Busting off lures

[Sloth]

Ok ..... Recently I've been getting onto a few bigger/stronger fish and experiencing bust offs at the lure. The bust offs are occurring when the fish is pulling hard and I'm assuming it's not abrading me against structure. If I had to guess I'd say the knot is cutting through the leader as I get back a relatively clean, straight broken end. I fish 4lb fc leader and tie to a decoy clip using a uni knot. I want to put an end to the theft of my lures ! Can I have some wisdom from the more experienced on how best to go about improving this. My current thoughts are:

1. Lose the clips and start tying loop knots direct to the tow point.
2. Keep the clip but ditch the uni-knot and start using the fish-n-fool
3. Up leader strength to 6lb.
4. Fish lighter drag

What steps do you take if you're experiencing premature lure loss?

Thanks

Edit: I do 6 to 7 turns on my uni knots and plenty of saliva

[Piranha]

I would up leader to 6-8lb in the situation described less wraps on the fluro side of the uni knot may help it's strength too.

[Simonosy]

I reckon 4 turns is heaps. Don't want too much friction in the uni before it pulls tight or it can heat up the line before it comes down hard.

I'd be doing some testing at home with a set of scales. Try out what you're doing and see what it breaks at, then make some changes as you listed and see what that breaks at. If you did ten runs of each method and took the average, that'd give you a good idea whats going on.

[BloodWorm]

Originally Posted by Simonosy

Don't want too much friction in the uni before it pulls tight or it can heat up the line before it comes down hard.

That has been my experience when this happens. I haven't been taking enough care when tying the know and getting some friction when tightening the knot.

The scenario you are talking is finesse but you should be landing the fish you are talking about.

[Sloth]

Hmmm.... everyones talking a uni-knot to the lure clip I assume (not a leader-mainline knot).

If so .... interesting. Four wraps seems so .... I dunno ... small ? haha. I thought 7 wraps made a freaky small knot !

I'm considering changing a few things. It's firing after dark at the moment so I reckon I can easily go up 2lb in breaking strain. I'm going to change over to a fish-n-fool (basically an improved uni knot) and I'll reduce to 4 wraps, based on comments above.

I'm consoling myself that good fish will come again ... but you're on the money bloodworm... should have landed that one. Nothing to bust me on. I just overloaded the system. Kind of annoying

[HB tragic]

Have you thought about a loop knot to the clip? I use this approach and it works for me. Regards, HBt.

[BloodWorm]

Originally Posted by Sloth

should have landed that one. Nothing to bust me on. I just overloaded the system. Kind of annoying

Feels 100 times worse when it happens in a VicBream round.
Just a small lapse in concentration and 'POP' she is all over red rover

[Piscateur]

In general I don't believe the loop knots are as strong as a uni or locked blood.
If using 4 or 6 lb the leader isn't really thick enough to impede on the lures action, above this leader weight, I will use a clip rather than a loop knot.
I run a 6turn locked blood, only coz its easier for me than the uni. Both are equally strong but there less friction with the blood on the tightening of the knot.

Some of your recent losses sounded like tailor to me, and there not much you can do there.

[mrgbean]

Originally Posted by Sloth

Ok ..... Recently I've been getting onto a few bigger/stronger fish and experiencing bust offs at the lure. The bust offs are occurring when the fish is pulling hard and I'm assuming it's not abrading me against structure. If I had to guess I'd say the knot is cutting through the leader as I get back a relatively clean, straight broken end. I fish 4lb fc leader and tie to a decoy clip using a uni knot. I want to put an end to the theft of my lures ! Can I have some wisdom from the more experienced on how best to go about improving this. My current thoughts are:

1. Lose the clips and start tying loop knots direct to the tow point.
2. Keep the clip but ditch the uni-knot and start using the fish-n-fool
3. Up leader strength to 6lb.
4. Fish lighter drag

What steps do you take if you're experiencing premature lure loss?

Thanks

Edit: I do 6 to 7 turns on my uni knots and plenty of saliva

id up your leader and ditch the uni and fish n fool id go with a miller knot