Thanks again fellows
c7

couldn't be happier if i caught it myself, now thats puttin on the pressure

Congrats to you Chuck, I agree with M.T. !! I also noticed that the photo apears close to shore, was that deep water or shallow?

Thanks Phil ,Keith...and Oneshot7...I'm still thanking you for turning me on to Power Pro.

Pits are dangerous..this pit drops off to 20 feet real fast. When I had my depth finder it showed 31 feet in the middle. Last week I was throwing that deep diving Rapala and I hooked on to one larger than this baby. That one broke the line ..

PHIL..the spot where I am at showed 31 foot on the depth finder.

Why? My hypothesis is this.. Until I started using the Palomar knot I was using the improved clinch knot. Matt and I had at least 8 break offs..and some where on fish as small as 2 1/2 pounds..We noticed every break was literally at the knot. I knw how to tie the Palomar..I just thought with 20 pound test it wasn't necessary. Since we started using the Palomar we've had zero beak offs. On crank baits it's hard ot tie a Palomar knot...but after loosing the haxg of a life time 2 weeks ago...I will find a way to tie a palomar knot on a crank bait.

make a "BIG" loop to go over the bait, flair the loop over your hand and fingers and run the bait thru.

the palomar is the knot i tie more than any other, also went to a little siminar that hank parker was doing and he was testing knots/lines to the breaking point, the polomar knot held a higher % of the test/pounds than any of the other knots tied, i was amazed that some lines would break at 20% of there test rating, which could explain why you were breaking off fairly easy[&:]

Good insight there Keith..I will be using that palomar knot on everything..I'll just make a big loop.

That hawg I lost 2 weeks ago was strange..I purposely back off onthe drag while fighting the fish{Like I did yesterday} I would rather have a little bit too much drag than risk a boken line..Anyway, that big fish pulled so hard and fast that even a loose drag did not keep her from snapping my line and stealing my 7.00 Rapala..

Thereforel NO MORE CLINCH KNOTS.!!.. Thanks for sharing about the Hank Parker knot test. I like that kind of stuff. Fo rme..line is probalby the most important element..don't go cheap on line and know your knots.
c7

WTG Chuck! Congrat's

Chuck..Congrats on a great fish...

I ain't never even laid EYEBALLS on a bass that big, much less CAUGHT one......

Chuck are youcurrently using 20# power pro. If so, 20# power pro is the same diameter as 6# mono. Which is a little to small to be throwing on baitcasters. The general rule when going from mono to braided line is to match the line diameter of your old mono with the new braid. For instance I used to use 12# mono and when I bought my power pro I went to 50# which has the same diameter as the 12# mono. Not only is the bigger diameter line more forgiving on your baitcasters you can also see it much better when you are worm fishing, which makes detecting strikes much easier. I know you haven't broke off since you started using the polamar knot, but if you go to 30 - 50 # power pro I know you won't break off. I believe the Power pro to Monodiameter looks like this:
20# Power pro diameter = diameter of 6# mono
30# Power pro diameter = diameter of 8# mono
40# Power pro diameter = diameter of 10# mono
50# Power pro diameter = diameter of 12# mono

This is just a suggestion you might want to try the next time you respool your reels. Hope this helps. If you are using heavier than 20# power pro then disregard this post. The way I look at it is, you are not really gaining anything by using the 20# braided line. 20 # line just isn't thatheavy when you are fishing around weeds, pads, or any other kind of heavy cover. The object of braided lines are to give you the unbreakable power of 30 -50 pound test line in a small diameter. Just my .02. By the way great fish again my man!!!! Didn't mean to rant just wanted to share this info. It may help you out in the future. Then again you may think I am full of poopy.[8D]

Thanks for the info my friend..I'm always eager to learn something new..
C7