Knots knots knots

pcray1231 wrote:
Clinch. I actually use the double clinch (is that what its called when you make 2?) for all leader-leader and tippet-tippet connections as well. Just a clinch knot on each line. Very, very rarely do my knots break, and I can tie one in about 20 seconds, while it takes me a lot longer to do a proper blood knot, so I figure why change? The secret to keeping them fairly strong is spit on it before tightening either side down. Tobacco helps.

Fly line to leader, I use a nail knot, but I only have to do that maybe 3 or 4 times a year, at most....
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I used to do that, but every time I got snagged on a tree or rock, I ended up having my line break at that connection because its just simply line to line looped together. The strength is just the strength of the lines hooked together, and it gets weak as you use it more.

I switched to the surgeons knot which is just as easy and this and holds WAY better imo.
 
Well, like I said, I haven't had a problem with it. Not saying I never make a bad knot. But when I make em right, the line rarely breaks at the knot.
 
Call me crazy, but I genuinely enjoy tying blood knots. Once you train your hands to use four points of contact to hold everything in place, they're pretty easy.
 
jayL wrote:
Call me crazy, but I genuinely enjoy tying blood knots. Once you train your hands to use four points of contact to hold everything in place, they're pretty easy.
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I used to also Jay. When tied cleanly, there's something nice and symmetrical to the knot. Plus I read somewhere that using a surgeons knot too much in leader construction can offset the tippet a bit. (Poppycock!) But when my eyes started to go a few years ago and I stubbornly refused to submit to bifocals -- they're for old men -- blood knots become hard as hell to tie, especially on a cool morning with numb fingers. Surgeon knot to the rescue!
 
Does anyone think that the trout can see a clinch knot on your size 20-24 dries. Or any fly for that matter?
 
Yep.

But I wouldn't worry about it until you find the way to hide the giant metal pointed rod coming out of the fly's ***. First things first. :)
 
Of course they can, there's no question about it. They see your line too, every time, nomatter what size tippet you have or what size fly it is. I've had fish actually hit tippet knots many times, even wind knots.
 
>>Call me crazy, but I genuinely enjoy tying blood knots. Once you train your hands to use four points of contact to hold everything in place, they're pretty easy.>>

I don't doubt it.. It's all pretty much a matter of what we decide to take the time to learn. I never took the time to learn a blood knot because i learned the surgeon's and i can do that blindfolded.

Of course, I also never learned to whip finish a fly either. Been finishing them with half hitches since 1964. A few come undone, but not many.

When I worked at the Orvis shop in Tionesta (which I guess is defunct now..), Humphreys would come up twice a year to run weekend-long classes for like 15 newbies at a time. We'd do classroom stuff in the basement of the store and then all thunder off to Miller Farm on Oil Creek to flail away or if Oil was high, to the DH on East Hickory. Somewhere Joe could stand in one riffle, pound fish and dazzle everybody, anyway. And then we'd separate and each take a part of the class up or down the creek and they'd fish under our supervision. We (well, not me) taught them the blood knot during the "classroom" time and once we got on the creek, they'd all be going bat---t trying to add new tippets with a blood knot. So, I'd teach them the surgeons and they'd say; "Jeez, why didn't they show us this at the store. It's easy!"

Used to get in quite a bit of trouble for doing that...
 
Dealing with the long end when tying a surgeons is what gets on my nerves. I have more trouble with that than I do with the blood knot, I guess.

I did have hell with blood knots for a while, but then again, I was a victim of fly shop induced LTS (light tippet syndrome). Even a perfect blood knot will break that stuff now and then.
 
as far as trout being able to see a clinch knot , i caught a bunch of trout last week before the rain , in crystal clear water ontop and ever trout i brought to hand i asked em if they saw the line or knot , they all said the same thing ......nothing , i gave em all a kiss , thanked em for the fight and kept using my berkley 100% trilene fluoro (4lb) for tippet and tied all flies with a improved clinch knot ...
 
I really need to practice the non-slip mono loop. I fished spring crrek last year and was given a few flys buy a guy who tied in a mono loop onto the fly. He advised to tie right to the mono instead of the hook eye. He felt it gave better movement. I can tel you I caught twice the fish using his sow bugs tied that way than tying to the eye. Any other knots that let the fly move.
 
jayL wrote:
Call me crazy, but I genuinely enjoy tying blood knots. Once you train your hands to use four points of contact to hold everything in place, they're pretty easy.
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for once NOT CRAZY...


I formed a system to tie a blood knot pretty easily. I twist the lines 5 times, put one end through, and twist the other tag end 5 times. This helps the BIG problem of trying to find the middle of the twists and opening it up. With the one tag end already through the middle, then you just give it a little pressure and the hole opens up to put the other tag end through. Very easy and solves a few of the problems of the blood knot.


I use clinch, blood, and Albright (leader to line) knots. I like that Davy knot though... might try that out.
 
I use my improved version of a Turle knot not sure if any one else does it this way. I have never had one slip or break in all the years Ive been using this knot. It's amazing. I looked all over the internet for a diagram similar to the way I tie it and found nothing. Ill try to explain it.


To tie it you pull the line through the eye of the hook. Tie a over hand knot around the line having it pass through two to three times, this will create a loop around the line. You will then pull the hook through the overhand loop and tighten it above the eye not on the shank.

It's a awesome knot so I thought Id bring it up. I mean Ive tried to break it but I get the full strength out of the the line.
 
What is being referred to here as the Davy knot looks like the one in Holbrook and Koch's Midge Magic book for attaching small flies. I don't fish very small flies much or I'd use it more.

The clinch knot is a half blood but we think of it differently because it gets attached to a hook, or at least that is how I conceptualize it. My clinches have a minimum of 7 turns because of superstition and is what I use for most flies # 20 and larger. They almost never slip with that many turns.

Been using the blood knot for leader connections too long to feel comfortable doing anything else, though I use more or less turns depending on diameter and brand--anywhere from 3 for butt sections to 5 for soft, small diameter, but usually 4 for everyday use with Maxima.
 
Uni knot system.Good for just about any situation.Tippet to leader,snelling hooks, tying on flies and lures.Easy to learn,imo.GG
 
i like to use the knot tying tool and tie leaders with it using a back to back nail knot , makes a nice smooth knot like a blood , no offset in tippet and strong as heck , the knots can't pull through themselves when tied right and its quick and easy for someone with carple tunnel on a brisk morning ...lol
 
I use the "Improved Clinch Knot" to tie on all flies, even size 24 tricos. I never had a problem so why change. I wrap the line 7 to 9 turns. For all you fella's having trouble with the "Blood Knot" buy yourself a "Dennison Leader Vise". It is a handy little tool that makes Blood Knots childsplay LOL. It is small and fits in the front tray of my chest box. Cost about $9. Does anybody use Tippet Rings? I think they are great. No matter how many times you change your tippet the leader stays the same length. You can also use the Improved Clinch Knot to attach the leader and the tippet to the ring!
 
yes wild i do use tippet rings and yes wild trout i love em , no more guessing or using a tippet gauge after a break off , it usually goes at the tippet ring mono side since most are hard nylon to the ring (mine anyway ) then 1 ft. piece 2x , then 1 ft piece of 3x , then 1 ft piece of 4x then tippet at desired lenght , if i wanna nymph , tie onto the exisiting 4x with another 3' piece and bam, ur done
 
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