Bottom Fishing Leader/Topshot Length

I have always been a mono guy last year I put Braid on most of my saltwater gear, when I fished for rockies I tied a barrel swivel to the braid and then 3 to 4' of 25lb mono. I see a lot of guys saying they put 20 to 30' or longer topshots on doesn't this minimize the advantages of braid? It's not like capacity is a issue when even the biggest ling is only going to run a little further than than the bottom is 3 to 4' long enough to avoid most of the abrasion issues I know rockies are not line shy?

I usually tie on a couple rod lengths so I have enough to retie when it gets abraded. When fishing for bottomfish I make contact often. Big Lings and Cabbies will take drag and drag you around on a big pinnacle. I haven't noticed much of a loss of sensitivity even with pretty long topshots. I started years ago with 90-100ft. mono topshots but have gone down to as little as a rod length of flourocarbon.

I go 3' of doubled (just a surgeon's loop) 30lb braid to a ball bearing crosslock (or coastlock?) swivel (which I reuse) and I have a half dozen or so 3'-8' mono leaders with surgeon's loops ready to snap on. I often use a duolock snap on the leader at the business end of the leader.

minimizes retying on the water.

I retie that setup each trip cause braid does get abraded so easily.

because I like to bump troll if there is no drift or the structure is minimal (santa cruz...), often I put a bead and slido above the snap swivel with the hook hanger on the slido filed off. then I can attach a dropper weight to the slido and for me this makes a great three-way setup, it tangles very rarely (you do have to remove that hook hanger on the slido).

I am tempted to use a rod length topshot above the leader so I have mono/flouro going through the guides and tiptop and maybe around the reel once or so while landing the fish, cause braid does degrade quickly if it gets nicked, but don't usually bother unless the braid is less than 30lb. mickfish, I did this with the cabelas 10lb trolling braid for instance, that stuff is so thin. I used a rod length of 10lb flouro which could connect the trolling attractor/weight and lure. So the same principle should apply for salt water.

J

I tie my braid to my mono with a uni to uni knot. I use a leader of about 8 feet, as I think that is long enough for the shock/stretch of the initial bite, and it gives me enough mono to retie while I'm on my yak.

CHEERS!

I'm there with shimmy.  Something like 15 feet of top shot so i can retie many times as the line becomes abraded.  The albright knot is my knot of choice.  My rockfishing rigs use 30# spectra with a 40# mono or 30# fluoro topshot.

I tie my braid to my mono with a uni to uni knot. I use a leader of about 8 feet, as I think that is long enough for the shock/stretch of the initial bite, and it gives me enough mono to retie while I'm on my yak.

CHEERS!

ditto

I tie just enough leader so the knot does not have to pass through the guide tip of the rod when I land a fish. 4 to 6 feet depending on which rod I use. Just personal preference is all.

4-6' of 25-30# mono, tied right to the braid with a uni2uni.  Just enough to tie and re-tie knots if needed.  A new leader goes on before each trip.

I tie my braid to my mono with a uni to uni knot. I use a leader of about 8 feet, as I think that is long enough for the shock/stretch of the initial bite, and it gives me enough mono to retie while I'm on my yak.

CHEERS!

Great minds think alike......and it's what I was told to do!

I use 50# Spectra to an uni/uni to about 24" of 20# mono...max sensitivity and if you break it off you'll only be leaving a short piece of mono in the water.  However since switching everything out to 4/0 and 5/0 VMC siwash hooks I rarely lose a jig anymore.  This setup is DEADLY effective.

I start the day off with about 15 feet of new topshot at the beginning of the day and it gets cut back during the day when it get abraided or broken off.

-Allen

Wow, I must be outta touch... I still run straight mono.  25-30lb trilene big game.  It isnt very stretchy and the sensitivity seems fine.  (Maybe not if I compared it to braid, which I never have.)  Oh well, guess its time to step into the 21st century! (or not)

So Sean, do the siwash hooks straighten when you get hung up, or do they just not tend to snag up in the first place??
(unless you mean you replaced trebles, in which case, of course they snag less.)

I'm there with shimmy.  Something like 15 feet of top shot so i can retie many times as the line becomes abraded.  The albright knot is my knot of choice.  My rockfishing rigs use 30# spectra with a 40# mono or 30# fluoro topshot.

Ditto.. right down the albright.  Two out three Elk champs can't be wrong!

I use 50# Izorline spectra for my mainline tied to a ball bearing swivel (100#) with a palomar and a 3-4 ft 40# Maxima Big Game leader tied to the swivel with a San Diego Jam knot.

Scott

I like 30lb Power Pro in green palomar knotted to a small barrel swivel w/ 2-3ft of 20lb Seaguar fluro leader.  Seems to work fine w/ me plus the swivel removes any line twists from my scampis on the way down.  The setup is a little light but I like it.