Twisted Leaders: Instructions + Diagrams

[Luke Wyrsta]

Ok Brandon so more twists is the go, thanks mate I'll try that next time.
I was using a spinning reel to form the twists.

I don't really know how to explain it but the 3-turn uni just wouldn't pull tight like it does with a single leader... I would pull it as tight as I could then a loop would form in the knot and I could physically push the tag through and untie the knot by hand... sounds weird but I tried 6 times and kept getting the same result.

The leader I am using is 100lb Black Magic Supple.

Ditch the spinning reel and use an electric drill - you will be able to make more twists much easier and in less time.

RE: Uni - try tightening the knot very slowly. You may need to tighten individual parts of the knot sperately until you reach a stage when you can apply even pressure to tighten the whole knot. Also try using a lot of lubricant.

[Luke Wyrsta]

i would like your littie help on those leader photo that i make ..

i would like to know is that a good idea or not


let me know if i did some thing wrong ..

Mick - good effort.

I don't really think the extra heat shrink is required. You could find that excessive heatshrink may spook some fish if using with stickbaits/subsurface.

I use the heatshrink to cover nailknots to provide some extra protection from abrasion - nothing else.

[Jay Burgess]

Ok Brandon so more twists is the go, thanks mate I'll try that next time.
I was using a spinning reel to form the twists.

I don't really know how to explain it but the 3-turn uni just wouldn't pull tight like it does with a single leader... I would pull it as tight as I could then a loop would form in the knot and I could physically push the tag through and untie the knot by hand... sounds weird but I tried 6 times and kept getting the same result.

The leader I am using is 100lb Black Magic Supple.

Ditch the spinning reel and use an electric drill - you will be able to make more twists much easier and in less time.

RE: Uni - try tightening the knot very slowly. You may need to tighten individual parts of the knot sperately until you reach a stage when you can apply even pressure to tighten the whole knot. Also try using a lot of lubricant.

Thanks Luke I'll try it next time I have a go at making one. Another question, when you're making a bite leader do you twist it around the original twists or through them??

[Luke Wyrsta]

I use to do it 'through' them until I got the hang of twisting both of them. It can be twisted by hand - give it ago. If it doesn't twist neatly, try twisting the opposite way or slightly readjusting the two strands.

[Travis Heaps]

Hi Luke - as an absolute beginner I sat down and attempted a twisted leader this afternoon.  I read the instructions and diagrams and didn't really get it after a couple of times so went and attempted one anyway.  I was using 130lb Castman leader. 

First attempt - attach one end to a fence post, attach the other to the bail arm of a reel.  Wind 80 times or so.  Get someone to hold the end off the bail arm and walk to fence post end while I hold in the middle.  It obviously wants to twist up but I held it tight and didn't let it.  Is this correct?  I then wound it around and around.  As I did this it looks like the only twists going into are the ones i'm putting in as I go - none from twisting with the reel.  After a while I let it go and it was wound together but the loop end was large (say a 10cm loop) and the twists weren't tight at all. 

Tried various other things but with the same results.  The only way I could get tight twists was to pull the two loose ends while the loop end was secure.  This obviously isn't correct.  I get the tight twists but only over a very small interval. 

As an absolute beginner having never seen a twisted leader before let alone attempted to make one I didn't find the instructions to contain enough detail.  Any help is appreciated - and once I can do one I can give you a hand with instructions from the point of view of a complete newbie!

[Geoff]

Travis,

Don't worry about winding for 80 turns, if you wanna make a 10' leader measure of about 22' of line, wind with a highspeed reel for about a minute at a reasonable pace. I have seen many people make these leaders or at least try, most people don't twist them enough. Once you have finished winding you should be able to see visible twist in the line between the reel and the point that you have anchored it to.

Give it a crack.

[Travis Heaps]

Travis,

Don't worry about winding for 80 turns, if you wanna make a 10' leader measure of about 22' of line, wind with a highspeed reel for about a minute at a reasonable pace. I have seen many people make these leaders or at least try, most people don't twist them enough. Once you have finished winding you should be able to see visible twist in the line between the reel and the point that you have anchored it to.

Give it a crack.

Bingo - thanks a lot for that Geoff.  I twisted and kept on twisting until (even with pressure on the line) it started to twist along itself at the bail arm.  It was difficult to manage when holding in the middle but the excess twist in the line just dissapears out the loose ends while the leader absorbs the exact correct amount to twist itself into its tightest, most uniform position.

So lesson learnt for me as a beginner is that you can't twist too much.  You can definitely twist too little though.

[Ashley Cotter]

 luke,

Is it possible to add some photos (real ones) in the making of a twisted leader.

Cheers
Ashley
Townsville

[Jay Burgess]

G'day guys, recently I've been looking at finishing off the twisted leader with something a little better than a Uni knot but not really prepared to go to the trouble of nail knotting a reverse tiwsted bite leader.

I've been crimping a swivel onto the end of the twisty. I haven't had any problems yet but I haven't really tested it properly. I'm sure it's been used before so just wondering if this connection is good and whether or not anyone has had trouble with it??

It's not the slimmest of connections but looks much nicer than a Uni.

[David Clumpner]

Jay, I just learned how to make twisted leaders (thanks Brandon!) a month ago and have been finishing all of mine off with a crimp.  I had some leftover crimps designed for 200lb. test and I am able to slide both strands of 100lb. through one hole and back though the other before crimping.  I haven't had any problems, but it hasn't been tested on anything big yet.

[warren clark]

Just a couple of things I've been doing when making twisted leaders by myself.
     Step 1.  I tie off the starting end of the leader to a thin table leg or a heavy chair leg. Just about anything will work as long as it doesn't slide around under a bit of pressure . Don't tie  tight to the table leg, use a loop that is about twice the diameter of the leg.
     Step 2. Put another table /chair away from your starting point(the first table leg) the length you want to make your leader.I use a small table the kids have with thin metal legs. Again anything will do as long as it's heavy enough not to slide around.The leg should be very smooth as it will have the leader running around it.plastic coated metal I have found to be the best.
     Step 3. Now run the line down around the second table leg and back to your starting point.Cut the line off but (very important) make sure when you cut the line it is 200mm past the the first table leg in length.
     Step 4. place the cut off end in a cordless drill and and run on high for 40 - 60 seconds. You should be standing next to your starting point and be able to see the twist going down the leader around the table leg and up the other side, there is no need to have to much pressure on the leader as you don't want to put pressure on it and rub on the middle leg, semi loose seem to work fine.
      Step 5. Take the end out of the drill and tie it to the loop at your starting point thats  around the first table leg.Pull the leader firm as you tie off.The starting point loop is bigger than the diameter of the leg so it gives me somewhere to tie off to.
      Step 6. Walk up to the other end of the leader which is still around the second table and  slide the leader down and off the table leg.  Roll between your fingers until the twisted leader is formed.
      Step 7. Back at the starting point pinch the twisted leader with your fingers and cut the leader away from the loop.It won't spring apart as the twists are now in the memory of the line. Then I add a swivel and tie off the leader,

[Trevor Williams]

My first twisted leader turned out great- except that I started with a doubled line (80lb supple), followed the procedure and ended up with a tidy 4 strand twisty!. Haven't been able to do it again neatly.
Then I read the instructions again and had the same problems as Travis. Finally got it right  (I think). The only difference is that I secured the bite leader with two PR knots instead of nail knots. I tried them out successfully in Fiji a week ago and am grateful to all for the help and advice.

[Robert Palcak]

Hi Guys
I just joined up and found this thread very informative re: twisties.
Just a little off topic... has anyone tried hollow core braid wind-ons as an alternative?
I've been playing around with 40, 60 and 130lb Jerry Brown and have been making up some really neat wind-ons from 40-200lb mono.
Admittedly, I've never tried popping with them (hey, I'm mexican ), but they work a treat on our Tuna.
I just join them to a bimini with a loop to loop connection and have pulled the scales on 80lb leaders to 25kg with-out failure.
Just interested in your opinions...
Cheers Rob

[Brandon Khoo]

Rob, are you saying that you're splicing the hollow core braid to form a loop instead of tying a bimimi? It''s good if you can do this. A few GT anglers do this and there are some who go the the extent of splicing the hollow core to kevlar cord.

[Robert Palcak]

Rob, are you saying that you're splicing the hollow core braid to form a loop instead of tying a bimimi? It''s good if you can do this. A few GT anglers do this and there are some who go the the extent of splicing the hollow core to kevlar cord.

Hi Brandon
I only tie a bimini in my main line as per normal... then attach it to the loop already in the wind-on leader.
The wind-on leaders are made exactly the same way as Game leaders,ie, TOPSHOT/Geoff Wilson method... but I use stronger/thinner JB hollow core instead of dacron.
I splice(with half-hitches to make that nice spiral) the end where the Mono enters the Braid with 30lb braid and coat it with Dac Tac.
What you're left with is a very slim-neat-strong leader that is easy to attach or remove to the bimini.
I've made about 20 of them, so am still perfecting the art... but my friends love them... and keep taking them off me... so I'll get plenty of practice 
The only draw back is they take a while to make... but I've got the process to just under an hour now, so it's not too bad... plus it gets me through night-shift at work (shhhhhh)
I'm about to make up anoth batch and can post a pic of the finished product if you like?