Braided to Ganion transition

[Klob]

Interested to hear some other ideas how to join these two lines on the downrigger. Have been using #2 swivels with the braided attatched using a polymer and a clinch on the ganion. Had a swivel failure and catastrophic lead loss. Any ideas beside using a swivell. Will the braided eventually cut through the ganion if tied together?

 

[scott craven]

I currently use a palomar knot to a swivel to a clinch knot as well..
works ok but the swivel takes a bit of abuse going back and forth through the pulley. I like to change the swivel every couple of months.

On the other side i'm using 2 red stopper beads and a rubber snubber
that seems to also work well. (no gangion)
I connect the quick release to the snubber so it won't slide on the braid.

 

[codfather]

Klob, I tied the two together without a swivel and it failed a couple of times. So I went to a swivel and it works fine.

 

[tubber]

Ball, snubber, loop of the heavy braided white gangion (used for halibut leaders on commercial boats), double uni knot from braid to gangion.
Put a figure 8 knot in the bottom of the loop to keep the swivel on the snubber in place, connect the two ends of the gangion with a lover's knot. Measure your loop. Some like the ball to stay in the water so it doesn't bang, others want it to swing around in the air so it doesn't affect the fishing line.
The doubled over spot where the braid connects to the gangion is thick enough to stop the downrigger, but thin enough to come through the pulley. And the thicker white gangion won't be cut by the braid as the green stuff might be.
Clip the release clip onto one arm of the white stuff just below the join.

 

[Haze]

I've been using Power Pro 200 and I found that where it attaches to the swivel if attached directly is a hazard for loosing gear. So I double uni-knot or blood knot on about 10 feet of the Scotty 250 line I had laying around onto the end of the power pro 200. Now I can put the scotty stoppers on just below the knot where the two lines meet. At the end of the Scotty 250 I have the regular Scotty heavy duty swivel with clip to attach to my ganion stringers that I have already on the cannon balls. This way if I need to switch to 12's or a 20lb balls I can very easily. I attach the Scotty clips onto the gangion that is about about 6 feet doubled over (so 3 feet long in a loop) attached to my cannon balls. How long you use would be determined as tubber said either whether you like the balls in the water or out.
Also don't forget to put one of those little rubber bumpers on in front of the swivel just in case, especially if you have one of these new riggers with the high speed motors.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

No need for fancy knots or any hardware at all. I use overhand loop knots, seriously. The knot works as a stopper. Nothing else needed,

 

[firelight]

I tie a loop in the gangion then tie it to the braid with a palomar, the loop knot acts as a stopper.

 

[Sharphooks]

Power Pro 150 to swivel: double it over on itself and do a clinch knot. Gangion to other side of swivel: I used to do a variety of knots and they all held but there was too much clatter (and abrasion) going over and through the pulley wheel. Solution: I passed the gangion through the swivel then lay about 4 to 5 inches of the tag end over itself . I then take a fly tying bobbin and spin it up and down the doubled over section until it's covered with a layer of waxed thread. I do a whip finish on the thread so it doesn't unravel, then cover it with a smooth THIN layer of 5 minute epoxy.

I always got a full season on that approach, then did it again the next season.

For my Bamfield trip next week I'm going to try Island Fish Lifter's trick: no swivel, attach Power Pro to gangion with a knot. If it works (and the knot stops the Scotty like the swivel used to) I'll be a happy dude because the swivels beats up the pulley wheel, the whip finish trick is time consuming, and I always figured I'd lose a ball to a crumby swivel one of these days. Sounds like that's happened to some others on the Forum

 

[Fish Assassin]

No need for fancy knots or any hardware at all. I use overhand loop knots, seriously. The knot works as a stopper. Nothing else needed,

I agree this swivel thing is a waste of time. The swivel is on you ball clip.

Why do people make it harder then it needs to be?

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

I dont even use a ball clip. Loop the ganion through the eye on the ball. Like I said, no hardware needed.

 

[lordofthesprings]

i like Lifters way of doing it-streamlined- and that will be the next way i do it-- but they do have some really narrow inline brass swivels at PNT behind the counter going to try this weekend or i might just do the knots cannot make up my mind now

 

[Red Monster]

The braided line doesn't cut the ganion if you tie them together without hardware?

 

[Klob]

I'm using 15# balls, so a snubber is a must. My braided is 150#,rather thin compared to 200# and a potential for cutting through the gagnion. Codfather has had failures connected directly to each other. I'm going to try a single solid ring. A split ring has sharp edges and could cause problems. I will post results. Hopefully not after more catastrophic lead losses..................................................

 

[scott craven]

I'm using 15# balls, so a snubber is a must. My braided is 150#,rather thin compared to 200# and a potential for cutting through the gagnion. Codfather has had failures connected directly to each other. I'm going to try a single solid ring. A split ring has sharp edges and could cause problems. I will post results. Hopefully not after more catastrophic lead losses..................................................

Why don't you try tying your braid direct to the snubber and use 2 of the red stoppers ?
Smiley posted a way to double wrap the braid so that the stoppers don't slip.
Quick release clips on to the suubber, works great.

 

[Klob]

Why don't you try tying your braid direct to the snubber and use 2 of the red stoppers ?
Smiley posted a way to double wrap the braid so that the stoppers don't slip.
Quick release clips on to the suubber, works great.

I like about 3' of gagnion between the braided and cannonball. Takes most of the abuse and is easy to replace. Just takes a little nick on the braid and BAM catastrophic lead loss.

 

[Charter Tofino]

Klob im going to do the same switch this weekend. I would like gagnion to be in the pully with a few wraps around the rigger when the ball reaches the surface. Last weekend i lost two 15 lb balls after the stoppers broke off and the thin 150 line snapped when the top of the snubber reached the pully.I think the switch to longer gagnion would help. Im not 100% sure why the stoppers were breaking... I tried the double wrap as posted and it would snap my stopper in two when it hit the pulley.

 

[Copper Moon]

All my stoppers broke as well when I double wrapped. I would try something else. I'm using the swivel for now.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

Wow. Im pretty lucky. Ive been using this setup, with 15lb cannonballs, for two guiding seasons in a row going into my third. No snubber either, the ganion acts as the snubber. I pull off 12 feet and double it up, the knot end being at the cannonball end. I then tie a loop in the braided. I attatch the two in such a way that it resembles a reef knot. The knot trips the stopper every time and the ball stops just in the water giving me room to fully extend the 60" boom if needed. I have not lost a cannonball due to faulty rigging in the last two seasons.

 

[Dogbreath]

Gangion-braided hard nylon line-maybe some people are using a different kind?

Also-these Australian swivels are reputed to be some of the strongest no idea who sells them here though