Top shot or no top shot?

[TJones]

i use the same knot when i am tying top shot to braid . one modification , after cinching down knot , i tie one overhand knot with braid to prevent slippage, two is recommended with heavier line . obviously there are stronger knots , i.e. bob sands , but they are more complicated . the knot you are referring to is easy to tie . is strong , and for what we are doing , i think is sufficient . considering we are on a kayak , how much drag are we putting on a fish ? 12 lbs is a lot . 20 lbs is putting the hurt on , and 22 or 25 lbs is probably the max of a very expensive reel . i used this knot in the winter on some big black sea bass down at lJ , using 50 top and 65 braid . these fish were hunkered down in the kelp and weighed 85 - 120 lbs . i had know problem yanking them out straight , some with in ten to fifteen minutes . with no knot failures . i would think this knot is capable of 85 % line strength ? one hundred , i doubt .