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Knot to swim bait and iron

7K views 59 replies 35 participants last post by  boatman 
#1 ·
What knots are you all tying from your mono or floro to your swim baits? Also, with iron, are you tying directly to the jig or to a snap of some sort?

Thanks as always!
 
#47 ·
Flatfalls and flatsides get an improved clinch (4-5 wraps) tied to the split ring or welded ring. 40-50# fluorocarbon
 
#48 ·
Chesapeake.... Gotcha, I feel the same way. Just had to train myself not to worry about it. If I actually needed a compact knot, I wouldn’t hesitate to find something else.

The one knot I have trouble with is the Palomar. I’d really like to watch an expert tie one and coach me. I find them difficult to pull tight no matter how much slobber I use.

One thing that makes knots so much better these days is the lines themselves being so much better than when I was a kid.
 
#50 ·
Palomar you have to play careful and before it’s cinched hard pull the tag and main a bit separate to get them evened out. Otherwise you get one loop that’s loose and then doesn’t stack right when you tighten.
Doesn’t seem to effect strength.
 
#52 ·
Polamar on all braid line to small corkscrew swivels on mainline if braided, double improved clinch to mono or fluorocarbon. I use corkscrew and barrel swivels for fast changes to producing colors and lures. Leaders all tied up on 6 to 7 foot fluorocarbon and mcmahon barrel swivels. Always evolving and learning.
 
#53 · (Edited)
You all got me thinking that I needed to waste a bunch of expensive flourocarbon and break some knots.Take a look at this page, I found this after the discussion started. (Ignore the bar graph at the top of the page and scroll down to the data section). https://www.knotsforfishing.com/knot-strength-chart/. I found the column listing fluorocarbon knot strengths on this chart to be accurate, and each knot has a link to tying directions.

Since I just bought two new spools of 30# & 50# Seaguar Blue leader I’d try my own tests, I’m a nerd like that...I tied 30# flouro to two swivels each with a different knot. Hooked one swivel to my berkley digital scale which I keep hooked to my bench for line and knot testing.

Before you even ask, yes every knot had gobs of spit, and yes I made sure they were all tied correctly per the videos suggested and others found online and on the web page above.

The strongest knot for me was indeed the Berkley Braid Knot, but the finished knot was so big and it was so hard to tighten that I’d never consider using it.

The next strongest knot was the eye crosser from Knot Wars and was very close to the triple loop knot (third best). Each are not too hard to tie and tightening is pretty easy.

The Jansik Special was right behind those two and probably the easiest to tie and tighten.

The San Diego Jam knot broke before all of the above and was the biggest surprise to me because this is one that I use.

The worst knot I tested from all of these with the line I used was the Palomar it consistently broke much easier than all of the above.

Try some of these knot to knot tests yourself and see which ones you like best.

I like the triple loop knot because it’s so similar to my favorite mono/flouro knot for steelhead, the Trilene knot. I’ll probably also give the Jansik Special a try on the boat because it’s so easy.

YMMV, Cheers

PS. Wish I were fishing not play in the garage..
 
#58 ·
It would be interesting if the lines included in the test you posted were tested with a strain gauge, no knots. Obviously, most of the mono sold is actually stronger than their nominal rating. 50# Big Game is quite a bit stronger than 50#. Hence IGFA lines. I'm a bit surprised at the Palomar, as my prior reading always stated it was a 100% knot. I'll continue to use it for several reasons: 1) It's very easy to tie. 2) I use heavy enough line that it's not an issue, 25# main line for salmon, 60# on my troll rods. 3) I don't use FC.

Actually, here's exactly what I mentioned above:

https://www.sportfishingmag.com/gallery/gear/2014/11/line-test/

The results would argue that the knot strength numbers in the previous link should be recalculated using the actual instead of the stated tensile strength.
 
#55 ·
You’re right, those knots with at least a double line through the eye are much stronger than any of the singles.

I just tried the double SD jam as pictured and it’s up there with Berkeley Braid knot for strength. But, it’s a pain to tie in the 30# flouro I’m using. Like the Berkeley Braid it makes a really big knot and it’s even more difficult to tighten, I had to pull out some tools. I probably wouldn’t select this one for use on the boat either.

By the way, with the 30# Seaguar Blue that I’m using, the strongest knots are breaking about 28.5#-29# according to my ghetto tester. The second tier of knots break right about 1# lower. For ease of tying that’s probably good enough for my tuna lures.

Cheers
 
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