Hi Brandon, as Trev said definatly not right. I think you are trying to do a mix between a Yucatan and a Slim Beauty. Trev will post a few pics as he has become a machine tying the Yucatan. I have used this set up for over 10 years in Oman and this region and works very well for the conditions as a short leader casting the knot from outside the top guide. There are varous benefits of all knots but the main benefits of using the short leader set up are casting distance, no guide wraps, less wind knots and no damage to the braid above the knot from braid and leader going different speeds through the guides. The main arguement agaisnt this knot is that the leader is short and the GTs scutts on the tail will hit the braid and break off, but this has not happened once in 10 years to me so don;ronsider it a problem, other problem is that you have to be able to cast with a long drop back from the top of the rod. I think for your Socotra trip for heavy gear is well worth the try.
A quick outline of how I tie the Yucatan Set up:
- If you use hollow braid then splice a loop at the end of your braid with the braid going back on itself at least 50cm. The loop should be about 2-3cm long, if you tying single strand then I tie a 27 turn bimini with a loop about 15cm long.
- Take your mono leader and hold your finder inside the braid loop under some tension from the braid coming out of your rod tip. Then wrap the mono leader around the loop and up the braid 5 times, DON'T put the leader through the loop, you only wrap the leader up and around the loop.
- Once you have wrapped 5 turns up the leader around the loop then wrap 3 wraps back down the loop towards the leader end.
- Now only do you put the tag end of the leader through the loop.
- Wet the leader and loop for easy setting and not to burn or damage the braid.
- At this stage I slightly seat the knot by pulling the knot by hand till it starts to twist.
- This knot you have to use PE Pullers. You keep tension on the knot by holiding both ends and wrap the PE Pullers and give a firm and consistent pull with the PE pullers on both the mono and braid.
- The knot will twist into about 3-4 tight wraps around the braid and you are ready to go. Just make sure that the two lengths of the loop are equal. Burn the tag end so no sharp edges to damage the braid. The good part is you also have an automatic double line and shock absorber at the top of your leader to reduce break offs.
Hope this helps and makes sense, once you get this knot sorted you can tie it on a boat in under 2 mnutes so makes for easy tying and getting lures back in the water when fishing is good.
Cheers,
Nick
