Are the first 3 guide locations set for the microwave guides. 19 1/2 inchs from the lip of the spool when it is fully extended. Then the next 2 are set per the measurements on the guide package..
Or are these a ball park ? I have done a static test with these guides at these measurements and only have to adjust my runners. They seem perfect. But I thought I would get a bit more distance out of my cast. 12 lb CAST braid with a 8 lb floro leader with a 1/8 oz jig head and 3 inch Kitech. This is on a NFC 6100 blank. I do here the leader knot tick I believe on the stripper but not sure. I reted my leader knot and it is better but I still here a tick.
This is why I asked if the first 3 guide measurements on the package are set and thats where they need to be? As I said the static test looks perfect on all guides...

I don't think I have ever built a spinning rod with a top shot that I never heard a tick as it ran through the guides, as long as you are not getting a grab you should be golden. Changing any positions, I doubt would help anything, you are after all are passing the knot through a small aperture right out of the get go.

I have been told by A/T via phone that stripper location can vary 2" in either direction from the spool, but they recommend keeping the grouping distance the same. You can always experiment a bit.

David,
There is one guaranteed solution for your knot tick on a guide issue.

Delete the leader from your setup. Tie your hook or lure directly to your braid and your knot tick will be eliminated.


You will also have eliminated one knot that could fail - down stream when you have a big fish on the end of your line.

Unless you have some really unusual situation, you will likely not have any difference in the amount of strikes nor the amount of fish that you bring to heel - so to speak - when fishing with no leader.

Best wishes.

Take care

Good point Roger. I did same but different - got tired of leaders and went back to fishing straight mono.

IDK..for me, river fishing, I wouldn't fish braid without a leader. Kills the presentation in alot of situations. There are a couple presentations where i will go straight braid but its frw and far between..I'll use a 8-10ft leader for spinning with crazy Alberto knot. Not much relying with the long leaders but still gives ya the braid feel

Braid without a mono or fluoro leader is great............except for when you get snagged with a lot of line out. If tied right, the lesser strength leader will break off at the lure. Straight braid may break off anywhere from the rod tip to the lure leaving a permanent mess in the water and a partial spool of line.

I always use a leader with braid for a number of reasons. 1) A mono or fluorocarbon leader is more abrasion resistant than braid. 2) It allows for a spool of braid to last longer, because you cut back on the the leader and not the braid when re-tying or changing lures. 3) The leader acts a shock absorber. 4) A leader is a must for working top water lures. 5) It prevents the line from catching a treble hook when casting or retrieving. 6) it allows for reliable line to lure knots to be tied without slipping. 7) It allows for a clear line to be tied to the lure for less visibility.
I always use an FG knot to attach the leader to braid. It is the thinnest and strongest leader to braid knot I’ve ever used. It passes easily through the guides without a hint of a knot tic. There are also a number of reasons why I use braid.
Norm

Norm
I have heard great things about the FG knot. I.see that it's a long knot when completed. I usually run a pretty long leader, long enough where my leader knot will be on the spinning reel spool. Is the FG too long and would it cause issues during a cast being on the spool? What do ya think? It's a great knot but I steered away cause of the length.

I usually use relatively short leaders from 3’ to 5’ to start with and retie when the leader is about 1’. So for me the knot doesn’t go on the reel spool, but if it did I don’t think it would be a problem. The FG knot is not all that long. I usually do between 12 to 20 wraps depending on the lines I’m using, with an average of about 16 wraps. They hold great, and there is no hard tag end on the front of the knot allowing it to pass smoothly through the guides without catching anything on the way out.
Norm

Matt Ruggie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Norm
> I have heard great things about the FG knot.
> I.see that it's a long knot when completed. I
> usually run a pretty long leader, long enough
> where my leader knot will be on the spinning reel
> spool. Is the FG too long and would it cause
> issues during a cast being on the spool? What do
> ya think? It's a great knot but I steered away
> cause of the length.

I'll chime in here. I finally learned how to tie FG and many times I run a long leader where the knot is in the spool. I've not had any issues with it being on the spool. The trickiest part about the knot IMO is that it has unraveled on me a couple time when first learning to tie it. I agree it is a great knot and wouldn't shy away using it even if running a long leader with knot being reeled down onto spool. The video that worked best for me learning how to tie it was this one from Ott Defoe... [youtube.com]

Definitely tie off the braid to the reel handle as that works way better than trying to hold braid in your teeth...

Awesome. Thx guys. Will experiment with it for sure!! I'm using crazy Alberto and I really dont have anything bad to say about it but I'm always up for improvements where I can.

I made a jig to tie the FG. I use a strip of wood about a 2" x 1" x 10"L with a 2" screws that stick up about 1.5" from the surface at each end. It really helps. I only use it for fly line to backing. For braid to mono or floro leader I use a Uni knot. Haven't knocked out a ring yet. I usually don't reel it in past the tip top when casting. If you are using a very long leader and you will not be re-tying it then a FG would be fine. It is just a bear to tie.

I think it is pretty safe to say that 95% of the anglers who learn to tie an FG Knot will never use another knot after that; it is the thinnest and most secure knot for line-to-leader, at least in my opinion (quite a few others as well). But, like many others, I fumbled trying to wind the braid up the mono and then back down and keep the opposing spirals even and neat. I found a video 4-5 years ago which is very similar to the Ott Defoe video that Kevin linked and all my troubles went out the window = MUCH easier / quicker and I’ve never had a failure!!! It is too bad that Ott’s fingers pinch the knot as it is being made so you cannot watch the knot progressing; I only pinch it at the very beginning and can watch the knot getting longer with each back-and-forth / left-to-right pass pass of the mono. If anyone is having difficulty tying an FG Knot, this method should solve all your woes.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Good info Mark. thx

Here's a question. How easy is it to tie while floating down a shallow rocky river with one eye on the boulders and ledges and 1 foot on the trolling motor? Lol. I use the crazy Alberto and AbraizX leader, really dont have failure issues, and can tie it in the above situations quite easily. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying it's a better knot, cause everything ive seen the FG wins for strength. Just wondering how easy under less than ideal conditions. ????



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2023 09:07AM by Matt Ruggie.

I've fished 30 ft leaders on an FG not with finesse line and 30/40# braid to 17# fluoro for 5-10 trips without any issues. I will say on finesse set ups that many trips did eventually turn into some gnarly wind knots and a tangle in the guides ending that FG knots career - but I certainly got my money's worth out of it. That was all due to the line twist tossing ned rigs and tubes, and partly because the knot itself started to fray a little at the top and catch on the outgoing line on a cast - but held strong until it met the clippers.

@Matt - I've settled on tying my FG the night before a trip (or many trips if I tie a long leader) but a crazy Alberto on the water for the sake of ease and time. I'm usually only tying 30 ft leaders when I'm expecting water clarity with a turbidity practically equal to drinking water. Other than that I prefer a leader to stop just before entering the reel for the sake of ease and better handling. I find that any leader tied into a reel runs the risk of disturbing a cast.

I've had snags and break offs pull back with my FG perfectly healthy, and not light break offs but wrap the line around my hand and pull til it turns purple break offs. Tie terminal knots with less trenght than your leader knots and you won't leave a mess of line in the ecosystem.

Building rods in MA, Building the community around the world

Yeah ill definitely give it a shot and tie em night before and like ya said, on the water use the crazy alberto. Was thinking the same. Thx

Yeah I tend to use the long leader only on a few of my spinning setups that are dedicated for bottom contact plastics..tubes, neds, etc. Fishing rocky rivers eats up these baits and longer leader just lasts longer. Baitcasting and spinning rods for moving baits, ill use a 3-5' leader to keep the knot off the reels.

Obviously, any knot which holds under extreme conditions is a good knot; the FG just happens to be the best. Lament, learn, and like the FG knot; you’ll never look back! While there are numerous methods to tying an FG, the above afforded link is just about the best.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Matt - the FG is a great knot but definitely takes more time/effort to tie. For me I generally would tie the long leader for a day on Lake Erie where you constantly have to re-tie because of zebra mussels, rocks, etc. With alot of practice I'm sure it becomes relatively quick to re-tie while out on the boat but I'm not that fast with it as of yet so if I had an issue and had to re-tie I would probably just go back to old reliable double uni knot or an alberto that I can tie quicker.

Granted, time out of the water tying knots = less time to hook a fish. While it may require a little more time to tie an FG, I can tie one in <60 seconds.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.