Fishing Forum

Those of you that use tandem rigs for fishing what knots are you tying.
Ive heard that using a 3-way swivel is not that good.

What about using a palomar knot with a long tag end then tying the second jig on it. Just a though what do you guys use.
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[cool][#0000ff][url "http://www.netknots.com/html/blood_knot.html"]BLOOD KNOT[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Carry extra line/leader of the same diameter you have on your reel for making the droppers. Saves you some respooling too often.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The dropper should be the line coming down from the rod tip...leave plenty for tieing the jig.[/#0000ff]
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DONT KNOW WHAT IT IS CALLED. BUT WE TIE A BIG LOOP AND CUT LINE ABOUT 6 IN UP FROM BOTTOM OF LOOP. WHEN TYING THE LOOP I GO THREW 4 TIMES WITH THE END THEN SINCH. IM SURE TD WILL DRAW YOU A DIAGRAM.[]
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OK I use that for tying leaders on butt sections when I fly fish.
So do you just leave the tag end of the main line long and tie on the first jig?
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I love three way swivels. Use them all the time. Don't know what the problem would be
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Ok here is my question. Since I don't use tandems how long of a leader do you use for each hook?
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[cool][#0000ff]You got it. Just like making a tapered leader. It is probably the strongest "knot" you can use to make a dropper. Almost any other knot...Palomar, surgeons, etc are all a few percentage points weaker. Sucks to lose a big walleye to a broken knot.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You mentioned 3 way swivels. I don't like them either. But, I do occasionally use a size 7 or 10 "crane swivel". It is an inline swivel.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I tie my main line to the one end of the swivel and then BOTH jig leaders to the bottom loop. Cuts down on tangles and by tieing each leader to the loop in the swivel it is stronger than even a blood knot. I have landed two at a time wipers on six pound line using the swivel rig...but almost always get at least one breaking off if I hook a double with the blood knot rig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]This rig casts well and the small swivel does not seem to spook fish.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks TD, one more question obviously when using a blood knot your jigs are separated by a short distance. If you use a crane swivel do you make sure that they are a separated, if so ho much.

Thanks
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[cool][#0000ff]I'm assuming that you are asking how long I leave each leader. To be suitably vague, that depends on the species, the depth of the water, the size and weight of the jigs, etc. Also depends on how long I tie the first one...and then just tie the second one to fit right. All a matter of guesswork and opinion.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you ask 10 guys that fish tandem rigs how long they tie their respective leaders you are likely to get 10 different answers. Everybody seems to have their own preferences based on past experience...and how many breakoffs they have had on one or the other leader.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will say that as a general rule I usually tie the longest leader at somewhere between 2-3 feet. The second might be anything from 6" to over a foot. The longer the second leader the more tangles you will get. But, some guys actually tie both about the same length and then use two different sizes and weights of jigs...counting on one swimming shallower than the other at the same retrieve speed.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I usually use a slightly larger and heavier jig on the longer leader and a smaller and/or lighter one on top. But, there are times I switch that and make the heavier one at the top and swim the lighter one behind it. In fact, I even swim a big fly behind the jig sometimes. Been using a lot of jig and fly rigs the past couple of years.[/#0000ff]
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Two other options would be to use a Dropshot rig, only instead of a dropshot weight at the bottom, tie on a jig.

Another rig is to use double swivels. Thread the main line through the eye of one swivel, then tie on the second, leaving the first swivel to slide up and down the line. Only problem with this rig is that the sliding swivel will pound on the mainline knot, so you have to check it from time to time and retie.

I agree with TD however, the blood knot is by far the best one and what I use most often. It is not that hard to tie and gives you the best knot strength.

I start with about 36" on one and 24" on the other. They get shorter as the day goes on. I have never had problems with a three way swivel. They may be wound around each other when you lift it out of the water, but when you cast and start reeling, they straighten out and run good back to the boat.At Utah lake I usually use two 1/16 oz jigs, but sometimes put a 1/8 oz on the short line. I pretty much only use a double Trilene knot. Its super fast to tie which is important when you snag a lot, and I never have seen knot failure as a big problem with silver thread. Worry more about all the nicks in my line from dragging through rocks.
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Thanks for the info. I will have to try it out one of these days.
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Blood knot.... I use the longer line for the main one have them about 10 to 12 in. apart. later chuck
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I use a version of walleyebob's loop thing. Fold about 15 inches of the line against itself. Take the double stranded loop and wrap it around the base where the double line begins about 3-5 times. Tighten the knot and now you have a loop. Cut the loop about halfway up on one side and now you have a tandem rig.....one shorter and one longer. The exact inches doesn't really matter as long as you have one longer and one shorter so they don't tangle. I don't really like tandems that much anymore, even when getting doubles on whites, the second fish that strikes sometimes is hooked so loosely it falls off anyways so I found I can get them just as a fast as the guy next to me using a tandem when I just use a single. I just take the hook off faster and already am pulling in my next fish before they even cast LOL. When you have to cast far it can be good but it all depends. I think you get more snags in the rocks and lose jigs quicker too.
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I never use tandems with the intention of catching two fish at a time. I use tandems to make more disturbance in the water and so I can try two different tails at a time. Usually a Kalin tail on one and a zoom tail on the other. Sometimes green on one and yellow on the other.There have been days when the color change makes a difference. If fish are biting so fast you get two at a time, I take one off. Just too much trouble.
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Thanks everyone for all the information. Much appreciated.
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Interesting, yes I was thinking about trying the tandem rig for walleyes this year as it seems these tandem guys are taking more fish. I bet it's the disturbance from the twin curly tails. Fish do use their lateral lines to wave track in the dark too. And of course two different colors provide more options for sure.
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kinda like what Bob said, I don't use 2 jigs to catch more fish I use 2 jigs because when I tick the bottom I know my top jig is in the strike zone. not sure about the other guys on here but I only use a tandem jig setup at utah lake and most of the walleyes I catch are caught on the top jig. later chuck
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Excellent nuance, thanks for sharing. That does shed some light on the tandem for walleye. I did see one guy get bit twice on the top tandem jig in the pitch dark and the bottom jig was basically unmolested. That jig sure was in the strike zone alright.
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When I am up at Starvation I use a rig on the bottom and usually a drop shot style hook with a maniac minnow on top. It seams to work very well when I am in my tube.
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