Learning fishing knots.

One unexpected intrest from fishing has been knots. I typically suck at knots. I dint have dexterous fingers. I grew up using the improved clinch knot. That’s all I knew and used. (I still use it)

now I mix it up. My main players.

hook for punching mats. Snell knot
I use a unnamed drop-shot knot. Not the Palomar which I find really fussy when it comes to getting hook to stand perfectly.
Hooks/lures; Uni, or the improved clinch knot.
Leader knot. The Alberto knot. (I can’t figure out the FG - especially in a bobbing kayak)

I’m sure my list will expand. It’s been interesting

 

I call the FG knot the “eff me” knot. I can’t tie it either. Uni, Imp clinch and palomar will cover most everything for me. For braid to mono leader, I use the albright special.

 

I too suck at remembering how to do all the knots, but whenever I buy new line, the box it comes in usually has a card showing different knots and how to tie them. I just keep those cards in my bag with me.

 

Ooh nice, a how-to on knots thread here would be awesome. I'm working on an older (1975) boat and having to re-learn all the old knots I've not practiced since I was a kid thumbing through this:

 

Davy knot FTW.
Double Davy, if you swing that way.

 

Knots are pretty great. I love to play with them on paracord or other small diameter rope.

 

Davy knot looks pretty simple. Wonder how it would hold up on saltwater rigs with monsters biting the hook?

 

Saw a guide just blazing through his customers flies with that knot and I couldn't for the life of me remember the name. Thanks

 

Have not tried or seen any done on a SW set up. It holds pretty darn good.
I will ask around.

 

I got two that I use on jigs for cobia. Largest was 60lbs on the first knot, largest was 50lb on the second knot. Now I have no idea if this first knot is actually a named knot, I was drunk one night and did this. I’ve used it for large jigs ever since, and it’s never broke on me. It’s like snelling a hook but your snelling the line instead. So theoretically, it should be an extremely strong knot. The second is called a tricorn loop knot. I’ve used it on large jigs but prefer it on smaller stuff 1/8-3/8oz for trout and drum.

 

I like the Animated Knots site
www.animatedknots.com

Very helpful.

 

I'm not big with knots either. I tie one type knot, and thats it. I've never lost a fish due to a knot issue.

 

Hawaii fishing for “Ulua’s” Our mainline is usually 80lb , join to a 200 lb leaders, the Albright knot is the most popular here, but for beginners, consider the most difficult.

After doing this Albright knot for a few years, it becomes super easy and fast. I landed a 11’ thrasher from shore with this knot. 3hours .

 

It looks like your first knot is a "Clinch Knot". (some folks also call it a "Cinch" knot) I've used it for just about everything since my Dad taught me it. My eyes are not what they used to be now, and my fingers aren't either, but I can tie this knot for fishing in any conditions without even thinking about it: cold, hot, wet rough waters/seas, and in the middle of a trout stream. I taught my sons this knot when they were little and they could do it without sticking their fingers with the hook. I think it's main advantage is it doesn't cut into itself when you pull it tight or set the hook. There is also a version of it call the: "Improved Clinch Knot". Sometimes I tie/use a "Uni Knot". Same basic idea except you form the loop first and then do the twist around both lines. It's about 50/50 for me. I think the Clinch is a little less fussy to do.

https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/improved-clinch-knot#:~:text=Improved Clinch Knot Tying Instructions 1 Thread end,against the eye and clip tag end close.

 

no sir, I use an improved clinch knot for most of my terminal connections other than hooks and line to line connections. This knot, I honestly think I was drunk and tinkering one night and it just stuck. You tie it almost identically to snelling a hook, but instead you’re snelling the line itself. When you do that, you can create a loop of the size you desire. Ive tested it several times and it’s 100%+ the line strength. I’ve never busted it at the knot itself, it’s always in the line. If I was a videographer I’d record myself tying it. But I’m an hvac guy, so I’m better at beating things into submission then making videos.

A regular clinch knot I’ve had slip on me too many times, so I’ve stopped using that awhile ago. The uni or uni to uni knot I’ve also stopped using due to the size of the knot. For a line to line, I’ll use an Albright or no name depending on what I’m doing.

 

Don't forget the Bimini twist

 

Thank you for the Bimini twist, I have not gone a Ulua fishing for three years now. Covid. And finally lifted my truck. Hope I can still remember all my knots?

 

I tend to lean towards the trilene for anything under 40lb on mono, clinch for bigger mono (Biggest i use is 60lb) , Palomar on braid, and picked up a snell knot for circle hooks from a catfisherman on youtube that doesnt want to try to loosen when no tension is on the line.

 

I fish for everything from trout with small reel and line to pelagics and large bottom fish with larger conventionals and much higher test line. I also make all my own rigs, from Carolina bottom rigs to trigger fish rigs with drop loops.

My most commonly used knot is the uni, I use it for trying leaders directly to jig heads and lures, I use a uni to uni to tie braid to mono or fluoro leader with small pound test line, and I snell with a uni.

For larger pound test braid to mono I use an FG with a Rizutto finish. Numerous tests have shown the FG to be the strongest knot for that application. It’s also very easy to tie once you’re experienced with it, and there are ways to tie it on the boat. The most critical part of the FG is cinching it down and pushing the knot down after multiple cinches to ensure it stays compact but digs into the mono. The Rizutto finish is incredibly secure.

I used this setup for grouper fishing recently and it stood up to a couple 25-30 pound fish fighting hard.

The FG is also the most compact knot and the easiest to get through the guides for a wind-on leader.

The only other knots I tie are a figure 8 loop at the bottom of my trigger rigs for the bank sinker, and the drop loops themselves.

For the boat, it’s important to know the bowline, the square knot, the clove hitch, and the anchor hitch.