Fresh water fishing knots - help.

[bpoch]

So I've gotten back into fishing this year and I've lost more fish to bad knots than ever. Back in the day I used to fish all the time and never had any problems.

I've been fishing for smallmouth out in the potomac and monacocy river and with the rain killing the rivers I've started fishing for largemouth at Black Hill regional park.

I think my main issue is with my ultra light setup running 4lb test line. I just can't seem to find a reliable knot that holds with my 4lb test. I know it's a knot fail because the line is curled after I've lost the fish, so it's not breaking.

In the past I've always ran with 6 - 8lb line on a stiffer rod (yes, that's what she said) and I've never had any problems with knot failure.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Knots I've tried -

Uni knot

clinch knot

Trilene Knot

All have failed me.

[LD0506]

I have always felt there are a million knots out there the same way there are a million lures, not because they're needed but so someone can show off their collection.

I almost always use the same knot, especially w/ light/ultralight because the line is so wispy it is difficult to manage. Haven't had an issue w/ slippage in forever. Quick, easy, almost impossible to mess up, and the doubled line is easier to handle.

[Titaw]

The clinch knot fails only when the line is not properly lubricated when the clinch is being performed. The clinch creates a great deal of heat and that heat is what degrades the mono filament line. You don't need the fancy stuff they sell in stores good old spit does the trick just fine.

[edgun88]

I've been doing clinch knots for years. They never fail me. Only time they fail is when you forget to pull the line through your original loop...but then again thats not a clinch knot...

[The 12th Commandment]

Clinch knot if it's bait fishing or fishing a fly behind a bubble,a rapala knot if it's for a lure that has action. Every rapala lure comes with a little manual telling you how to tie one. I use that rapala knot for everything from little spinners for trout to huge redfins for strippers. Never had either one of those knots fail where it wasn't my fault for not properly lubing it or using old frayed line.

[bpoch]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll give all a try.

[HailGreen28]

I always use this knot, because it's easy to me.

Doesn't show the last part where I bite off the loose end, even when I got clippers in the tackle box, lol.

[bpoch]

I always figured the biting of the loose end was a given.

[dockeryfan]

I haven't fished in 15 years, but I always used that clinch knot. Never knew what it was called until this thread. That palomar knot looks really simple, and hard to forget as well.

[Skinlanta]

I have used the knot hailgreen suggested on any test and have never had a slippage problem. The trick is learning how to hold the line properly when twisting, in fact i rarely even pull it back up and thru as the picture shows, just slip in hole and carefully pull down on the twisted part ensuring u dont kink the line above the knot when completed. Makes me want to go look for some stripers.

[HailGreen28]

So I've gotten back into fishing this year and I've lost more fish to bad knots than ever. Back in the day I used to fish all the time and never had any problems.

I've been fishing for smallmouth out in the potomac and monacocy river and with the rain killing the rivers I've started fishing for largemouth at Black Hill regional park.

I think my main issue is with my ultra light setup running 4lb test line. I just can't seem to find a reliable knot that holds with my 4lb test. I know it's a knot fail because the line is curled after I've lost the fish, so it's not breaking.

In the past I've always ran with 6 - 8lb line on a stiffer rod (yes, that's what she said) and I've never had any problems with knot failure.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Knots I've tried -

Uni knot

clinch knot

Trilene Knot

All have failed me.

maybe leave extra line on the loose end, so u can pull REALLY tight on the knot before cutting the loose end off?

Otoh, make sure no more overlaps than there should be on whatever knot u use?

[Botched]

Another vote for the palomar. When I'm using light line, that's the only knot I'll tie.

Always, always moisten the line with spit before you pull the knot tight. The friction from pulling a dry knot tight will damage the line, particularly with mono.

[redskin56]

The clinch knot fails only when the line is not properly lubricated when the clinch is being performed. The clinch creates a great deal of heat and that heat is what degrades the mono filament line. You don't need the fancy stuff they sell in stores good old spit does the trick just fine.

I agree with this. Once you have line twisted and threaded through the loop at the eye of the hook, put the line in your mouth and moisten the entire twist, then pull the tag end and follow the top of the clinch down the line with a fingernail until it is finished. I use this knot on stream trout all the way up to big game salt water fishing and have never had the knot fail that I recall.

[oldskoolskins]

I fish fresh and salt water, using braid, mono, fluorocarbon. The palomar knot workes very well with al these types of line. If you are tying leaders use the albright knot, this knot workes well if you are tying mono or fluoro to braid. Good luck. http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php

PS always wet your knots before dressing them