hook traces

[Gonk]

Confused of cambridgshire requires the following explaining

Reading about hook traces and uptraces and mainlines, and it all seems backwards???

Mainline 20lb, uptrace 28lb hook trace 28 or 30lb, Why?????

From where i originate in fishing it would be 20lb, 20lb, 18lb at worst - i dont understand and as brother is on nights this week you lot have got my headscratcher question?

Ta,

John

[The predator]

Not quite like mine Gonk.
40lb t*t trace and 50 - 60 braid. The hooks intended to be the weakest point (pardon the pun)

[Ian Crook]

Me too, 65lb braid, 45lb bleeding leader uptrace and 40lb titanium hook trace

[Gonk]

Two with the same answer - SOLD - ok so with you know, new mainline required then and new trace wire (x2).

But (theres always a but) does the heavier traces affect pick ups?

[The predator]

40lb Ti aint heavy Gonk. Just been making some traces up with it.

[Gonk]

it is when i have been fishing with 8oz hooklengths 2 weeks ago, 28lb trace wire is a mooring rope at the minute

[Ian Crook]

If using mono on waters where rules ban braid or rocks are present I use 20lb mono mainline. Much prefer braid though as you can fish very heavy without it being too thick.

Andy uses single strand Ti, I use braided Ti so not quite the same.

[Tomcox77]

Just a thought gonk, dont get to sucked in on the titanium front, it is great stuff but i would advise someone who is starting to make traces etc to try some carboflex as its so easy to use and is good stuff too , probably in 40lb bs, like i say im not dissing the ti just thinking as a start carboflex is nice to work with

[Gonk]

Just to say where i am at the minute with getting my old bonce round this, and thanks everyone for all the replies it really does help alot.

Currently i am using 30lb braid to 28lb drennan 7 strand plastic coated, with size 8 or six hooks, now from that it aint strong enough to straighten the hooks which is what we are after - now i understand that the hooks are the weakest point and need straightening out.

The rods will manage it, a daiwa and a drennan - 3lb and 3.25lb t curves (i know the drennan is overgunned for the drains - but a lake i want to fish this winter requires a long chuck, plus i want to get a matching pair of drain rods but thats another question for latter)

So i need to up my mainline to 60/65lb braid with 40lb ti or carboflex, probably carboflex as Tom says for a start.

Is crimping or twisting better or is there no differance, currently crimping as i found it alot easier to do to learn how to set up the traces

[MarkBerrisford]

you'll need to crimp carboflex

[The predator]

'Is crimping or twisting better or is there no differance, currently crimping as i found it alot easier to do to learn how to set up the traces'

It's very much each to his own on this front. There are some who swear by twisting and others prefer crimps.

Personally I crimp all my traces, then sleeve over them with heat shrink tube. Just be careful to buy the correct size crimps for the wire you are using.

[Andrew]

Gonk, i started using both crimping and twisting on the same trace not so long ago. crimping the lower treble, twisting the upper and crimping the swivel.

i used to crimp the upper but now see twisting as and end to using separate pieces of wire or passing it back through the crimp.

i was perhaps 99% confident in my upper treble im now 100% with it twisted

i never got on with carboflex its way too thick for my liking.

[Gonk]

Cool, the trace wires seem to be personnel preferance but i have found a place that sells AFW stuff so gonna give that ago.

and i'll have a go with twisting the top treble as i am almost sure it is slipping with the loop through the crimp method.

Gentlemen - my sincere thanks

[Andrew]

That was my thoughts too Gonk, mine were not slipping but the thought was in the back of my mind always.

When i twist my upper i also put a little bit of rig tubing on the shank just under the eye. not necessary but a little extra piece of mind that it wont unravel.