Hiring a fishing charter boat with a few mates is an exciting way of spending a day out at sea in pursuit of big game fish and fun. If you use 80-wide reels, you'll know that this can be expensive. However, by using a top-shot you can spool five complete reels in one mega-spool. Here's how to make a top-shot.
What you'll need
- waxed rigging thread
- wax
- snips
- a pipe needle of the right size for the mono you're going to use
How to do it
- Start by inserting the end of the mono into the pipe needle.
- Next, slide the needle into the rigging thread a couple of centimetres down from the end.
- Gently slide the thread over the needle. Take care that the needle doesn't push out through the sides of the thread.
- When the needle is completely inside the thread, keep working the needle and mono until you have about six metres of mono inside the thread. Once you've achieved the desired distance down inside the thread, push the needle back through to the outside.
- Now pull the needle out through the thread and remove the needle.
- Next, pinch down on the line where the mono finishes and use your index finger to shove all the loose thread towards the mono.
- Make a series of whips towards the tag end of the thread and keep working down until you reach the mono. Form a loop and roll it back up towards the knot.
- Unwind the wax thread to form the knot. Pull the tag end tight so that it forms a knot and trim away any excess thread.
- Now you'll need to apply a small amount of wax to the knot to ensure that it doesn't come apart when it gets wet.
- Make sure that the thread is pulled nice and tight over the mono; if it's loose, the whole thing will come apart in the water when it gets wet.
- Finally, you can spool the mono onto the reel and prepare your drag ready to fish.
You can ensure that you save yourself some expense on reels by making yourself a top-shot as per the guidelines given above. This clever innovation not only means that you'll be able to enjoy longer fishing times without having to keep swopping reels, you will also have some cash left over to spend on important kit such as post-fishing drinks!
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