Haywire Twist

[BrokeOff]

Just realized I am only twisting the tag end around the mainline, instead of twisting both mainline and tag ends around one another.  Does this mean my knots are weak or likely to fail?  Not hard to fix the knot at the leader end but the backing knot is buried under all that copper.....

[Don Supon]

If the tag end is secured from unwraping, the knot is as strong as it can be. Wire strength is the only limiting factor and twisting it could break or weaken some of the strands..

[Big Water]

_{If you have several twists or shrink wrap on it, it shouldn't be a problem.  I shrink wrap mine to keep from being concerned.}

Edited March 23, 2013 by Big Water

[Sk8man]

Rather than shrink wrapping it I use a hot glue gun on the wrap especially the tag end (clear stuff and I can see through it to see if problems works fine...

[momay4000]

Broke Off,

 

Don't over think it.

 

Here's the way I tie my copper: I pass the main line through the eye of an in-line swivel once and then pass it through once again and cinch down the little loop it makes. Then I take the tag end and wrap it around the main line about 7-8 times to make a tight barrel. Then I'll take the tag end after making the barrel and finally make 2-3 haywire twists and that's it.

 

I have never had this fail. Could you possibly have this unwrap? Possibly but it would take hundeds, if not thousands of pounds of pressure to do this and I would guarantee that you would snap the 45# copper before you could ever come close to unwrapping this knot.

 

More importantly for you - I would use an inline swivel to connect your braided backing to the copper. I have always been worried that the stranded copper line tied directly to the braid (as opposed to the nice smooth surface of the inline swivel) could wear at the braid and eventually cut it off.

 

Good luck on the water,

 

- Chris

[Miss em]

http://www.fishdoctorcharters.com/videos/video8W.html

 

This is how Captain Ernie has done for the last 47 years.  (He got his first copper rig in '66)  Like momay says, no need to overthink it.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Miss em