest that you make a finger trap onto the 200 lb. mono. with hollow core spectra (or whatever your braid material is) so long as it is dacron to dacron or spectra to spectra for your loop to loop inter-connect.

This way you still retain flexibility if you need to change out your wind-ons; although, some nippers still make things quite versatile as well.

Where I seek advice as well, is whether it makes any difference if you mix dracron and spectra maerials on the loop-to-loop connections.

I just re-spooled 2 - 50 wides myself and my new solution is #130 Jerry Brown Hollow core braided spectra as my main line connected directly by way of finger trap, serving and gluing to 200 lb. flourocarbon as my wind-on leader at about 15 yards. (The spectra braid is spliceable should I ever encounter any abrasions. I am thinking that the next time I re-spool will be in the year 2010, unless a fish takes it al off or if the reel goes bye-bye.

If I should ever change my plan about this so I could down size to a smaller terminal monofilament like 60-80 lb. test. I will revert back to a loop to loop where the new wind-on would have a spectra loop or perhaps a Bimini.

I have tried a few albright knots on a spectra 130 line connected to 60 or 80 mono where the mono is the fatter line. AFter a few tries the spectra has always slipped, unless I tied in a few more half hitches on the spectra to secure it a little more, but that is starting to get a bit clugey with the knots.

My vote is loop-to-loop with a-like materials. RT

[Duke]

My thought was the 80# braid to a 50 foot 200# mono windon with spectra to spectra loop connection and then to a 7 foot 250# finish leader.