Connection Knots?

[fishfrenzy]

Hello everyone,
I know that this has been answered on here before but I had several questions about what connection you tie and why for braid to mono/florocarbon?
How often do you check the knot? Every cast or session...
How often do you retie?
Every fish caught, snag or outing...
Does the diameter if the the two lines need to be similar or the same?
Do you small leave a tag end or glue the two lines?
Do you different knots based in the weight of the bait? For example a small crank bait or Huddleston?

I only asked because this evening I casted off a lucky craft Sammy and I had to swim out maybe 50 yards and retrieve it. I used a blood knot for my connection and it appeared to have slipped? I am guilty of not checking the knot or retying in recent trips after snags and fish. I just do not what to have to be in the situation where I cannot swim out to get my bait back. Such as fishing in the ocean or using any sinking baits because then I will really be screwed. Thanks in advance!

[jaggerbub]

For spectra to mono I really like the Bob sands knot. It's easy to tie up to 50# mono. I usually run either 50 or 65 braid with a short fluorocarbon topshot. Never had it slip on me. Fished Tunas on and it's held up for me the last two years. I even buttoned down last week to break off a yft and neither the Bob sands or my Palomar knot at the hook slipped. Deck hand had to pop it off with a gaff when we had boat limits earlier this week.

For 60# - 80#, I like the Phillips red knot. It sinches down nicely and is a pretty easy/strong knot for bigger lines. That one takes less than a minute and your fishing again.

As for checking knots, I will check my hook's knot after every fish. More importantly I check for knicks and frays. I never check my spectra - fluorocarbon knot. If you tie it right and it sinches down right the first time, it will not budge.

[jaggerbub]

By the way, I'm mostly fishing 20 30 40 with 50# spectra... and I run 50 60 on 65# spectra. I cut the tag ends as close to the knot as I can to get them in and out of the guides without much resistance.

[fishfrenzy]

Thanks for all the info jaggerbub I will start using the bob sands knot!