# Power Pro question



## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

For some reason my buddy keeps having Snook break him off when using PP.
Only Snook. His knots are good -uses the same knot for larger offshore species with no problem. ...but for some reason, even smaller Snook break him off. He does not use a shock leader, just straight PP tied to the lure. Maybe that’s the issue? Gill plates cut braid more easily than mono? I’m not a braid guy so I’m not sure. 

Any ideas?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Minimal stretch with braid, he should try a 3-4’ piece of 20-30# mono or flouro leader.


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Minimal stretch with braid, he should try a 3-4’ piece of 20-30# mono or flouro leader.



Will pass that on. 

Thx


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

With the lack of stretch braid has if you tie it directly to the hook/lure and don’t back off on the drag to offset it you will break fish off a lot unless you step up to a higher pound test braid and then you will be tearing hooks out of their mouths. I like a 4-5 foot piece of 20 pound Trilene Big Game clear mono and 20 pound braid with a Crazy Alberto transition knot and a No Slip Loop to the hook/lure. This setup has withstood the test of time and caught a bunch of really big fish without breaking off. In the last 12 months I have landed 3 35 plus inch Jacks while wading for trout and redfish. I have only caught two snook in my life but I bet a 37” jack crevalle tests the gear more than other fish it’s size.


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

Yep, Jacks are insane. Had just 4-5# jack run at the same time I accidentally bumped the anti reverse lever over. Handle spun around so fast it sounded like a propeller. Hit my knuckle. Thought it broke my finger.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Indoman said:


> Yep, Jacks are insane. Had just 4-5# jack run at the same time I accidentally bumped the anti reverse lever over. Handle spun around so fast it sounded like a propeller. Hit my knuckle. Thought it broke my finger.


Had to dunk my reel because it smoked the drag washers


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

Yea...That's a beast. Nice.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

power pro abrasion resistance is minimal...minimal...minimal


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Dudes.... They have sharp gill plates!!!! Hello!!! Why do you think the other fish cut him off? They DON'T have sharp gill plates!! 

Tell him to tie on a 2ft piece of 30lb fluorocarbon leader. When the 1st 1-2" get rough and abraided on each fish or 2, clip it back and re-tie.


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

I understand the sharp gill plates. Typically I use 20# leader but with poor conditions this year I was trying to not spook anything at all. I was using straight 10# Ande with no leader and had no break offs. I would have thought braid was tougher.

Will share info with him.

Thx


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I agree. Minimum 25lb leader if you think there's a snook around, 30 if you're targeting them. Although I caught this one a few of years ago on 8lb power pro with a 15lb flouro leader. I was obviously not targeting snook, nor did I even think one would be in the neighborhood. It's better to be lucky than good sometimes.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Version 2 of the Super Slick 8 introduced at the ICAST tackle show last week. Should be on the shelves by early fall. Haven't heard details about the differences yet.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Indoman said:


> Yea...That's a beast. Nice.


Not proud of catching a jack, I actually despise hooking them. Just a testament to the gear they put to the test.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Not proud of catching a jack, I actually despise hooking them. Just a testament to the gear they put to the test.


I've grown fond of them. Absolutely nothing pulls harder, pound for pound.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

SomaliPirate said:


> I've grown fond of them. Absolutely nothing pulls harder, pound for pound.


One a year is fun but when you’re on good trout and reds and hook one on accident that consumes 10-15 minutes of the feed time it sucks! I bet they are fun on the long rod.


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

No shame in catching jacks. I’ve caught some small ones on a fly rod. Only 1-3# but a blast. Giant blue trevally on Christmas Island is on my bucket list. Basically a big jack. 60-80# and bigger.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Yeah I have no problems catching jacks and even targeting them. But they can end up chewing thru line too (that's why I also use 30lb fluoro for them since their mouth is more abrasive than even snook). But a snook's gills can cut like a knife and they have a neat little trick where they know just how to roll and get that line wrapped around that gill plate edge and "ding," it's over!. I've had 80lb fluoro cut by several big snook, once even 100lb mono. No lie, scouts honor!! But then again, that's chasing the big boys!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Zika said:


> Version 2 of the Super Slick 8 introduced at the ICAST tackle show last week. Should be on the shelves by early fall. Haven't heard details about the differences yet.


What's different about it? I didn't care much for the 1st version of it.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Backwater said:


> What's different about it? I didn't care much for the 1st version of it.


Maybe they don’t use a master spool to make smaller spools and when the master spool runs out they don’t splice the line and continue causing random weak spots that break for no reason? Just hearsay...
Sufix832 and Diawa J-Braid 8 strand have been bulletproof. As stated, Sufix832 is some great braid and has performed the best since I started using it several years ago. The J-Braid is proving itself as well!


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> One a year is fun but when you’re on good trout and reds and hook one on accident that consumes 10-15 minutes of the feed time it sucks! I bet they are fun on the long rod.


I admit one tricked me last weekend. Thought I had a top slot red on and it turned out to be a 17" jack. Just put on some Polynesian music in your head and tell yourself it's a GT.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

Braid is absolutely worthless in terms of abrasion resistance and snook have sharp gill plates.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Indoman said:


> Will pass that on.
> 
> Thx


I will tell you what my go-to common size snook rig is for me. If I'm not going ultra light and stealthy on wide open beaches or flats, using 10 braid with a very light rod (6'6" 6-12lb) and size 30 reel (or 2500 series), then I mostly fish 15lb braid with a slightly bigger rod (7ft, 8-17lb) on a size 30-40 reel (2500-3000) when only targeting those normal size to slot size +/- snook with an occasional big fish, which is the #1 thing I do with a spinning rod. I then FG knot a 3-6ft piece of 15lb fluorocarbon leader (matching braid and FC leader lb test). Then I'll add on an 18" piece of 30lb fluorocarbon leader with an albright knot at the business end of that lighter leader. Most of my connection knots to the lure or hook will be a 2 turn non-slip mono loop knot on the 30 FC leader. Always checking your leader for abrasion after each fish and then clipping it back and re-tying to remove the abraded piece of FC.

This whole setup will keep things more stealthy for pressured snook that has seen just about everything thrown at them. I do this with all my spinning rods with braid, from light weight to tarpon rods. It works.

If I'm in an area with little pressure, I might tie a 2-3ft piece of 30FC direct to the braid and be able to get away with it and still get eats. If I'm beach fishing to smaller fish on 10lb braid, I may drop to 1ft of 20lb FC as the bite leader on my 4-6ft piece of 10-12lb FC material.

I have a 20lb braid rod that I'll do the same and end up with a 40lb FC bite leader, as well as a 30lb braid rod, which I may tip with 50-60lb FC bite leader for big fish on heavy structure.


Ted Haas


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

Great info! Thx for sharing.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jimsmicro said:


> Braid is absolutely worthless in terms of abrasion resistance and snook have sharp gill plates.


Yeah, braid sure is easy to cut compared to mono and flouro...


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Yeah, braid sure is easy to cut compared to mono and flouro...


When it's under tension it is real easy. When you're trying to cut the tag end of a knot it is difficult.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

Braid cuts like butter on anything sharp. Mono and fluoro are used as leader material for a reason.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jimsmicro said:


> Braid cuts like butter on anything sharp. Mono and fluoro are used as leader material for a reason.


Oh ok


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## Diehard41 (Jul 30, 2018)

Indoman said:


> For some reason my buddy keeps having Snook break him off when using PP.
> Only Snook. His knots are good -uses the same knot for larger offshore species with no problem. ...but for some reason, even smaller Snook break him off. He does not use a shock leader, just straight PP tied to the lure. Maybe that’s the issue? Gill plates cut braid more easily than mono? I’m not a braid guy so I’m not sure.
> 
> Any ideas?


Could be stiff rod , Tight drag and no shock leader. Try a big game in 25 has good stretch to absorb some of the muscle.


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