No issues with the Duncan knot, also known as a 16/20 or Pitzen Knot.

My modification is to wrap the knot from the hook/lure up so that there

is no overlapping line. The knot is basically a noose, with no stress points.

 

You keep mentioning this knot.  I keep wanting to try it.  One of these days I am going to surprise myself, and give it a shot. 

I would have liked to know your results without the use of conditioner, would be a truer representation of the line for me. Sort of like a before/after cause the way tatsu gets hyped it seems like it wouldnt need any in the 1st place but maybe that size test does.

What knot are you using with it?

for what it's worth, with both 15# and 20# tatsu and the same 16# fc sniper, (these lines see the most use out of any of my rods) have been on my reels all season lonh since roughly march (snipers been on since last fall) and used on average 3-4 days a week. sometimes more sometimes less. i used line and lure conditioner on the initial spooling. maybe a few sprays here and there during the spooling process. i've maybe used it less than a handful of times since then.(trilene 100% i had to use it,not religiously, but enough that it was a hassle in 12 and 17#) the lines are very manageable. the only time i really use it is if they are on my deck in the blazing sun and that's really just for line longevity. all these lines are used on 51 size shimanos curados/chronarch es/mgs and dobyns dx743/744/745 and nrx 854 with the jig, texas rig, senko, w/e hung on the hook keeper after each trip. i always retie the knot the next day or whenever i go again but the line doesn't kink at the top guide at all. i use both the shawn grigsby knot and san diego jam. no issues with knot failure. i think it has honestly been roughly two weeks since i've sprayed the reels more than once.

 

good in depth review rockchalk. out of curiosity, why did you go for a 9 wrap knot for backing? I usually use two wraps and call it good after i can tug it w/o a slip.

Nice review.

 

I will tell you that the manufacturer/distributor of the L&L recommends that you not run the line through a KVD soaked rag.

 

Really?  This is the way I spool up ALL of my reels.  Through a L&L soaked paper towel........hmmm

 

 

I did this because it states on the website, that they recommend this for a new spool up.

 

 

Just re-read website and it recommends "small piece of synthetic cloth (e.g. old dress sock--don't use paper towels, cotton or wool)."  So don;t use a paper towel like I have been doing....

 

I would have liked to know your results without the use of conditioner, would be a truer representation of the line for me. Sort of like a before/after cause the way tatsu gets hyped it seems like it wouldnt need any in the 1st place but maybe that size test does.

What knot are you using with it?

 

 

I use L&L on every line I use.  So I wouldn't know how to compare to other non-treated lines???

 

 

Jeff

for what it's worth, with both 15# and 20# tatsu and the same 16# fc sniper, (these lines see the most use out of any of my rods) have been on my reels all season lonh since roughly march (snipers been on since last fall) and used on average 3-4 days a week. sometimes more sometimes less. i used line and lure conditioner on the initial spooling. maybe a few sprays here and there during the spooling process. i've maybe used it less than a handful of times since then.(trilene 100% i had to use it,not religiously, but enough that it was a hassle in 12 and 17#) the lines are very manageable. the only time i really use it is if they are on my deck in the blazing sun and that's really just for line longevity. all these lines are used on 51 size shimanos curados/chronarch es/mgs and dobyns dx743/744/745 and nrx 854 with the jig, texas rig, senko, w/e hung on the hook keeper after each trip. i always retie the knot the next day or whenever i go again but the line doesn't kink at the top guide at all. i use both the shawn grigsby knot and san diego jam. no issues with knot failure. i think it has honestly been roughly two weeks since i've sprayed the reels more than once.

 

good in depth review rockchalk. out of curiosity, why did you go for a 9 wrap knot for backing? I usually use two wraps and call it good after i can tug it w/o a slip.

 

 

Thanks.

 

I went with 9 for two reasons. First In most of the videos on how to tie the Modified Albright knot as a braid to fluoro leader they have 10 up and 10 down. I don't like even numbers so I went with odds lol. OCD at its finest. I've always gone 9 and 9 on 12#-15# backing to mono and it worked well. I want to make the knot as strong as I could for that off chance that I hook into something that takes the full 65-70 yards of main line off. It may have been overkill

Thanks.

 

I went with 9 for two reasons. First In most of the videos on how to tie the Modified Albright knot as a braid to fluoro leader they have 10 up and 10 down. I don't like even numbers so I went with odds lol. OCD at its finest. I've always gone 9 and 9 on 12#-15# backing to mono and it worked well. I want to make the knot as strong as I could for that off chance that I hook into something that takes the full 65-70 yards of main line off. It may have been overkill

Use as many or as little wraps as it takes to get a smooth, clean, perfectly tied knot, if it isn't perfect keep at it until it is.  The line diameters are going to dictate just how many warps are needed, too many wraps on a thicker line never seems to bode to well for me.  For me my bass set up is identical to my flats set up, 15# braid and a 15 or 20# leader, an alberto 8 wraps up and 2 down yields a very solid chain.  In the unlikely event you have a fish on that does strip out 70 yds of line, as important as the knots is using the drag properly.  Fish pulling line out takes much of the pressure off both line and knots, it's the overly tight drag that causes problems.  It's human nature to tighten the drag down with a big fish on, that "panic" is what loses fish.  A fish running 70 -100 yds can be landed on almost any line, if you have enough of it.

Use as many or as little wraps as it takes to get a smooth, clean, perfectly tied knot, if it isn't perfect keep at it until it is.  The line diameters are going to dictate just how many warps are needed, too many wraps on a thicker line never seems to bode to well for me.  For me my bass set up is identical to my flats set up, 15# braid and a 15 or 20# leader, an alberto 8 wraps up and 2 down yields a very solid chain.  In the unlikely event you have a fish on that does strip out 70 yds of line, as important as the knots is using the drag properly.  Fish pulling line out takes much of the pressure off both line and knots, it's the overly tight drag that causes problems.  It's human nature to tighten the drag down with a big fish on, that "panic" is what loses fish.  A fish running 70 -100 yds can be landed on almost any line, if you have enough of it.

Normally on my 40 pound braid to 20 pound leader, a 9 and 9 makes for a really smooth knot for me. It took me about 6 or 7 tries to get it perfect on the fluoro to mono knot. Seems fairly smooth and strong so I think it will work out good.

 

I'm still learning on how to set the drag properly, but I think have it set pretty good. Last year I landed a 17# Wiper on 12# fluoro cranking off the rocks and ended up in a 45 minute fight. He ended up stripping off almost 60 yards before he wore out. It was the first time I've had a fish that big, on that small of line. I have heard of people doing it all the time, but never really believed it until I did it first hand. It kinda made me rethink the way I went about choosing a pound test.

The pound test used is as much about how you're fishing and what the gear is.  Trolling I'm using a heavier line, casting especially on spinning gear gets no more than 15 or 20# braided line, IMO catching larger fish is all about drag and line capacity, lesser about line strength.  Most 20# braids break well over 30#, you can catch one hell of a fish on that.

Really?  This is the way I spool up ALL of my reels.  Through a L&L soaked paper towel........hmmm

 

 

 

 

Just re-read website and it recommends "small piece of synthetic cloth (e.g. old dress sock--don't use paper towels, cotton or wool)."  So don;t use a paper towel like I have been doing....

 

 

 

I use L&L on every line I use.  So I wouldn't know how to compare to other non-treated lines???

 

 

Jeff

 

I may be getting old, but I recall one of the first Roadtrips where the guy gave a talk at Guntersville and recommended just spraying it onto the filler spool, occasionally as you were winding the line on the reel and then when you finished.

 

He stated that using a cloth could put extra fibers on your line and that was no bueno. May have changed the directions to the "synthetic fabric" use, but I'll just stick to spraying it on.

 

If it ain't broke...

Yea,  I am gonna stop now!  LOL

 

Jeff

I may be getting old, but I recall one of the first Roadtrips where the guy gave a talk at Guntersville and recommended just spraying it onto the filler spool, occasionally as you were winding the line on the reel and then when you finished.

 

He stated that using a cloth could put extra fibers on your line and that was no bueno. May have changed the directions to the "synthetic fabric" use, but I'll just stick to spraying it on.

 

If it ain't broke...

 

This is the same advice Steve Faddis gave me when I asked him directly, several years ago. He also recommended spritzing the filler spool, and letting it dry before ever filling the reel.  I've noticed a big difference between older untreated and treated filler spools.  The only time I use a cloth on my line is after fishing during an algae bloom.  I rinse the line in gentle tap water, run out a casts worth, and reel it in through a damp rag.  Then I treat with L&L as usual.