Salmon Rig Braid to Leader - Swivel or Knot?

[pickardjw]

So I'm running 50# braid on my salmon reels and use downriggers. When connecting your braid to your leader to the dodger, would you trust a swivel over a line-to-line knot? I'm thinking:

Swivel pro's: an extra bearing to help with line twist, trust my knots to swivels.
Swivel con's: slamming it into your tip top, can make it harder to swing fish close to the boat to net

Knot pro's and con's: basically the opposites of the above.

Bonus topic: how important are breakaway rigs to you? An absolute must or meh?

[Mfowl]

Look up FG or FNG knot on youtube. As the name suggests, its good for braid to mono connections. I use it on my dr rods to attach 65lb braid to a 40lb mono top shot for the clips. The problems with swivels is you can only reel in so far and when you have leaders behind your flashers it can get cumbersome trying to net a fish that is 7-10 feet from your rod tip.

[Kola16]

Mfowl beat me to it. FG knot is the way to go.

If I use a flasher on my line, I do not put a flasher on if it isn't a breakaway. My favorite breakaway flasher setup is the Simon 360 magnetic setup. I usually just run a dummy flasher on the ball though.

[metlhead]

All my rods run braid to a large duolock snap. I can clip in any rigging very easy. All dodgers and flashers already have 18" of 100# mono and a bearing swivel attatched. Add leader and 5' is the farthest my hooks are from the tip of the rod. I used to use those rubber bullet shaped bumpers but realized they were not needed. Setup is very convenient as there is no need to cut line or tie knotd. Everything is pre rigged for easy changing while on the water.

[CP]

I always use a 20 to 30 foot mono leader because braid doesn't work well in downrigger clips and a little stretch helps keep the line tight.  I use a surgeon's loop in the braid and clinch knot the mono to it.  That way the joint runs through the rod eyes.   

[fishngamereaper]

All my salmon rods are loaded with 25lb Berkley Big game... never felt the need for braid as my primary. Never have any issues. 
Only rods that have top shot mono on braid are my live bait tuna sticks.

Straight swivel flasher's.  Hate the action on beakwaways. Fished em side by side about 8 year's ago. Matching colors. Straight swivel out fished the breakaway.

[MtnMuley]

All my salmon rods are loaded with 25lb Berkley Big game... never felt the need for braid as my primary. Never have any issues. 
Only rods that have top shot mono on braid are my live bait tuna sticks.

Straight swivel flasher's.  Hate the action on beakwaways. Fished em side by side about 8 year's ago. Matching colors. Straight swivel out fished the breakaway.

 
Only difference is I use Maxima and not Big Game. Line to braid knots are great, and I use the hell out of them in many other fisheries going from a Sun Line braid to FC Sniper flouro. A guy can't "set it" like you can with straight braid or mono. It's a controlled hook set or you'll snap that line to braid knot. I tie several, and even the best will snap with a sharp hook set. Running it behind a rigger might be the saving grace to snapping the knot, but I'm not willing to switch:twocents:

[Mfowl]

You could also try your braid in this style release, supposed to work well but I have not used them.

[h2ofowlr]

Use an FG knot with 20' -25' of mono if using braid.  Otherwise, I just run 25lb PLine on my reels.  Don't use a swivel if your running long lengths of mono or fluro as you will suck that through the guide if smaller and more than likely break the ceramic guides or chip them which will fatigue your line or cut it up.

I have some breakaways, but don't typically use them.

[pickardjw]

Fortunately I just started building rods so I can replace guides if I need to. But FG knot it is.

Sounds like y'all run a shorter set back for salmon. I'm used to at least 50' and up to 100' for Kokes. Ran 30'-50' for sockeye this weekend. Is it less important for salmon?

[Crunchy]

FG knot. I run 40lb braid on all my salmon downrigger rods to about 35 feet of 25lb mono top shot. 

[spoonman]

I’ve used the Alberto knot for the last 20+ years for tuna and salmon and anything else I’m targeting when braid is my main line and need a knot to mono or flouro. FG is a great knot as well. If you are trying the FG for the first time be sure to practice it a lot at home first. The FG knot focuses  on good tension to hold the knot, it’s one of the best if you tie it properly!

[steeleywhopper]

So I'm running 50# braid on my salmon reels and use downriggers. When connecting your braid to your leader to the dodger, would you trust a swivel over a line-to-line knot? I'm thinking:

Swivel pro's: an extra bearing to help with line twist, trust my knots to swivels.
Swivel con's: slamming it into your tip top, can make it harder to swing fish close to the boat to net

Knot pro's and con's: basically the opposites of the above.

Bonus topic: how important are breakaway rigs to you? An absolute must or meh?

I have been using 65lb braid joined to a 40ft section of 30lb Maxima Ultragreen. I make the connection with the "John Collins Knot". In the 6 or 7 years I have been doing this I have had zero failure and the knot slides right through the guides without hanging up. My wife is the one that usually ends up with the sealion grabbing her salmon and we have yet to have a setup break off trying to chase and horse the gear back to us. The Mono goes in the downrigger clip so there is no slippage like you get with braid and I use a Sampo swivel for the mono to flasher connection. Never an issue with line twist.
 

[dilleytech]

A good braid to mono knott is strong and shouldn’t be a problem. But you absolutely need a bunch of good swivels and raven then you will likely get bad line twist. Running heavy mono to your downrigger clip is your best bet to avoid twist. Swivels are not enough.

[pickardjw]

Couldn't get the hang of the FG but I'm pretty versed with the Albright (Alberto?) knot since I use that on my casting rods. I don't run mono main line for anything anymore, just like braid too much.

[Blacklab]

You could also try your braid in this style release, supposed to work well but I have not used them.

They work great at Merwin for Kokes Little spendy no regrets

[Stein]

I use this knot:

I dislike the pro release posted earlier, I had two instances of them not releasing and lost fish and then they went in the garbage and I switched to top shot like most other people.

[Kola16]

Couldn't get the hang of the FG but I'm pretty versed with the Albright (Alberto?) knot since I use that on my casting rods. I don't run mono main line for anything anymore, just like braid too much.

The key to a good FG knot is that you must keep tension on all the lines. Thats how the knot holds, it's by the braid literally gripping the mono. The knot will not break, your line will break somewhere away from the knot. The knot is that strong. To tension the mono I put the mono spool on the ground and my foot on the mono spool. I then have one hand to tension the braid and the other to snake the mono back and forth. Watching a YouTube video is a must.

You do not need to put your line as far back from the ball as you do with kokanee. 30 ft. is fine. 50 ft. max. The further back you put your line, the less effective the hook set of the release clip is. Kings and coho have hard mouths so you want a good hook set. Sharp hools are also a must. I have had coho attack my downrigger ball, so they definitely are not shy

[pickardjw]

Well we went 7 for 9 this morning. No issues with my braid to fluoro knots. I did lose one due to a poor lure leader knot…

But then he stayed at the surface flopping around and we swung around to net him. Got the gear back and everything!

Marked them like crazy last night too and we’re all over em with the gear but zero bites. Had the same experience at Baker. All morning, no evening action.

[kball4]

I run 150ft of mono at the end of the braid, mono is less visible and stays in DR clips better.  I Use the braid as a backer so I don't have to respool 400ft of mono every year for 5 poles.  Using the Double Uni Knot.

[ASHQUACK]

Bead chains and duo locks. I run a small plastic bead on my main line to keep from reeling the swivel into the eye on the rod tip.

[Crunchy]

Bead chains and duo locks. I run a small plastic bead on my main line to keep from reeling the swivel into the eye on the rod tip.

also makes changing out flashers pretty darn quick.