Has anyone spliced solid braid mainline into a short length of hollow core, and then mono topshot into the hollow core?
Am I nuts for thinking of this?
Thinking about a solid braid to mono connection - was thinking the PR Bobbin knot but the idea of a short length of hollow core into which both the solid braid and mono are spliced might to interesting (or very stupid).
The easiest way to "splice" is a uni to uni, the second easiest is a loop to loop.
I would recomend tying a good loop knot in the solid, a bimini or 3 turn surgeon's loop is what I use, and building wind-on-tophots. Attach them loop to loop.
The solidcore is usually too thin for the hollowcore to get a good bite on it. You can splice the mono into some hollowcore, then loop splice the hollowcore and tie a bimini in the solid, then loop to loop it. Still a somewhat common connection for game fishing with braid; everyone else just uses a PR or FG knot nowadays.
I use a bimini twist for the solid and a hollow core loop on the hollow, then a true three-turn loop-to-loop connection.
If you have a latch needle you can double up the solid core and thread it through the hollow. This will give the hollow more line to bite on to. Difficult to do without latch because you need to release the loop when you come out of the hollow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfLr0Tu8Q3w&t=454s
I have the needles and use them 100% of the time but it can be done with a bent in half 4-6 foot piece of single strand wire. Alan does it all of the time.
My solution is different from all those described in this thread. I happened to face the problem of having to join Hollow core braid to solid core braid. To do this I use a 9 foot nylon.
I insert about 7 feet of nylon inside the hollow core braid, at this point to join the solid core braid I practice a PR Knot on the remaining nylon. I find it a clean and effective method. never a problem.