Favorite Knot Tippet To Hook

[DennisS]

Well it's about the end of the season and its time to soul search on the past season. What can I improve for next year besides the avious new rod, reel, line.

The one thing I notice the last time out fishing I lost a lot of hooks on the set. I likely wouldn't have notice except Vince, Rick Sr. Emmerson and myself were discussing Knots at the tippet to hook. Vince had notice that when he used the improved Clinch that he was getting a lot of break off's on the strike right at the Knot. He said he switch to the Orvis Knot & a huge difference. This problem is not due to to light tippet. I seldom use less that 4x nymphing or dry fly fishing. (Yes Vince I do periodically dry fly fish)

 

So what Knot do you use from tippet to hook. And have you noticed low or high snap off rate on strike. Low being 1 or 2 or less an outing and high 3 or more. To me even 2 could be classed as high.

 

I had this happen at least 3 to 4 times on the weekend. I can also remember some other trips now where I was having this problem.

 

Tight Lines Always

DennisS

[dave robinson]

Dennis:

I use the Uni-knot (Duncan Loop) pretty much all the time because it's easy to tie,

(I have two differnt ways of doing that depending on wind conditions)

and because you can leave a slip loop for wet flys snd streamers to give the fly more action.

I only have problems if I don't wrap the tag enough times though the knot.

 

As I recall, Brian Hepperly swears by the Turl knot (he calls it something else).

For that knot you pass the tippet though the eye of the hook then make a loop, leaving the fly onthe standing line,

and use a simple overhand knot to tie the tippet end around the standing line between the fly and the loop.

Then you pull the fly through the loop and tighten the loop around the hook shank behind the eye.

More complicated to explain than to tie.

 

I use the Orvis knot for tippet to leader and adding tippet.

It's only slightly different from the double overhand (surgeons) knot but is reputed to be a 100% strength knot

My experieince is that it does perfrom a bit better than the surgeons knot.

So perhaps the Ovis knot for attaching the fly will work as well, since it's roughy the same knot.

 

The key to any knot though is to ensure it is drawn up tight.

Knot slippage is the main cause of failure.

This requires some lubrication (spit) and attention to the process.

 

We tend to take the knots we use for granted bacause of familiarity and are relucatant to use new ones

Pehaps it's time to do a knot workshop at an upcoming meeting.

We could even introduce the Bimini Twist, which is useful if you're going after big fish.

[Junior]

I use the UNI knot in the truest sense; it's the only knot I use. Backing to arbor, backing to flyline, flyline to leader, leader to tippet (double grinner), tippet to fly (duncan loop).

[Paulf]

...well I use the improved clinch knot and do not really break-off as much as I thought I would...I have landed plenty of big fish, both trout and pike using this knot...will I change, not likely...if you do not use some sort of moisture when tightening your knots, the friction alone weakens it...that's my 3 cents worth...

...if I were to try out a new knot, it would have to be the duncan loop...

[Kristi]

Great bits on the knots!! And is the Orvis knot the same as the Becker knot? I was shown a diffrent knot this summer it was called a forceps clinch.. Ill try to bring my notes on this knot for this Wednesdays meeting..

 

until then Ciao

 

Your friendly neighbourhood n3wB!

 

P.S rather than spit I use lip balm! when I remember to bring it!

[DennisS]

Paul I don't have a problem when the fish is on. I have very little Knot breakage that what. It seems to be when you get that hard strike or when I do that quick hook set. I usually give my knots good gob of spit when I tigh'n them so I don't think it's that.

 

Lot of people mention the Duncan loop but wouldn't a non slip Knot be more useful then that loop is there all the time.

 

Lip balm, Kristi interesting. Would the lip balm cause the fly to float?

 

Tight Lines always

Dennis S

[Junior]

The non-slip loop knot incorporates an overhand knot in a "load-bearing" part of the knot. I think this weakens the knot considerably. I know the literature claims it's a very strong knot, but not in my experience. Also, when the fish strikes and the duncan loop slips closed, that slippage acts a little like a shock absorber. As far as having a loop all the time, if you're worried about break-offs on hard strikes, you should re-tie your knot after every fish.

[dave robinson]

Kristi:

Yeah, it looks like the Becker Knot is the same morphology (basic form) as the Orvis Knot.

It's funny how the same knot can have different names (eg: Duncan Loop=Uni-knot) and tying methods

The forceps or hemostat knot is actually more than one.

Todd Oishi showed us at least two of them last January.

In morphology they are the same as the Orvis and Becker knots, just the mechanics of tying them are different

The following is the URL to a video of both knots

 

Dave

 

PS:

Is the lip balm needed becaue of kissing oll those fish you catch?

Dave

 

Great bits on the knots!! And is the Orvis knot the same as the Becker knot? I was shown a diffrent knot this summer it was called a forceps clinch.. Ill try to bring my notes on this knot for this Wednesdays meeting..

 

until then Ciao

 

Your friendly neighbourhood n3wB!

 

P.S rather than spit I use lip balm! when I remember to bring it!

Edited November 2, 2011 by dave robinson

[pitchpro]

I have found the Orvis knot to be excellent for tippet to Fly. A lot of people use the clinch due to familiarity or the improved clinch knot. I had a friend who used the improved clinch knot due to familiarity with it from spin-casting, but when shown the Orvis Knot changed and never has gone back to the Improved clinch knot. I have heard before that the clinch knot is so-so and that the "Improved" clinch knot is even worse.

I liked the article from Art Scheck http://midcurrent.com/knots/the-last-link/

who performed thousands of tests in a more realistic manner and not in a laboratory. He lists out is approach and if you scroll down he has interesting comments about the clinch & improved clinch and the Orvis Knot. This caused me to look evaluate the knots I used as you are doing now.

 

http://midcurrent.com/experts/whats-the-be...et-to-fly-knot/ Phil brings out that there is no perfect knot and are many variables that cannot be controlled but what can be controlled is how well you tie a given knot. The best knot is a well tied knot. He still uses the Improved Clinch knot and it has not hindered PaulF either.

 

For me the Orvis knot is the best knot to tie as it seems easy to me and I can tie it without problem in a variety of weather conditions and seldom get breaks as your Friend Vince had mentioned

 

Best Regards,

Darcy

[Kristi]

HAHA!! funny funny!!

Dave: thanks for the link greatly appreciated.. and ahh no the lip balm is not for kissing all the fish I catch.. like I said its to lube the knot before tightening it; oh and not to mention my dry chapped lips that occure while I fish.

 

Thanks to all for the help and guidence! i cant remember all the names but you know who you are!

 

Cheers