Puppy Preschool: Attaching Your Lure to Your Line

Welcome back to the Puppy Preschool!

There was an amazing number of entries to the photo competition, and the 5 finalists are all worthy winners. But getting back to the important topic, catching fish on lures!

Over the past few months we have researched our target species, discovered where they like to live and selected an Old Dog Lure that we hope they will eat. The next step is attaching your lure to your line. While it sounds simple, it takes lots of practice.

It doesn't matter if you are using a spin (egg-beater) or a baitcaster (overhead) combination, they both work equally well. However, you can't tie your lure directly onto your main line, you need to use some Leader. Leader is a special type of line that is tougher then your main line, it might have the same breaking strain as your line (or even less) but it is tougher.

There are many different knots to attach your leader to the main line, and they all have strange sounding names. Some of the common knots are FG, Slim Beauty and Albright but there are many many others. Ask who-ever takes you fishing what knot they use, and get them to teach it to you. There is no golden rule for leader length, but I like to use leader the same length as my rod (by the end of the trip it is normally much shorter).

Attaching your lure to the leader is another knot for you to learn and practice. Some people like to use a Snap while others tie a Loop Knot. Tieing a lure directly onto your leader without some type of loop will reduce the action of your lure. There are many types of Loop Knots, going onto Youtube and searching 'Loop Knot' will bring up the most common. Or ask your fishing partner to teach you their favorite Loop Knot.

As with all knots, you need to practice practice and then practice some more. Loosing a fish because one of your knots fail is the worse feeling in the world (I've had it a few times). Remember to always wet you line when tightening your knots and wear gloves.

Next month, the fishing starts!

📸 Image: Karli, 11 years old, went out on a mission to catch a Coral Trout and nailed it with these beauties. She caught them on a cocktail of squid & pilchards while fishing off Grandad's boat near Prudhoe Island.