Knots wars

[ronaultmtd]

One of the most basic skills anyone needs to master before any other in fishing is learning to tie knots- I have been using uni knots and improved clinch knots forever (seems that a way) and a few years ago I learned to tie loop knots so that I could fish crankbaits without use snaps in ultra clear water...the best loop knot (I believe) is a canoe man knot. Saw it for the first time a few years ago watching a Captain Blair Wiggins episode on Sportsman TV one Sunday- Dick's Sporting Goods is the show's sponsor and everything Blair uses on the show is sold at Dick's...Windtamer braid is pretty decent, though...anyway Blair was using a Mirrolure 52M to catch speckled Trout in canals and lagoons around Tampa and showed how to tie the canoe man knot on the 52M...been using it ever since- really quick and simple knot to tie- just two loops and push tag end through the second open loop- never had the knot fail or pull loose...and if you have a smart phone there is a free app to tie fishing knots called knot wars...

[summersoff]

Great post. I often use the polamar for pretty much everything, surf, boat or even tuna. But some of my backbay top water have tiny cupped heads making speed clips and polamars a pain, especially my favorite Smack-It's. Have been using a surgeons loop, but it get bulky for some plugs. I'll search for this canoe knot, because the surgeons not cutting it.
Really wish there was a clip that would work, because I change often.

[J.A. Veil]

Like most things, many of us have personal preferences on knots. I don't think there is any "universal best" knot, just ones that are best for each person. You need to be able to tie them when on the water and have confidence that they will work for you. Here is my list of favorite knots:

1) tying line to leader - double uni knot
2) tying lures to leader when you want them to have good action - loop knot
3) tying lure to leader when you need a snugged up connection - Palomar knot

When I decided to learn the loop knot a few years ago, I found a diagram on the internet then practiced 10-15 times in the garage before trying it on the water.

[ronaultmtd]

It is so simple, John- hold the tag end in your left hand- in your right hand make a loop and take your left thumb and pinch the bottom of the loop, make a second loop and push the second loop through the first loop, pinch both loops with your right thumb pass the tag end through the eye of your lure or your hook and then through the top of the second loop holding the tag end tighten by pulling on the main line- sounds complicated but it isn't- look it up on You Tube-

[bunnielab]

canoe man knot.

Thanks for posting that, I had never come across it before. I have little confidence in loop knots in general but that looks to be a simple one to tie when the need does arrive.

I use an Alberto for line/leader connections and a Trilene Knot for pretty much every lure or terminal tackle connection. I don't like how much line a Palomar uses up and find it hard to tie with my rod clamped under my arm. I also sometimes do bastard Trilene/Improved clinch knot when it is dark or my hands are cold and stiff, it seems to be a little easier to get snugged up well.

I worked as a stagehand/rigger for many years and tied rope knots daily. Learning fishing knots was oddly challenging at first and took some getting used to. I still, when practicing casting in the yard, will tie the weight on with a bowline knot. It holds poorly in mono/floro, but I have never gotten one tied in braid to slip. One of these days I am going to rig up a tester and see how it fairs.

[ronaultmtd]

I used it last trip to tie on a $16.99 whopper plopper lure fishing top water on Striped bass- and I caught 25-30 fish...never had a single thought of it coming apart or losing the bait- never had this knot fail- can't say that with other knots...

[Mark]

I'm a big believer in loop knots. I use them for all lures and flies that lack a split ring.

However I always had difficulty with the canoe man knot. The part in the process where you slide the second loop into the first was my nemesis. I could do it but rarely on the first try and never quickly. I guess my dexterity is lacking.

Scott Taylor on this forum told me about Lefty's Loop. I find it much easier to tie and the result is a good strong loop.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/s...80&action=view

Loop knots give your lure more action than a clinch knot. But you also have to check them frequently. The freedom of the hook's eye to move within the loop means more friction at the point of contact between the leader and hook. They can break at the bottom of the loop after numerous hookups, especially if there is small unseen burr in the hook's eye. It pays to check them and to tie another after a particularly busy session of catching.

[bunnielab]

I should learn and use a loop more often, but I tend to often err too light in line choice, so I fall back to what I know. I also want to become proficient with snelling straight shank worm hooks. I can tie them at my desk, but rarely have much luck in the field.

[ronaultmtd]

I'm a big believer in loop knots. I use them for all lures and flies that lack a split ring.

However I always had difficulty with the canoe man knot. The part in the process where you slide the second loop into the first was my nemesis. I could do it but rarely on the first try and never quickly. I guess my dexterity is lacking.

Scott Taylor on this forum told me about Lefty's Loop. I find it much easier to tie and the result is a good strong loop.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/s...80&action=view

Loop knots give your lure more action than a clinch knot. But you also have to check them frequently. The freedom of the hook's eye to move within the loop means more friction at the point of contact between the leader and hook. They can break at the bottom of the loop after numerous hookups, especially if there is small unseen burr in the hook's eye. It pays to check them and to tie another after a particularly busy session of catching.

I use fluorocarbon leaders, Mark- one trait of floro that is not well known is the lack of knot strength no matter what knot you tie floro will break at much less than the strength of the line- just is...so it is really important to tie the very best knots with fluorocarbon line- and braid will sometimes slip- it doesn't break at the knot, but simply slips, so braid is another material you should be mindful of slipping at the knot and really ciinch up your knots- in some instances with braid I will make a loop with a double surgeon's knot and then place a small swivel in the braid using a offshore swivel hitch in the braid to tie either mono or fluorocarbon leader on...guarantee that connection will never, ever break at any of the knots nor slip...

[harlanbud]

Good thread for a windy weekend, I've bought the app and have been playing in the garage since I read this[emoji102][emoji102][emoji851]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ronaultmtd]

Good thread for a windy weekend, I've bought the app and have been playing in the garage since I read this[emoji102][emoji102][emoji851]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

since we have been on the "helping others get to be better experienced anglers" threads- nothing will ruin a fishing trip faster than losing a once in a lifetime trophy fish due to inferior knot skills...palomar-improved clinch, double surgeons, canoe-man/lefty loop, double uni- master these knots and you will never regret it...and if you want to get really deep in the weeds- try a 20 turn turl knot or a Bimini twist...

[MD Dore]

I'll throw in another plug for the canoe man. I started using with crankbaits only, but I now use it for nearly all of my lures and jigs. I even use it when I want a tighter connection to the lure by simply making the loop smaller.

[Big Mike]

The web site Salt Strong did a comparison of loop knots using floro (Kreh, Rapala, canoe man and one other I forget). It was 30 lb floro attached to 10 pound braid in their tests (the test was not the braid floro connection, just giving the configuration they had set up). The canoe man was the weakest and the Kreh the strongest. Even the Kreh broke at around 22-24 pounds of pull. The canoe man broke at 18 pounds. They also did leader connections and the double uni was the second best behind the FG. The double uni is certainly easier to tie on the water but from the comfort of my sofa I prefer the FG.

Interestingly if you used a standard mono leader the canoe man was one of the strongest.

[Mark]

I had both ends of a leader break this month. I believe they have been my only leader breaks all year. I had a Lefty Kreh loop break at the bottom of the loop (not the knot) sending my brand new jig and paddletail sailing unattached into the Patapsco. That was at the M&G. There must have been a nick in the mono at the most precarious point. Then in Eastern Bay last week, I had my leader snap just in front of the double uni knot attached to my braid. Thanks to some excellent boat handling by John Veil I got my lure back on that one because it was it was a popper. Good thing a striper didn't hit it while it was floating free.

[MD Dore]

The web site Salt Strong did a comparison of loop knots using floro (Kreh, Rapala, canoe man and one other I forget). It was 30 lb floro attached to 10 pound braid in their tests (the test was not the braid floro connection, just giving the configuration they had set up). The canoe man was the weakest and the Kreh the strongest. Even the Kreh broke at around 22-24 pounds of pull. The canoe man broke at 18 pounds. They also did leader connections and the double uni was the second best behind the FG. The double uni is certainly easier to tie on the water but from the comfort of my sofa I prefer the FG.

Interestingly if you used a standard mono leader the canoe man was one of the strongest.

That is interesting. I almost always use mono, which perhaps is why I have had good results with the canoe man. Or perhaps it's because the fish I catch are too small to pull or break the knot.