Knots

[jooleyen]

What order of tying knots do you use for tying your swivel to your line and then your line to the swivel and then your lure to the line?

I am having trouble with the palomar knot. The overhand knot is kinda hard because the lines seperate and it is hard to stick it through the loop.



thanks.

[Rebbasser]

I really don't have a set order-just start tying it.

Try the palomar with a bigger loop and a longer tag end-using a little more line will make it easier.

[jooleyen]

I just asked because i notice after you tie the swivel to your line on the poll you can't tie another palomar knot. Is that correct or am I doing it wrong?

[Bender]

Practice the Palomar. I think that it is the easiest to tie. Make sure to leave yourself a lot of extra line and a big loop at first. That is what I use for everything except crankbaits, where I use a Rapala knot.

Here is an animation of the Palomar: http://www.animatedknots.com/palomar...atedknots.com#
Except I will feed one end through at a time though.

You want hard try a blood knot, I gave up on that one and use a swivel for tying on leaders now.

[Rebbasser]

Yes, you can, but instead of putting the loop over the swivel you take the end of the leader and put it through the loop. It's a little backwards but it still works. I understand what you are saying, though. If it is easier to tie the leader first and then tie to the main line do it that way, or tie a different knot like the Trilene knot. As I said on the swivel thread, 99% of the time I use a palomar, but occasionally the line is too short or it is just being ornery so I use a Trilene knot as a backup.

Once you tie a palomar a few times and get comfortable with it you should really like it.

One thing you need to do with any knot is to wet it before you cinch it tight. Stick it in your mouth to get some saliva on it-that is what most folks do-or dunk it in the water, whatever works, but be sure to wet it.

The reason is when you cinch a knot down it creates friction which equals heat which weakens the line. Wetting it dissipates the heat generated by the friction and keeps the knot strong.

Since you are just getting into fishing there is one piece of equipment which I consider one of if not the most important single thing a fisherman needs: a hook sharpener. You can get one most places that sell tackle. Contrary to popular belief not every hook is sharp right out of the package, and making sure the hook is sharp can make the difference between landing that fish of a lifetime or having it throw the hook. I learned that lesson the hard way many years ago . So, as a result I preach hook sharpeners .

One of the most popular crankbaits is a lipless bait called a Rat-L-Trap. Great fish catchers-especially chrome with a blue back, but the stock hooks are about as sharp as a Q-tip and need to be at least sharpened if not changed.

[jooleyen]

thanks a lot. but what is a leader?

[Rebbasser]

Sorry-the leader is the line that you tie on after you tie the swivel on.

[Bender]

Google only has fly fishing definition: (Fishing) The piece of clear, tapered monofilament line attached to the fly line, usually between six and 15 feet long.

In bass fishing it is a piece of line, usually florocarbon or mono, that is attached to the end of the main line. Floro is used a lot of times because of its low visibility in clear water. The length that you use depends on the rig and where the fish are. They are used on all sorts of rigs from drop-shot, Carolina, etc. This place has a lot of answers.

[K-Driz]

Be not addicted to the palomar knot. It is a freakin' awesome knot. Try the improved clinch knot for your c-rig and see how that works.

[jooleyen]

Yeah, I usually use an improved Clinch knot. I just learned the Trilene and i like it. I think ill use mainly the clinch trilene and palomar.

[JB]

Just make sure ya wet that line right before ya cinch up the knot, as other members have advised, it keeps the line from getting weak from friction.

[ukbass]

I only use a crawford figure 8 knot. Not many have heard of it. I learned about it 20 yrs. ago while looking through some old bass book of my dads. it is very simple to tie and I have only lost a few fish over that time due to knot failure.

[zooker]

crawford figure 8-wow you were not joking on an old school knot- is called sheep foot knot. just how old was this book??

zooker

[ukbass]

I told you I read it 20 yrs ago. And the book was pretty old then. But I remember reading that at that time it was tested to be 10 times stronger than the clinch knot. In 20 yrs I can count on one hand how many times my knot has failed. So why change?