Testing your knots

[Cougarbaby]

The other day pulling in some biggies it really hit me the importance of testing new knots. Every time I tie a knot I hook onto a root or a branch a give it a test.its amazing how much more confidence you'll have when battling bigger fish .also pinching down barbs the other day both fish fell off in the net I pinch down all barbs how about you guys does everyone test there knots

 

[tomb]

Sixty years ago while stationed in Newfoundland, my first sargeant said" Son ,you only need one knot and that was a clinch Knot. He was right.

 

[riverwhy]

I had a relatively small one rip off my bugger on the strike to start the day on the Quittie. I was using relatively heavy tippet so didn't bother to check. Hurt even more after taking the skunk

 

[jifigz]

Do I purposefully branch into a hook or root to test it? No. Do I pull on it with my hand? Yes.

Knots that I know well and use often on the water are easy to tie and I trust them.

 

[Cougarbaby]

Clinch is what I use 90% of the time the reason I hook onto a root or branch is to test everything just not the knot I tied but loop to loop ,leader to tippet and tippet to fly incase something became weak from a rock or something

 

[Bamboozle]

The only knot I use for flies is a clinch which I "test" with faith because I've tied about a million in my life, including all of the blood knots I've used that are nothing more that two clinch knots back-to-back.

Not because I have anything against harvest, but I release 100% of the fish I catch. I also no longer take pictures of fish I catch and for the most part never carry a net.

Because of the aforementioned, the angst I feel if I lose a fish is considerably less than how I feel if my cigar falls from my mouth into the water...

Which probably happened because I had to play the fish (I was going to release anyway) a lot longer because a knot didn't fail... 😉

 

[Gibbon]

I use 2 knots when attaching a fly. Davey or clinch, cinch it down, pull tight and trust it will hold. No test needed.

 

[Nocktavius]

I’ve never lost a fish to a bad Davy knot. Clinch is another story.

 

[jifigz]

I'm also a Davy knot user most of the time, but there are situations where I'll use other knots. The Trilene knot is far superior to any version of the clinch. Although, the Trilene could be considered a version of the clinch I suppose.

 

[dc410]

I use a non-slip mono loop knot when tying on all of my carp flies. I feel it gives my patterns a lot more natural movement when using heavier tippet required for carp. It is an extremely strong knot. I honestly can’t ever remember having one of these knots fail on me when fighting a carp. However, I have lost numerous fish due to hooks straightening out. I am very focused on making sure my knots are seated properly and I inspect my loop knots regularly. If I see any kind of abnormality in the knot I will simply retie a new one. That next fish just might be that 20 pounder!

 

[Jessed]

16/20 knot is the best knot for tippet to fly. Stronger than a clinch and way less bulky.

 

[jifigz]

16/20 knot is the best knot for tippet to fly. Stronger than a clinch and way less bulky.

It looks complicated compared to the Davy, and the Davy holds really well.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Make sure you wet the knot before tightening it down. I've been a Uni Knot guy for years , it's more versatile in my fishing situations. GG

 

[Jessed]

It looks complicated compared to the Davy, and the Davy holds really well.

Yeah it takes a little to get up to speed but what really sold me was the high pressure tests. Holds 95% of the tippet strength. Since the knot sits tippet on tippet, I never break off at the fly anymore.. usually somewhere in the tippet that’s been weakened.

 

[wildtrout2]

My very basic two half hitches never fail me. If there's a chance for a big fish, I'll go with three.

 

[Cougarbaby]

I saw a video of a streamer in a test tank using a Clinch knot and a non slip loop knot comparing the action side by side I think like 60 % of the people including me couldn't tell the difference in action LOL I do use the non slip sometimes

 

[Bamboozle]

Make sure you wet the knot before tightening it down...

That and draw it up slowly so you don't generate heat in the tippet material which can cause it to weaken.

Another trick taught to me buy old-er timers than me; especially with "jamb knots" like a clinch or blood knot is to draw it up slowly and once it is seated, give the tippet a LIGHT, LITTLE tug to jamb the wraps against the tag.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Davy, clinch, blood, surgeons knots... I'll hook the fly to a zipper pull on my vest and give it a good test-tug. If I'm using a root or branch to test a knot, it's only because I hooked the vegetation by mistake.

 

[Bamboozle]

BTW - For decades I've been using one of these "minigrabbers®" (and this particular brand for a couple of reasons) on a zinger with a swivel to hold my flies while I knot them on my tippet:

As a clinch knot fan, I just twist the minigrabber & fly while holding the tag end in my other hand. That wraps the tag quickly around the standing line and it also allows me to hold the fly securely while I jamb the wraps against the tag, effectively "testing" the knot.

 

[bringthepain]

Clinch is what I use 90% of the time the reason I hook onto a root or branch is to test everything just not the knot I tied but loop to loop ,leader to tippet and tippet to fly incase something became weak from a rock or something

I highly suggest learning the improved clinch knot. I started using it 3 or 4 years ago now and it just cinches down SO MUCH BETTER. Its only one more quickstep check it out, you will like.