Adding a cushion to a snell knot

[Ron Jones]

It's a similar idea to running beads against swivels to prevent chafing. I'll try it today.
Ron

[maxpowers]

a bit mor testing..tied double sdj knot and line broke in the middle at about 26 lbs on 20 lbs big game.  the main line was not thru the hook eye.  put the main line thru hook eye and the knot failed at 23 lbs on the same weakened line.  tied sdj knot with same weakened line and knot failed at 17 lbs.  all steady pull.

[Ron Jones]

Where is the line breaking when it fails?
Ron

[maxpowers]

just for kick i snelled a 40 lbs wire leader and did a terrible job with a haywire twist to the carbinger and still got 32 lbs before the haywire twist broke.

[maxpowers]

Where is the line breaking when it fails?
Ron

the first one with the main line not thru the eye the line broke close to the carbinger double sdj knot.  i think i caused the line failure when i didn't moistened the sdj knot in the initial tightening.

the second failure occur at the snell main line when i passed the main line thru the eye of the hook.

[broadway]

I gotta ask... what the heck chewed on that hook... a crocodile???
I ain't swimming there!
Dom

[maxpowers]

dom,

it is only a 5/0 or 6/0 circle hook.  a little over an inch long..

[broadway]

     I hear ya, but we have bluefish around here and the most they would do to that hook would be scratch it
I'm hoping you were stuck on bottom
I'm liking your testing for the best way to snell... I'm a smart snell a, myself
Thanks
Dom

[whalebreath]

I snell hooks all year long and the issue of a sharp end cutting the snell rarely arises and  if it does it means the hook is a POS.

First I'd try crimping the eye shut even more if that didn't do it throw the hooks out.

[maxpowers]

I snell hooks all year long and the issue of a sharp end cutting the snell rarely arises and  if it does it means the hook is a POS.

First I'd try crimping the eye shut even more if that didn't do it throw the hooks out.

I hear ya but if i rather not take the chance of the snell failure due to the line cutting into the gap.  a 5 turn uni or nail knot take hardly any time to tie and you can pre-tied the uni stopper knots in a bunch of hooks prior to going out.  JMHO..

[Caranx]

I gotta ask... what the heck chewed on that hook... a crocodile???
I ain't swimming there!
Dom

I think he used a set of pliers to pull and test the strength of the knot if you are referring to the red circle hook.

[saltydog]

Thanks for the tip, I haven't done a lot of snells on circles because I use a lot of loop knots instead because of the same issue with the hook cutting into the line. I will surely try this.

[Caranx]

In my opinion and experience, I use a thick, hard, heavy test line when tying snells. I need the connection to be rigid in order for the hook to turn and catch the corner of the jaw.
If you are using soft thin mono, it will certainly bunch up at the eye base and cut.
If I use a 5/0 hook, I would go at least 50 # test minimum. That's just the way I fish my species.
11/0 mustads, I use 100 # test.
When tying, as you go through the eye start the turn on the shank side of the eye and not where the wire end meets back to the shank.  That's where it cuts the line.

[broadway]

Thanks Stuart for clarifying, Stuart  ...I couldn't figure out what Max was fishing for that would do that kinda damage to the hook.
Dom

[Caranx]

Dom,
Well that's what I was thinking...  But maybe it was a croc!!   

Fish on,
Stuart