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In reply to Post #9
That’s what I did matey with the same 8lb braid as the multi rig made it 16lb.
The braid I now have is even thinner - when tied up multi rig (double) I am getting 25lb from this and 15lb x line on a scale pull.
I know in my head it’s ok but I just know if one blows up on me I will be gutted!
The trouble I have with testing rigs is that if you really try human vs anything under 30lb and your gonna be able to snap it. I wince when I see some people test their knots - bedding down is one thing, excessive strain does damage the knot especially nylon, no matter how careful you are (imo).
I’m still convinced that if you had a dark room in a colne valley pub and Terry gave you a length of 8lb maxima we’d think he’d invented fire. It was the go to back in the day and I still look at lower breaking strain monos and think ‘how can you possibly improve on that’
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In reply to Post #8
If you're worried about the b/strain of using a fine 8lb braid then why not double it up? I've still got some spools of the Drennan Super Specialist micro braid and create little mini braided hooklinks that I either loop on (loop & boom style) to a rig ring or clip on with either an ESP Ronnie Clip / Korum Specimen Quick Snap swivel . . . tbf these are used exclusively for barbel these days (on a much longer fluro boom) but I used to fish combis exactly the same way after the god that is TH showed me at Sandown 25yrs ago!
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In reply to Post #6
I have used multi strand years and years ago and found it a bit of a myth if I’m honest, especially when they started to recommend the soluble glue to go with it. The type of product that looked good in a tank but not great in an actual fishing situation BUT - I admire the innovation and thinking. Back then we were using 4/5lb drennan double strength with two or three strands - my god how we didn’t stumble on the multi rig is beyond me as tying the strands mm perfect was a pain!
It has always amazed me that rig evolution has gone from subtle to industrial as in my day it was the other way round! The first Dacron I used you could anchor a ship with it - then it got finer and finer. There were a couple of very proficient Essex anglers I met years ago who found that some of the Gardner hair braid broke at a high breaking strain, and they hunted down this rogue bash up and down the land!
Watching all the underwater and acceptance of stiff materials in rig mechanics - I would still go soft and subtle ever time if situations allow. One of the best methods (imo) is solid bags, short subtle braid sitting on top of the bloody lead!
If the addition of xtra stuff was that great - match anglers would be pioneering it, I watch good match anglers quite a lot (when waiting for the match to finish) and they are head and shoulders above anything I could do. They are proper anglers - trying to not just induce feeding but trying to do everything they can to trick their prey.
So yes know I’m a backward old fart - but three ronnies on a spot that is 2 foot wide, may be a brilliant tactic - but goes against everything I believe - and if I’m honest I don’t want to - I’m far happier thinking my approach is right, even though on many, many occasions it’s probably not.
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Years ago mainline of 8 or 10lb was very common
Wouldn’t surprise me if it was only stepped up because of heavier TC rods and trying to get to the horizon and clubs made a ruling of minimum 15lb to cater for the numpties.
Normal conditions and balanced tackle you will be surprised how much force you can put on line you would be scared in case you break the rod.
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In reply to Post #5
Have you used Kryston Multistrand?
That's not a lot of material to act as a hinge, so I can see your thoughts re suppler/thinner improving it..but does suppler have to mean thinner? For example, the ESP Anchor I'm using, it's not very supple or soft compared to say Kryston Supa Nova, maybe even Merlin of the same breaking strain and they're quite a bit thicker. Neither of those 2 were as supple as Multistrand which was like hair. A sad sign of the times, I had to check Kryston still make Multistrand, apparently they do, so it may be a consideration for you (if you haven't already used it). It used to be the supplest of materials on the market, imo.
My reference to Kryston is simply because that's what I used to use before they were sold and I haven't used combi rigs for a very long time but funnily enough I have been thinking of them as of late. Multistrand was so soft it could be a pain to work with, the fibres are so loose it made them a bugger for catching on anything like rough skin when tying.
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In reply to Post #4
Thanks for reply.
It’s a combi link - which I’ve been using for a long time and am super confident in.
The main boom section is 15lb Flouro and I used to make the small hook section from the Korda thin braid, but with hook and hair attached it was very hard to get the small hinge I wanted.
I then tied some up multi rig style with 8lb drenam braid, but I have since found a braid that is much finer and wondered the thoughts on others regarding strength and how they test.
The hinge is less than 10mm so no worries on mouth damage.
I’m also very much of your thinking regards hook length being weaker than the mainline, it would have been madness back in the day to have just 6” heavier than the other 200 yards - but rig mechanics and things move on.
Will it make a massive difference- no - but I love all the smaller bits that in my head are making the rigs as effective as possible. It frustrates me, that ronnies and industrial rigs are super effective- I could but have no desire to go that route - small subtle and fine is what I enjoy and have confidence in.
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In reply to Post #1
Moved to rigs.
I accept, stiff links, and coated braids I am not wanting advice on these.
What are you looking to use, nylon, braid?
I'm a bit old fashioned in that I was brought up to have a weaker hooklink than mainline though I did change with time to equal. For the last few years it's been 15lb ESP Anchor braid, but before that it was mostly coated braid. The diameter of the braid would dictate my use, not the breaking strain, pulling a Carp on micro thin braid is only going to have one result on the mouth unless you play it very carefully...and even then!
I would have no qualms using lower breaking strain nylon but IMO you'd also have to question, if using a much lower BS how long would you have to play the Carp for, and is that good for it?
If it's nylon you're thinking of as a hooklink the Tackle Box did some breaking strain tests, granted on mainline but even so. If you've not seen it before it can be found here
LINKY POO™ https://tacklebox.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Line-Test-PDF-Issue-15-14.08.25.pdf
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In reply to Post #1
I think most people use higher strains because of its other properties rather than strength alone. The heavier strain the stiffer they are generally. So as long as you are confident in landing whatever is in the lake any strain will do. I once landed a mirror of 26lb on a size 18 hook with 2lb hooklink.
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In reply to Post #1
I've caught carp to near thirty pounds in relatively snag free areas on my barbel gear, that's through action one and three quarter TC rod with daiwa tdm reel loaded with eight pound Maxima chameleon and a six pound Maxima chameleon hook link..
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A few quick questions.
What breaking strain hooklink are you guys happy with, I have a current clear water ‘problem’ with no real snags and have been mucking about with certain things. All year I like to be as refined as possible and whilst I accept, stiff links, and coated braids I am not wanting advice on these. So:
What breaking strain - given you can tow an elephant underwater on 15lb?
How do you test breaking strains, as any grown up can bust 20lb 1 foot sections on 2 pulleys?
I have got on a ‘scale pull’ 25lb all day long, and it snapped around 30/32 gotta be enough hasn’t it - no real snags, no bars, and no worries with tangles.
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