NZ Fishing World

Make your own wind-on leader

• Please log in to create your legend

The use of wind-on leaders with a Dacron connection has been commonplace for well over a decade and a half now, and they have certainly changed the way we game fish. Knots for connecting a main line to a heavy leader have been around since before Noah was running a spread of lures out behind the Ark, but they’re invariably highly visible, clunky affairs that are a magnet for planktonic algae to accumulate on, and can be difficult to get through the guides, especially roller guides. Wind-ons that make use of a Dacron loop are a smoother connection and make an easier transition onto the reel.

Early wind-ons were fairly primitive, with up to a metre of Dacron being used to give the necessary grip on the heavy monofilament. Happily, experimentation has come up with a more workable design where the Dacron is fed back on itself, making a neater, less obvious join.

The majority of anglers opt to buy their wind-ons from the local tackle shop, but as you’ll see here, they aren’t that difficult to knock up at home. There are arguments for and against their use, however, so let’s look at these first, before getting into the nitty-gritty of constructing one.

On the plus side, wind-ons have been a boon for the small boat operator who might be fishing short-handed, which is usually the case due to a lack of room on board. With a wind-on there’s no need for an additional trace man, as the angler uses the wind-on to control the fish at the boat. Then, when it’s in tagging or gaffing range, the skipper leaves the wheel and performs the required task. Depending on the species and size, it’s even conceivable that the angler could perform these tasks as well.

Wind-ons can be good on lugging fish that just won’t budge those last few metres. A stubborn fish can be broken out of its dogged resistance by increasing the drag, but only with a few wraps of leader on the reel. If the fish manages to pull any line off the spool and it reaches a point where the mono main line is exposed — Crack! Goodbye fish. Rod breakage can also be an issue with this technique, so it’s a matter of knowing the limitations of your tackle.

Tracing a fish is a tricky process and takes quite a bit of practice to get right. A wind-on means that a rookie can get the feel of the pressure required to move a fish those last few metres without having to take wraps, as well as assisting the angler by pinching the fish up slowly during the closing stages of the fight. Then, as confidence grows, those first few tentative wraps can be undertaken, without getting into too much strife.

As the recovered leader is contained on the spool, there is no chance of it tangling around anything — or anyone who might be assisting in the catch or just trying to get a better look at the fish.

There’s also less chance of pulling the hook boatside when using a wind-on. An enthusiastic wireman who suddenly goes all hyper on you and starts heaving away like a maniac can see a lightly pinned hook pop free. Instead, with a wind-on it’s all just steady gentle pressure — exactly the same as has been employed throughout the fight. A sudden increase in pressure through aggressive wiring will often see a passive marlin come suddenly and spectacularly to life, leaping all over the place (and often up the side of the boat). This is great for photos and is extremely exciting, but can be a disaster if the leader snaps before the tag is in.

The shorter leaders lures or baits are rigged on when using the wind-on system take most of the wear and tear, and are easier (and cheaper) to replace than a full length leader, Additionally, lures on short leaders are simpler to store in a lure pouch than the 18 foot plus leaders otherwise used on 15 kilo tackle and up. This means additional room for more lures!

On the down side, wind-ons don’t last forever, but many people seem to think they should. The greatest failure point is where the whipping protects the link between the mono and the Dacron. This will wear over time, or quite quickly if it is allowed to rub against the reel frame from not being wound on neatly, or from clacking in and out of the guides too many times. Once it gives way, the Dacron will be free to move about and as contact with the heavy monofilament lessens, the mono pulls out. This can be overcome by good angling technique and neatly winding the wind-on right across the width of the spool without any hills that might touch the frame, monitoring any wear and tear (furry patches on the Dacron or whipping, and missing glue) and replacing any suss looking ones. The embarrassing loss of a wind-on is bad enough, but then there’s a lure, swivel and of course the fish to consider as well.

Another negative is that the room that has to be allocated on a reel spool to accommodate a wind-on does limit its line capacity and in turn affects its retrieve speed. This is less of an issue with heavy tackle reels with massive capacity, but can becomes a problem with lighter tackle, especially when using heavy leaders for, say, record chasing. This loss of mono affects the drag’s operation too, as with less line on the spool there is greater inertia to get the spool turning when a fish strikes or takes off on a run, and the drag isn’t as efficient or consistent when the line load is low.

Using a larger reel than the designated line class, say a 50 size for 15kg as opposed to a 30, will, however, help alleviate this to some extent.

The snap swivel, two crimps and chafing gear fairly close to a lure can also kill its otherwise sparkling performance, which is another negative. The alternatives are to try running the lure from a higher towing point (such as an outrigger) or give full-length leaders a go. As the lure remains quite close to the hook(s) during the battle and not down near or past the tail as would occur with a full-length leader, it can bounce a hook out of a fish’s mouth too.

So as you can see, there are pluses and minuses with the system.

On a final note, one thing most people give little thought to when using wind-ons is the choice of swivels for making the connection between it and the lure. These need to be the same as or of greater breaking strain as the leader, and ‘tournament’ grade — not the standard ones used on long leaders. A snap rubbing up against the fish’s body or fins as it swims or jumps can easily spring open, with disastrous consequences. If it’s hard for you to open and close the snap with your fingers, you’re on the right track. Custom swivels, where tackle manufacturers take a standard Sampo and add their own wire snap, are another option.

Pigtail snaps are an alternative, although the lack of clearance between the centre wire and the outer spiral means it can be hard to change leaders in a hurry, especially those rigged with chafe tube or stainless thimbles.

MAKING A WIND-ON LEADER

If you decide to make your own wind-ons, this should explain it all pretty well.

Keep in mind too, that not all monos and Dacron are the same diameter for a given breaking strain, so some careful experimentation might be necessary.

For making a wind-on, we’ll need:
Dacron splicing pipe and loop puller needles
150 kilo Momoi nylon leader
60 kilo (130lb) Dacron
40 kilo Whiplash braid wound onto a fly tying bobbin
Maverick, Plio Bond or similar flexible cement
Side cutters
Cigarette lighter
Foldback clip

1. Cut 100 centimetres of 130 Dacron and fold it in half, leaving one end approximately five centimetres longer than the other. Slide the loop needle in at about the half way mark and draw the Dacron through until it continues out past the shorter length by about five centimetres.

2. Hook the loop that has been formed over a nail, cup hook or a piece of dowel and push the outer Dacron up to the loop as far as it will go. Use a Foldback clip to hold it in place.

3. Cut the 150 kilo nylon on a sharp angle and push it up into the splicing tube, twisting as you go for a snug fit.

4. Slide the needle into the Dacron and push it all the way up until it reaches the bunched up Dacron.

5. Pull the needle and mono out through the side of the Dacron and cut the mono off at 90 degrees (done with side cutters, this will flare the end slightly to give it a little extra grip and help stop it slipping).

6. Now work the mono back inside the Dacron, then slide the bunched up Dacron back down until it is down near the end of the inner piece of Dacron.

7. Carefully trim off any daggy ends with a pair of sharp scissors or braid scissors to make whipping easier.

8. Now’s the time to test the connection and adjust the end loop if it’s too small for your liking. Take a wrap on the mono and pull on it hard, all the while sliding the Dacron down towards the mono to ensure there are no slack spots that could allow movement.

9. Take the fly tying bobbin and starting approximately 25 millimetres up the Dacron, bind over the tag end of the braid, then while holding the mono and braid taught, spin the bobbin around the Dacron and down onto the mono for about ten millimetres. The wraps around the bobbin leg as seen in the pic help to tension the braid.

10. Using a seven-turn half hitch, ease the knot up while sliding it along the mono to the rest of the whipping and pull tight.

11. Trim the knot close and carefully use a cigarette lighter to melt the tag end (if using hard glue like Super Glue — which isn’t recommended — a protruding end can create a hard abrasive point when dry).

12. Coat the knot with Maverick Bond or similar flexible cement and allow to dry. Maverick Bond (www.mavco.co.nz) sets in about 20-30 minutes. Plio Bond is a good alternative.