What top 3-5 knots do you use the most?

[islandbass]

If you use that many!

I thought it would be interesting to see what knots we all use and for what.

I think that for most applications we can get by with 1-3 knots. Here are mine:

Palomar Knot
IB's Notes:
* This is a no brainer knot. Simple and fast to tie, especially when it is very cold out.
* I used it when drop shotting or when it is practical to use. For example, I won't use it on a lure like a large crankbait or spinnerbait or any lure where the loop needed to accomodate the lure is ridiculously large. For me it can invite sloppiness in the tying of the lure (that's me) and it wastes line.
*I will use for any line type.

Improved Clinch Knot (ICK)
* Another easy to tie knot.
* I like to use it on baits that might be a pain (loop wise) with the palomar
* It works well with mono or FC. I have tested it and can vouch that it will slip with braid without modification.

Trilene Knot
* A good knot, and I use it when I don't feel like tying the Improved Clinch knot.
* I also like to use it in my salmon fishing.
* I have used it for all line types.

Double Uni and Albright Knots
* Both are great knots.
* These are the two knots I use for joining lines.
*If the line diameters vary considerably, the Albright gets the call.

Rapala Knots (2)
* I use them for their baits, because they recommend them for their baits.
* However, sometimes I forget to tie either one of them when I'm on the water so I wind up using the trilene or ICK

[BigBassin144]

Fluoro and Mono to bait, hook, etc. - Improved Clinch Knot. Why: very easy to tie IMO and very strong knot.

Braid to bait, hook, etc. - Palomar Knot. Why: while I, for some reason, have trouble tying this knot sometimes, its worth the extra effort for braid. The strongest knot you can use on braided line.

Line to line (all kinds) - Double Uni or Uni to Uni knot. Why: not extremely hard to tie and strong on all types of line. I use it for backing to mainline as well as mainline to leader. If you're tying with braid, make about 8-9 loops with the braid side compared to the 4-6 with the fluoro and mono side.

That's about all I use. Occasionally, I'll use the Trilene Knot for line to lure, or the Albright Special for line to line. But I find the two knots I have above for these applications better, and easier to tie.

By the way, good post IB, I'm interested in seeing others' responses.

BB

[brushhog]

Palomar and improved clinch, pretty much for the same reasons as IB. Also, I'm pretty fumble fingered and they are both easy!

[keithdog]

I use the polomar for pretty much all lures and hooks. It's strong, easy to tie regardless of conditions, like ice cold fingers and waves rocking the boat, and never fails me.Occationally I'll use the improved clinch. For tying line to line, I've always used the blood knot. Never tried the uni or double uni. I'm not sure why the blood knot gets no respect, lol. Never had an issue with it slipping. I'll have to learn the uni knots and compare.

[rodnreel]

The palomar almost 100% of the time. I like the Uni to Uni for connecting lines and will also use the improved clinch mainly for spinnerbaits. IMO, the palomar knot cannot be beat.

[MississippiBoy]

I use the Improved Clinch Knot on pretty much everything, except braid. It's the first knot I learned waaaay back when, and it's never failed me. I've straighted out hooks on jigs with 12 lb test line tied with this knot. I've experimented with this knot on braid and have never had an issue, but I haven't really "torture tested" it. I heeded the advice of those on here wiser than I, and use the Palomar or Double Palomar with braid.
For line-to-line, I usually use the Blood Knot. However, the only time I use a leader is with a C-rig, in which case there's a swivel, not a line-to-line join. I only tie line-to-line between my cheap backing line and my good braid. I reckon if the uni-to-uni is so good, I might need to learn it. Maybe that'll give me something to do at 3 a.m. when the baby's screaming.

[nofearengineer]

I use the Palomar knot 90% of the time. It's just so easy to tie quickly and with no hassles. I don't mind that it wastes a bit of line. Honestly, I think keeping the end of your line "fresh" is a good thing. You'd be surprised how many nicks and scratches near your lure go unnoticed.

I also tie the Rapala knot when I'm feeling adventurous...for some reason it is a real PITA for me to tie. You need a third hand to do it efficiently.

I've been tying the "Fishin Fool" knot a bit too, though we know it's nothing more than a reinforced Uni-knot. Seems like a good knot.

On the advice of a friend, I recently tried the Trilene knot, with poor results. Either I did a bad job tying it (very possible), or the rocks tore it up, but I lost my rig. I'll give it another try.

[woody]

My go to knot has been the Double-Uni knot. I use it when tying snaps onto my cranking rods, and when needed to tie directly to all of my hooks, jigs, and bladed baits. Obviously, one of my reasons for liking this knot is because of it's strength. Another reason that I have found is that there's minimal line waste when tying this knot. I also seem to have less fumbling with this knot compared to others.


-Mark

[cassidyta]

On most items I use the San Diego Jam knot. (no, not because of the name). I have tied it so often that it is second nature now. Prior to using this knot I used the improved cinch.

I use the Palomar with my braid, but I do my own variation of a double knot. And of course Drop Shot.

I like the rapala knot on top water. Especially poppers or torpedos.

For line to line attachments I always use the albright.

[WaffleJaw]

The Palomer and Improved clinch knot is all I use...Mostly the ICK.
No problems....Just a lack of fish

[CMorg]

Improved Clinch Knot , and the Loop Knot. I use the loop knot for my topwaters.

[Abbeysdad]

> The Palomar has been my favorite, although since my 'when the Palomar fails' experience, I've been more careful to snug the loop on the shank rather than above the knot. I also sometimes do a double now before passing the hook/bait through the loop.

> For spinner baits I use the ICK, although I often follow with a surgeons knot.

> I use either the double surgeons or the nail knot for leaders. Although for the nail knot, I like to use a piece of small straw (a cut end of an ink tube from a ball point or bic pen).

> When I'm using snelled bait hooks up the line, I'll use the surgeon loop. Then connect the two loops over under and thru.

[BeaverIslander]

•Improved clinch for mono and fluoro, using 6 or 7 wraps.

•Palomar knot for braided line.
On 10-20 lb. braid I glue the knot, but I don't bother with the 50 lb. line. Those are the only weights I typically use, those for worming and frogging.

•Double Uni for my braid to fluoro connection.
The combos I use are 20 lb. braid/10 lb. fluoro, 15 braid/8 fluoro, and 10 B/6 F. With these combos, using PowerPro and Trilene 100%, I have the best luck doing just 3-4 wraps with the fluoro and 6 wraps with the braid. The knot is about as small as can be and I don't experience as many break-offs as when I made 5+ loops with the fluoro when first trying this. I think during the cast the line guides were damaging the knot more when it was larger with more wraps, even though I was retying often, every week or less.

Anybody else have this experience with braid to fluoro, double uni knots?

[hookset on 3]

1.San Diego Jam for flouro.

2. Palomar for dropshot and tying to small hooks.

3.Blood knot for joining line backing to fresh new line for topping out my baitcasters and spinning reels.

http://www.proknot.com/html/san_diego_jam_knot.html

[Acm4bass]

1. Palomar (although I hear the Fish-n-fool is stronger)
2. Double uni-knot----attaching braid to FC leader
3. Modified cinch knot...sometimes you just need a comfort knot.

[muddy]

Palomar and Clinch,since I only use mono I can keep it simple

[Jrob78]

Palomar, palomar, palomar. I know how to tie others just don't really see the need. I don't use leaders and I have never had any slippage issues or breakage issues with the palomar. It's a great, strong knot that works well for the lines that I use.

[Garry2rs]

I have a tool for tying the nail knot. This is my preferred knot for joining line to line because the tag end of the line passes through the center of the knot not down the side, and is therefore much more protected.
However, out in the boat, I use the Palomar for attaching worm hooks etc. For things with lots of hooks or great length, like Cranks and Jerk baits, I pass the line twice through the eye or split ring and tie a Uni knot. Some folks call this a "Fishing Fool" others say it's a Double Uni.

In my opinion a Double anything is tying the knot with the line doubled.
Regardless of the name, these two are fast and strong knots.
Lets face it...I fish for Bass with 30 or 40 pound braid on my casting reel. I hardly need every last micro ounce of knot strength...grin.

As a side note, I believe that a simple way of strengthening any knot is passing the line through the eye or ring twice.
This seems to nearly double the strength of a knot.