[jjdbike]

I get that this is a very individual issude and that there is no one right way for everyone. That being said;
1. do you use a top-shot of mono w/ braid while jigging for cod?
2. Do you always use it?
3. What are pros & cons?
4. How do you use the top shot?

Pros I've heard include, on a crowded party boat they make tangles easier to un-do & the added stretch "cushions" the set & fight which can result in few dropped large cod.

Cons I've heard include, w/ any lenght of mono you lose some of the advantages of braid including ultra-sensitivity & low water resistance so you can use a lighter weight or jig.

For an upcomming weekend of open-boat cod jigging on Walsh's American Classic - I use 65 lb Power-Pro on my larger conventional reels. I was considering splicing (& glueing) 15' of 60lb Ande mono to the end of it w/ a ball bearing swivel at the terminal end. I would loop my rig to this.

Opinions, advice, anything else I should consider

Thanks in advance for any help

JD

 

[Codfisha15]

Sounds good to me, although I prefer a longer leader, even up to 60 or 70 feet in deep water. I just use 50lb Ande. If you know what you're doing and don't have hackleheads casting over your (ideally BRIGHT YELLOW) braid, then tangles shouldn't be much of an issue, although the mono certainly helps here as well as (more importantly) giving some shock and (some believe) enhancing the action of the jig.

Good luck out there--I may join you if the weather and school oblige...

 

[billy262]

Last year I fished for cod with a short top shot and lost every cod on the way up.Does the mono act as a shock absorber?

I was using single hook and not treble and was advised that the single hook contributed to some of the lost fish.

Will be going again in a few weeks and I'd like to do it right.

 

[Codfisha15]

IMHO, although you may initially stick more fish with trebles, a single hook holds better. I'd probably say that it came as a result of a short leader-or if the fish were not actively feeding, sometimes they just "nip" at the jig. all part of the game.

 

[makomakoman]

Hey Willy

Nice article in OTW..

Too bad you did not have a picture of the CarpFishWiser. We need to get the word out to increase the cult following..

 

[Codfisha15]

I know, I know. I do have that picture of him with that 30lb pollock and the purple crocs, however, which I'm saving for a pollock piece in the fall.

By the way, J.D., if you head out with Jimmy over the next couple of weeks, I can't be positive, but chances are that you'll be fishing in just 90-140 feet of water of top of Stellwagen Bank. Tons of fun!

 

[hairbone]

On my jig stick I like to have a top shot long enough so that my cast is all mono and the jig hits the water before the splice goes through the guides I use a 60 lb leader normally and switch to an 80 lb during a pollock slam.

On a bait stick I prefer briad to a swivel and a dropper rig as I feel sensitivity is more important.

I do feal that a top shot helps prevent losses on bigger fish as you get just enough snap verses a dead pull on a hook set.

The biggest problem I see if people pumping the fish and not using enough swivels. Once you hook a fish it should be a steady crank to the surface without any slack. I feel the weight of jig will rip the hook out if given any slack

 

[DaveB]

I use spectra to the swivel and a 3 foot leader. If you are using the streaching of mono as a shock absorber then I feel you're setting your drag too tight. These are cod for God's sake, not marlin. They don't pull that hard or for that long.

When fishing wrecks I use a longer leader, 30 - 40 feet, to keep the spectra off the structure.

 

[DandJfish]

Mono and Braid

50-60 ft of 50lb pink Ande with a uni to uni onto 65 lb test braid is the way to go

. Seen wayyyyyy to many fished dropped when using straight Braid or too short of a mono leader.

 

[exit8A]

hairbone wrote:
On my jig stick I like to have a top shot long enough so that my cast is all mono and the jig hits the water before the splice goes through the guides I use a 60 lb leader normally and switch to an 80 lb during a pollock slam.

I agree on using the heavier test and I like a long top shot of 25-30 yards.

 

[misco]

I use a short leader 3-5 ft. leader if you fish with a 20-30 yard leader may as well fish wih just mono .

Glenn

 

[jjdbike]

Thanks for all of the great advice. 50' of 60 lb tst it is for jigging!
You gonna be ther this weekend codfisha?
JD

 

[codmaster]

length of top shot if you are worried about no stretch ripping a hook out also depends on your rod. Great big thick tipped with no give in it (like the 8' georges bank specials of days gone by) = a pretty long mono leader to give a little stretch.

With a more limber flexible tipped rod you don't need as much mono for stretch!

Remember the idea of the old 8+' for jigging in deep water was to help overcome the mono stretch, but with braid there is very little stretch hence no need for a great big long rod.

Besides there is also the marvelous little device on most modern reels called a drag that allows line to be pulled off the reel when a certain force is applied by the fish - works great on my Torium and Saltist. I have pulled the hook on very very few fish due to braid - even on soft mouthed Haddock.

 

[hairbone]

Remember the idea of the old 8+' for jigging in deep water was to help overcome the mono stretch, but with braid there is very little stretch hence no need for a great big long rod.

quote]

??? I find the 8' stick to be better for party boat fishing as you get a longer cast with a heavy jig, and it gives you just enough added length to keep your lure away from the guy next to you.

On the other hand:
If you fish "Long Island Style" and the bite is on the opposite end of the boat you just let loose a heck of a cast with an 8' rod and fish there as well. I personnaly find it is offensive when someone does it but it happens

. HB

 

[lighttackleman]

DandJfish wrote:
50-60 ft of 50lb pink Ande with a uni to uni onto 65 lb test braid is the way to go

. Seen wayyyyyy to many fished dropped when using straight Braid or too short of a mono leader.
What he said.... sometimes I bump it up to 60. But 50lb pink is my line of choice for topshots.

 

[ctwhitechin]

I use a topshot of Jinkai, it's really easy to splice the braid into the topshot....Jinkai is nice and soft, Ande is a good 2nd choice, Pink or Clear...I prefer 60lb test, 30-40 feet.

Without a topshot the braid is too unforgiving, a big fish has a better shot to pop off....

 

[Codfisha15]

jjdbike wrote:
You gonna be ther this weekend codfisha?

We'll see, depends on the weather, my workload, and my ability to find a ride (a lot of criteria!).

I used to use Jinkai too, but found it to be not very abrasion resistant and its softness worries me when splicing to braid...Plus Ande is mad cheap.

 

[Goliath]

I use a 900' topshot of 40lb. monofilament.

 

[ckonkol]

I agree with Willy about the long topshot and Ande. I use a long topshot of 60pound Ande as the ande is good line not very expensive and holds up well. My reason being with the long topshot was after talking with Phil Eastman he explained to me how Mono is better for shallow water cod fishing as it gives the jig a better action. Once I switched to the longer topshot I noticed my catch rate go up significantly and it works just fine in deep water.

 

[misco]

Goliath wrote:
I use a 900' topshot of 40lb. monofilament.


LOL