Lake Champlain United - Forums

Typically fished max 12# test line but with fleas so bad either must change up or quit fishing. I hate large bulking reels but need to go to 25-30# line. Recommended inexpensive level wind reels to purchase for next two months?

No need to change reels just splice in 100 ft of 30# mono prior to your floor leader

Any issues with the spliced knot in the rod or reel guides? Hadn’t thought about this option!

Double uniknot goes through pretty smooth

Check out what this Lake Ontario charter captain has to say about the solution:

https://www.acecharters.com/fishing/waterfleas/

Nice explanation from the charter Captain. Very informative.

Dirtyhooker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:14 am Double uniknot goes through pretty smooth

+1 I switched to double uni this year instead of swivels. No breaks yet. Wet the knot before tightening. I use 5 wraps on the Uni.
Be sure to trim the tags close and neat on the knot to have it go smoothly through the guides. A small scissors like the kind on a Swiss Army knife works great if you keep them sharp, or a pair of nail clippers.

Took your advice and spliced 30# test on two reels and replace line altogether on two others. Only one day of results so far but few fleas near barrel swivel but otherwise worked well. Hot day and landed one Laker in the double digitals for a couple of hours of effort.

Had a weird situation whereby line started peeling out at 100’ and when grabbed the line nothing there. When got the line to the boat there was a 8” lamprey caught on the hook doing everything possible to escape. Needless to say became fish food. We pondered the situation and wondered if we had a fish on with an attached lamprey and possibly spit the hook which ended up hooking into the lamprey.

Again thanks for the advice – not quitting yet!