Pretty snazzy.......I would like to see Jaximus Maximus in action some day 

What if the fish decides to peel out? Do you not have to release your finger and thus have some slack from the time of the release until the rod loads? Plus you have the loss of concentration while you have to grab the line with your finger do you not? Unless of course your fish is so played out it just sort of floats belly up.......(I hated that I lost that fat slob of a laker because she was so played out........sort of suckethed).

So, i'm giving you all sorts of Jazz about your landing prowess I'm sure you have it down but somehow I just can't quite put my head around it.

Something about that boga.......Get the fish boat side fairly quick and snatch it up. Nice handle to control him (or if your lucky, her) and a quick reach for the pliers and a "flop/splash" back in the water......hey, I never even touched line, lure or fish........whaddaya know bout that". Bada bing and I'm back in business.

But what do I know.......I got my tail kicked last time in canoe country and had to eat a fat slice of humble pie. Wasn't so bad though.......I like fishing with good anglers, it only makes you better.  up 

I can easily imagine what Jax is saying. In my case, I don't pluck but rather press on the rim of the spool to maintain tension since the bail is open and the fish is within easy reach of my other hand. If it's small I grab it and do whatever. For bigger, toothy fish, I'll slide my hand under their belly and lift slightly which will basically immobilize 'em as I set my rod down - with the bail already open ... just in case something highly unusual happens.

From there it's usually a simple matter of deciding whether to grab the pliers the stringer or go in for a closer inspection. If it's hooked deep all bets are off but ideally, fish do not normally get past the rail of my canoe.

If it's a really big, I assume they are embarrassed by that point and really don't want to be measured, weighed and have their picture taken with me anyway. I know that would stress me out so once I can see what I caught, if it's not pan worthy that day, I give them every leisurely opportunity to spit the hook I have time for. Most don't or can't but I do offer the opportunity since my thrill has already been realized by then.

There is one other advantage to using a metal leader that MT hinted at in an earlier post. I fish for walleyes almost exclusively and any good walleye fisherman knows that means that I am in constant contact with the bottom. That also means that my lures and the first couple feet of line are taking a beating esp when trolling. Having that first foot of titanium leader is some protection from all of the nicks and abrasion. I still have to check and tie often but not quite as much and I know that even if I have just tied when that first good fish makes a dive for the rocks I know I have a foot of durable metal out front protecting the line.

ok, i've never met a leader that i've liked, to the point that i nearly stopped using them altogether. it's not that i don't WANT to use them, i do, and am entirely convinced this tie-able titanium is THE answer. 
KF:
what size ball bearing do you use with the 25# wire (0 or 2 hoping)?
Have you tried a quality snap on the end and just and 1 bearing on the line end, and if so do you see a problem with it?
Just got back from BassPro and although they carry knot2kinky online, it looks like they don't stock it in-store.

Puckster wrote on Mar 10^th, 2014 at 1:06pm:


No, Fleet and Farm, Bass Pro Shop or Cabela's have plenty of snaps and swivels to pick from.

When I started doing this I salvaged snaps and swivels from all of my narly old leaders that I had but most of that stuff was bigger than was needed so now when I buy I get the smaller stuff.