Myth Bust'n Time,
How true is this statement in the title? With the comments Ive read, this doesnt hold water. For those who may not know what Im referring to here, Ive heard from Souther Calif fishermen that a short topshot of mono/fluror attached to braid creates a kelp cutting rig which will "cut kelp" to help one get fish out of kelp when they run in it to break off your line.
Truth or myth?
Leo
Fiction.
it is fact as the line will continue to cut into the kelp as ypu pulled against it. i used this same setup when fishing catalina from the mole. it is hard on equipment though as you put a lot of pressure on the line to cut it thru the kelp.
Sure it will cut kelp but where do you get snagged most? Usually a hooked fish, hook or jig it what gets caught in the weeds and not the line. I like to fish right in the kelp at San Clemente for big calico's and have two setups for this one with a long topshot of mono where I hardly ever get into the spectra and the other with around 6' of fluoro tied to the braid (my kelp cutter rig). I get the same hook up to land rate with both rigs. I see the advantage of a kelp cutter rig but in real life I have not noticed it helping all that much if at all to reduce getting snagged in the kelp or in getting a fish, hook or jig out.
I have used the advantage of braid to cut through aquatic plants in both fresh and salt water. However, as SoCalAngler said, if the fish is hung up it doesn't do anything for you. I really like it in "clearer" patties like just outside San Diego bay in the buoys that aren't very thick. For the mats that grow around San Clemente in high summer I'm not sure their is a benefit.
Ron
I have cut kelp with heavy braid to get lures back that I would rather not lose but have not used a true "kelp cutter" rig as I understand it.
These are heavy (like 50-60lb braid) lines tied straight to the lure and then fished in heavy kelp. In such heavy cover fish are less sensitive to the Braid being tied straight to the lure and the heavy braid most certainly slices right through with a little "sawing" action.
2 cents worth as I remember it. Some Calico Bass pro will chime in and give us the true low down hopefully.
I think its real. Even if the kelp cutter affect is not, I can't see fishing with 50 pound mono. So just actually being able to pull that hard makes it possible to retrieve lures and fish from the Kelp. I have only actually caught one fish that made it a true Kelp cutter and I know I never would have seen it without braided line.
Tight Lines, Brendan.
Maybe the best part of the shorter kelp cutter rig is the braid to mono connection knot itself... working like a single "tooth" helping the line saw its way up and down thru.... making more effective progress than either line can by itself..
For those that think it works, I did at one time, try this. Take the setup with spectra or mono that your going to fish in or around the kelp and tie on a torpedo sinker, no hook just the sinker and toss it into the middle of thick kelp, let it sink to the bottom and reel it in. You will see the line does not get snagged because the line is not the problem getting caught in the kelp. Like I said it is a hook, lure, hooked fish, terminal tackle, not staying in touch with your live bait allowing it to swim and weave your line in the kelp or dead bait on the drift again allowing it to flow in the current wrapping and tangling in the weeds is what will get you snagged.
Now the advantage I do see with a kelp cutter rig is having no line stretch which makes it harder for a fish to turn it's head and run into the kelp deeper entangleing you more. This can also be over come with mono using a few tricks.
Braid has much less abrasion resistance than mono so if a large fish does take you into the weeds it could and most likely will damage faster than mono of the same breaking strength. Will braid cut kelp? Sure but so will mono. I have seen 40lb mono almost cut all of the way through the anchor line of a long range boat when a fisherman could not get to the bow fast enough when his wahoo took his line across the anchor rope and that is some thick rope. Oh, and by the way he did land his fish and not break off. The braid being thinner would make it easier to cut through the kelp but IMO the line touching the side of kelp strands is not what is getting you caught up in it.
Just my 2 cents