I WAS WRONG!!! (about knots) YOU MAY BE WRONG TOO (video)

Years ago a friend and I had an argument about terminal knots.  Palomar vs Improved Clinch.  THIS IS NOT ABOUT EITHER OF THOSE KNOTS!  He was adamant that the palomar knot was the best, period, end of discussion.  Having started with a clinch knot and later graduating to an improved clinch knot at a very early age I was adamant that the “Trilene” knot (improved clinch knot) was the best, period, end of discussion.  Scroll to the bottom below the video to see how that discussion resolved, but again.  This is not about those knots.

For years I’ve advocated the back to back or double uniknot for joining fluoro or mono to braided line.  I don’t like it.  Its awkward to tie and doesn’t go through the guides as easily as a blood knot, but a blood knot seems to sometimes experience slippage when used with braided line.  A blood knot was the first knot I learned to tie for joining two lines.  The back to back uniknot doesn’t seem to slip when used with braid.  In a survey he did the majority of anglers chose the back to back or double uniknot.  I’ve used it for years and its worked fine, so when this angler decided to do a comparison test between three different line joining knots I thought the conclusion was foregone.  Watch the video and decide for yourself.  Then scroll down for further comments.

If you are one of those people who insists the fastest easiest solution that’s pretty good is the best period end of discussion STOP READING.  You won’t learn anything.  If you want to have a little more granular understanding you “might” learn something if you keep reading.

I mostly use a braid to mono or fluorocarbon knot for joining braid to cheap heavy mono backing, because braid is expensive.  I almost never get into the backing for the types of fishing I do, and when I do I respool that reel before the next time I go out.  HOWEVEER, I do sometimes use a leader in gin clear water.  It can be the ticket when bass are cruising in grass in shallow back water lakes and you can see them a mile away.  I make long casts to bassy locations long before I can see them or they can see me, and I catch more fish if I use a fluorocarbon leader.  Most times in even mildly stained water I don’t bother with a leader because it makes no difference.  He obviously uses a leader in many more icrtumstances, but he fishes different places than I do.

As you saw (and I was both surprised and disappointed by the results) the back to back uniknot was the worst of the three knots tested in his range of testing.  He only made three tests for each line combination, but the difference was clear.  Back to back uniknot for a hard clear last place finish.  I have never tied an Alberto knot or an FG knot, but I think I’m going to take the time to learn how.  The FG knot looks time consuming difficult, but if either knot goes through the guides better than the uniknot it will be an easy choice to change.

* Now about our argument about the Palomar vs Improved Clinch knots.  Berkely did a series of tests published in various places including YouTube that did exhaustive testing of various terminal knots.  The Palomar knot and Improved Clinch knot tied dead even for fluorocarbon line and for mono filament line, but when it came to braided line the Palomar was the clear winner.  My buddy took that as see I win.  Palomar is always best.  For most people I would agree.  One easier to tie terminal knot to learn and remember that is good for all three common kinds of fishing line.

However…  The Improved Clinch knot and Palomar knot have some other things to consider.  Strengths and weaknesses.

In my purely anecdotal experience an improved clinch knot can weaken if tied, pulled tight and left to set for days or weeks and then fished with again.  We should all retie when we head back out on the water a few weeks later, but we almost never do.  Especially if just fishing for fun.

The Palomar was a fine point that I consider a weakness in some cases.  It moves easily on the eye where it is tied. On big heavy super line hooks this can allow it to move over and get stuck in the gap of the hook eye where it can pop right out of the hook on a hookset.  Remember that buddy I argued with about knots?  I told him about that one day, and he laughed me off.  On the next cast flipping some reeds he had it happen.  A few casts later he caught the fish with the hook still in its mouth.  The solution many people use is to tie the knot, cut the line, slide the first knot into the hook eye gap, and then retie.  It works, but of course it doubles your time to tie on a hook.  My solution is to throw three or four half hitches with the tag end on that side of the main knot.  The half hitches get stuck in the gap instead of the main knot.

Now for the strength of the improved clinch knot.  Because of the very thing that I think can cause it to lose a little strength when left tied for an extended period it grips onto the hook or lure eye better.  It is less likely to slide around.  It’s not a big deal for a lot of things, but I have noticed that some lures fish differently depending on where the knot is on the lure eye.  Hard jerks, and a fish pull can certainly move the knot to whatever is the most direct path, but you can change the action and pull of some lures by where you position the knot when tying directly to a lure.

The tag end of a Palomar knot points back up along the main line when tied.  It can catch little pieces of grass and snot grass.  The tag end of an improved clinch knot points away from the main line making it much less likely to pick up and carry little bits of grass.  Does it make a difference.  Probably not most of the time, but to that guy who will take three worms out of a package hold them up to the sun, and say in a strained stressed out higher than normal pitch voice, “They’re not EXACTLY the same,” it might.    There is a place I think it helps though. In particular when paired with what I consider a minor strength.  Drop shot.  The tendency to stay in position better and the tag end going down allows the line to hang better in the water.  When the line is taut you can set the hook to stick straight out from the line.  If you like you can direct the tag end straighter down by routing it through the eye of the hook.

Do I think you should change whatever you are doing right this second due to anything I said, or due to the data in the video posted above?  No.  No I don’t.  I think you should evaluate all the information, test for yourself if desired, and make your own best choices.  Your best choice may be based on different factors than what is best for me.  Did you know that there are knots that later tested better than the Palomar knot in Berkely’s Knot Wars?  Do you think I used them now?  Nope.  I know how to tie an improved clinch knot and a palomar knot already.  I know their strengths and weaknesses, and I can “almost” tie them in the dark due to decades of using them.  I don’t have to think about how to tie them anyway.  Both knots tested about 100% of rated line strength.  Most lines will break slightly above rated line strength. Those other knots consistently maxed out the lines, but it wasn’t enough for me to learn newer more complicated knots.  This back to back uniknot test result may make me change.  At least for leaders on braid.