Where should a leader 'normally' break at? 2025
Dypsis reply :
I am wondering where or in most cases my line should break off at. Example - I have a shaky head tied on and get hung - should I expect it to break off at the knot on the jig head or at my joining knot for my leader. Does it depend on too many factors - any niks, number of fish caught on the leader compared to the lure?
Reason I am asking is I started using the Alberto knot sometime last summer as it comes highly recommended. I have noticed since switching it seems (while I never really put to much thought into it prior) I am breaking off at the leader knot. I can't remember if it was the same when using the uni to uni.
I am using 20lb braid to 8lb FC.
Thanks
EvanT123 reply :
I use the Alberto with 10pp/10 mono or 20pp/10 mono. 99.9 pecent of the time it breaks at the jig or lure.
Darren. reply :
Rarely do I break off at the leader knot.
Depending on how you're tying the Alberto,
try doing more wraps up and back.
Eg., wrap your 20lb braid up say 15 times if
you only do it 8 now, or go up even more wraps
then come back down 6-10 wraps, moisten and
cinch it really well. Once you've got it there, cut
the tags off and give it a pull test. Still good, fish
it.
If it keeps breaking at the leader, try a dab of
super glue. If it keeps breaking, change line, or
change back to the uni-x2 knot and see if your
breakage changes.
If you already do the 15 wraps up, etc., try more.
Dypsis reply :
@Darren. I do 7 wraps up and 7 wraps back. I do wet the line prior to cinching. I also give a nice pull to make sure its a solid knot and it seems good to me. Maybe a few more wraps to start and see how it goes.
Darren. reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 6:41 AM, Dypsis said:@Darren. I do 7 wraps up and 7 wraps back. I do wet the line prior to cinching. I also give a nice pull to make sure its a solid knot and it seems good to me. Maybe a few more wraps to start and see how it goes.
Yeah, definitely try that. I had to double my wraps when
I use 6# line -- I do upwards of 15-20 wraps up and 6-10
back down. Found that was the trick to keeping it from
slippage.
I'm also using PP 10# and PPSS8 15# ....
Team9nine reply :
The leader/line is going to break at the weakest point. In your case, you have two knots tied in the 8 lb. FC. One tied to your bait, and the other tied to your braid main line. Apparently, the weaker knot in your system is your Alberto, which generally I wouldn't expect to happen. For example, compared to the Uni-Uni, the Alberto is about 20% stronger. I'm guessing there is something not quite right in the way you are tying the Alberto. If the braided lines cross back on each other incorrectly, it will weaken the Alberto. That might be what is happening. I use the Alberto extensively and have never used more than 8 wraps in either direction. Might try the extra wraps though to see if it helps correct your problem.
-T9
EvanT123 reply :
I've started using 5 up 3 back same results. I don't know if more wraps would help.
Darren. reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 6:47 AM, Team9nine said:The leader/line is going to break at the weakest point. In your case, you have two knots tied in the 8 lb. FC. One tied to your bait, and the other tied to your braid main line. Apparently, the weaker knot in your system is your Alberto, which generally I wouldn't expect to happen. For example, compared to the Uni-Uni, the Alberto is about 20% stronger. I'm guessing there is something not quite right in the way you are tying the Alberto. If the braided lines cross back on each other incorrectly, it will weaken the Alberto. That might be what is happening. I use the Alberto extensively and have never used more than 8 wraps in either direction. Might try the extra wraps though to see if it helps correct your problem.
-T9
I began the numerous loops up after reading about it
with the straight Albright. The more the merrier they said
and I found it to be true. So I applied it to the Alberto
and it worked well.
Absolutely necessary, no. I can tie a tight Alberto with less
especially before hitting the water. When on the water, more
wraps helped ensure my knot whilst the wind and waves
were assailing....
Team9nine reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 6:55 AM, Darren. said:I began the numerous loops up after reading about it
with the straight Albright. The more the merrier they said
and I found it to be true. So I applied it to the Alberto
and it worked well.Absolutely necessary, no. I can tie a tight Alberto with less
especially before hitting the water. When on the water, more
wraps helped ensure my knot whilst the wind and waves
were assailing....
On one hand, it would seem like more wraps just means increased likelihood of incorrectly crossed braids and a weaker knot. On the other, perhaps adding more wraps actually decreases the importance of any one wrap??? Would be fun to test with the proper equipment 
This is why it is always the knot you tie best that works best, and not just any one given knot over another...
-T9
no39 reply :
I do seven wraps up and five down. My break-ups are usually the lure knot or at a nick. I've noticed that the knot won't quite break but slip through after a few weeks of fishing. So I'm trying to force myself to retie every tenth or so time I take the rod out.
Dypsis reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 6:47 AM, Team9nine said:If the braided lines cross back on each other incorrectly, it will weaken the Alberto. That might be what is happening.
Ok, that was also a question of mine - thanks T9. How important are the wraps coming back spacing/crossing over the previous wraps?
Team9nine reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 7:03 AM, Dypsis said:Ok, that was also a question of mine - thanks T9. How important are the wraps coming back spacing/crossing over the previous wraps?
Everything I've read and been able to test has stated an exact 1:1 ratio, each wrap back crossing over just one initial wrap up, gives the strongest knot. That said, I usually tie mine with one less wrap back down (7 up, 6 down) to try and decrease the likelihood of an errant wrap. Two other knots that test out as good or better than Alberto that you might play with are the J knot and the FG. Uni-uni is the easiest to tie correctly IMO, but I can't get myself to use it knowing the raw strength data I've seen (plus that knot doesn't like big differences in diameters).
-T9
I.rar reply :
Albright for me for years. 8 wraps for 4-6lb. 6 wraps for 10+lb. Leader breaks close to the lure. I tried the Alberto but the Albright never failed me.
EllisJuan reply :
Anyone tried the FG knot? I was playing around with it the other day. Kind of a pain to tie, but seems REALLY strong and very thin.
Team9nine reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 8:37 AM, EllisJuan said:Anyone tried the FG knot? I was playing around with it the other day. Kind of a pain to tie, but seems REALLY strong and very thin.
Do a search (top right corner of page) for FG knot as there has been quite a few posts the past couple months talking about it. It is likely the strongest, thinnest "regular" freshwater connecting knot you can tie. Alberto and J knot practically being tied for the #2 spot. Takes a little bit of practice though, and not always the easiest knot to tie out on the water. Great for initial setups done at home/in garage though 
-T9
WRB reply :
Knot strength is the nemesis of FC line, very difficult to achieve 90% knot strength under fishing conditions regardless of what has been written. Jigs tend to have larger wire size hooks that create weakened knot strength with 8 lb test FC line. What knot are you using at the jig?
Tom
EvanT123 reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 8:52 AM, Team9nine said:Do a search (top right corner of page) for FG knot as there has been quite a few posts the past couple months talking about it. It is likely the strongest, thinnest "regular" freshwater connecting knot you can tie. Alberto and J knot practically being tied for the #2 spot. Takes a little bit of practice though, and not always the easiest knot to tie out on the water. Great for initial setups done at home/in garage though
-T9
I have not tried this knot admittedly but watched some of the videos of it posted here. My first thought was how the heck would I tie this knot with the wind blowing.
Dypsis reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 9:00 AM, WRB said:Knot strength is the nemesis of FC line, very difficult to achieve 90% knot strength under fishing conditions regardless of what has been written. Jigs tend to have larger wire size hooks that create weakened knot strength with 8 lb test FC line. What knot are you using at the jig?
Tom
San Diego Jam.
ww2farmer reply :
I do 5 up, 5 down on my alberto wraps. If I get hung and have to break off, 100% of the time the leader will break closer to the lure where the line is probably nicked up from coming in contact with whatever I got hung on. I have broken exactly 2 alberto knots in the five + years I have been tying them, be it on snags or hooksets......................both however were on hooks sets,, on two different rods, on the same day about a year into me using this knot. I tied them in haste, in the dark, in the wee hours of the morning before a tournament running on little to no sleep the night before, so I am pretty sure I screwed up.
WRB reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 9:18 AM, Dypsis said:San Diego Jam.
Good choice!
ClackerBuzz reply :
I've had my Alberto knot fail so many times that I went back to the uni to uni. I'm well aware that it's my fault but I never figured out the problem, and don't care too. All I know is my Alberto fails and my uni to uni never fails. I've tied the Alberto many a nights in front of the TV and it never fails. but as soon as i hit the water...
Tim Kelly reply :
FG knot will solve your snapping issues, it's incredibly strong, but it takes a bit of practise. If you learn to tie it by weaving the leader over and under the braid you can easily tie it on the water, but it will take 2-3 mins. Worth the extra effort though.
Jaheff reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 12:18 PM, ww2farmer said:I do 5 up, 5 down on my alberto wraps. If I get hung and have to break off, 100% of the time the leader will break closer to the lure where the line is probably nicked up from coming in contact with whatever I got hung on. I have broken exactly 2 alberto knots in the five + years I have been tying them, be it on snags or hooksets......................both however were on hooks sets,, on two different rods, on the same day about a year into me using this knot. I tied them in haste, in the dark, in the wee hours of the morning before a tournament running on little to no sleep the night before, so I am pretty sure I screwed up.
Yep 5 up, 5 down for me. The alberto in the So Cal tuna circles is actually called the RP knot, or the John Collins knot. John has caught tuna well over 200+lbs using 5 wraps and says even works with different diameters.
Mike L reply :
On 2/24/2016 at 4:23 PM, ClackerBuzz said:I've had my Alberto knot fail so many times that I went back to the uni to uni. I'm well aware that it's my fault but I never figured out the problem, and don't care too. All I know is my Alberto fails and my uni to uni never fails. I've tied the Alberto many a nights in front of the TV and it never fails. but as soon as i hit the water...
Ditto
Mike
Raul reply :
Most of the times the leader breaks at or very close to the lure because most of the damage the line takes is there.
EllisJuan reply :
I have practiced all of them and have gotten proficient with most. I still find myself going to the uni-uni most of the time. For some reason I just trust it the most.
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