Line alligner effect with mono and small hooks

[bennygesserit]

Himy son used Korda pre tied hook links on a specimen lake recently and every bite resulted in a pick up , none of the usual twangs.

On the pool I usually fish no braid is allowed and hooks after to be 12 or above.

Is there a way to use the knotless knot to achieve the line alligner effect or should I just go and get some line alligners , or are they only suitable for braid and larger hooks !

 

[sam vimes]

Much depends on the mono being used and how stiff it is. Any minimal effect is exaggerated by using stiffer, usually thicker, line. The most dramatic effect I've seen is when using fairly stiff fluorocarbon hooklinks. If I want to ensure the effect with more supple hooklength material, I use the excellent Gardner aligners. I never bother faffing around with shrink tube since finding them.

Covert Hook Aligners - Gardner Tackle

Covert Pop-Up Hook Aligners - Gardner Tackle

 

[bennygesserit]

Much depends on the mono being used and how stiff it is. Any minimal effect is exaggerated by using stiffer, usually thicker, line. The most dramatic effect I've seen is when using fairly stiff fluorocarbon hooklinks. If I want to ensure the effect with more supple hooklength material, I use the excellent Gardner aligners. I never bother faffing around with shrink tube since finding them.

Covert Hook Aligners - Gardner Tackle

Covert Pop-Up Hook Aligners - Gardner Tackle

Fantastic thanks Sam googling can't beat someone answering a specific question.

We did try some flourocarbon but it wouldn't go through the eye of the hook the second time on the knotless knot , the other hooklink material we bought ( its in the shed ) seems quite stiff though.

 

[Tee-Cee]

I'll second that !!

Top answer, and more importantly, to the point !!

Something else I need to buy and try - damn it !!

 

[pointngo]

Sam is right but any mono of 10lb+ is stiffer than a braided hooklink and if tied with a knotless knot should give you the angle and stiffness to allow the hook to turn.

hook choice is important. A straight eye will most probably work but if not an inturned eye will exaggerate the angle further.

if you still think you need an aligner then a ½-1cm piece of silicone tubing over the eye, with the line passed through the underside (hook gape side) a few mm before the (mainline) end will give you a good angle... the original line aligner. Sam's suggestion looks spot on if you want to buy something made for the job.

---------- Post added at 10:43 ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 ----------

We did try some flourocarbon but it wouldn't go through the eye of the hook the second time on the knotless knot , the other hooklink material we bought ( its in the shed ) seems quite stiff though.

not trying to teach you to suck eggs Benny but with thick mono and fluoro you often have to pull down the first passed line to give you the space to get through the second time. You've probably tried it but thought I'd mention it in case mate. Cutting the line at an angle gives a pointy end which makes it easier.

 

[Nobby C (ACA)]

You can buy fly nymph hooks like the Kamasan B175 which have an exaggerated downturn to the eyes but because the angle is so steep I'd be wary about using them with mono, particularly flourocarbon as I'd be concerned with stressing the line but for a decent stiff braid they're fine Or just tie mono directly to the eye and use a separate braid hair.

 

[bennygesserit]

Bought my line alligners today and made some rigs up , longer hair than the pre tied preston ones I normally use , bigger hooks too.

Anticipation is half the fun isn't it.

 

[bennygesserit]

I had a tremendous amount of fish yesterday , up to about 30 carp biggest nearly 10.
I think I used too supple a lhooklink to start with , after a short period , even with the alligner on the line seemed straight.
When I first started fishing they deffo had that kink in them and I wasn't getting the "twang" but after a while the kink had gone.

A very nice guy a few pegs down gave me one of his hooklinks , tied with reflo and with a small piece of silicon tube that you can slide round the hook to shorten the hair and make the hair hang off the bend off the hook.

Once I got the fish going this resulted in a lot of actual pick ups , I tied some of my own , using reflo and caught a lot of fish , so many in fact that I stopped checking whether the reflo had straightened - it must have done.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Benny....I've also just received some of the Gardner Aligners via ebay. I bought a packet of the large and small to try, but being carless at the moment I cannot try them out !

Always interested in how you find them in use though....

 

[bennygesserit]

Benny....I've also just received some of the Gardner Aligners via ebay. I bought a packet of the large and small to try, but being carless at the moment I cannot try them out !

Always interested in how you find them in use though....

I cut the top off mine - the little circle , on the recommendation f the guy who runs the tackle shop, the place where I fish has a minimum size 12 hook , I think my hook was a little bigger than that but the little ring was probably still too big.

They certainly worked in the sense that they gave that kink in the line , and that seemed to result in a better pick up i.e. bites into fish. but I think I got the same effect using reflo power line and I think the kink effect seemed to lessen after a few fish.

I think Sam Vimes fishes different venues to me so maybe he hasn't come across this issue.

 

[peter mayall]

probably being a bit older than most who post on here , I would like you to consider this, when using smaller hooks with smaller eyes use the spade end knot, you can still keep the hair, and use a line aligner, its what was used before the advent of the knotless knot. It also has the benefit of being used with all types of hooklength material.

 

[bennygesserit]

not trying to teach you to suck eggs Benny but with thick mono and fluoro you often have to pull down the first passed line to give you the space to get through the second time. You've probably tried it but thought I'd mention it in case mate. Cutting the line at an angle gives a pointy end which makes it easier.

You were right mate , giving it an extra pull ( ooer missus ) left enough room to squeeze the flouro in.

Caught my first fish on it yesterday too. The flouro also ( I think ) resets its self after you have been done by a carp i.e. the stiffness of the line acts as a boom to take the bait away from the weight , preventing tangles and also letting the carp feel the lead at the same time as they have the bait in their mouth - an aid to self hooking.

 

[pointngo]

glad it worked out for you mate. With mono and fluoro you should always go round the knotless knot a couple of times back up towards the eye, before you pass it through for the second time... it holds the knot in place and tight.

with a knotless knot you rarely need an aligner when using mono or fluoro... as you've seen, the stiffness keeps the "angle" you want for self-hooking and helps eliminate tangles. You can go a step further if you want and use a tail rubber over where the hooklink is connected to the lead system. That creates a boom that springs the hook away from the lead and makes sure your hooklink is straightened out on the bottom... it only works on hard bottoms but is virtually 100% tangle free (don't ever use it in silt/mud etc as it will stick straight up from the lead).