To be or Knot to be

[cassidyta]

Was flipping through Field and Stream today and they ran some tests on different knots. Their test was done using Suffix Seige 8lbs mono. First off, they determined that the line actually snapped at 12.47 lbs. They tested each knot and posted the results. The results show what percentage of the orignal tensil strength it took to break the line. In almost all cases, the knot was the first thing to break.

A couple of them surprised me and one of them I now want to try.

For line to line splice of similar diameter
The J knot rated best at 67% with 8 turn blood-knot rated 2nd at 63%.

For a terminal knot to attach hook or lure
Six turn San Diego jam rated best with a 94% Palomar went 2nd at 91%.

For a terminal loop knot
Rapala knot was 89% and the non-slip mono look was 86%

Line to line winner was the six-turn Yucatan getting 157% with the five-turn Bristol getting a 148%


I had always thought Palomar was the best knot, but in this test it was a very close second.

Often the leader I add to braid is larger diameter than the braid itself. I had always tied the albright which got a 94% but I will try the Yucatan.

[Joel]

Seen other tests and watch Knot Wars on tv. Overall winner has been and still is the Palomar knot. Tied right you will get the max out of any line you're using.

As for tieing a leader to braid, I've been using a Albright or reverse Albright knot for years, and only had one failure that had to be my fault.

[cassidyta]

I have stuck with the albright because it is the one I can do quickest and has not failed me except in a badly tied knot.

I have stuck with the Palomar as well for the same reason.

[Jim80]

I have always tied the palomar because of how easy it was to tie and for line to line I have used the uni to uni i have yet to try the j knot .


Jim

[Joel]

If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

I use just 3 knots: Palomar, Albright/reverse Albright, and Uni knot. That's it. I can tie each of them in my sleep, as well as with cold/wet hands.

[WTL]

That is the question;
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to — 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life,
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th'unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.

[JB]

gesh wtl when i get ya loose as a goose by the camp fire at big bear will ya recite that back to me and denny? theres a bottle of JB Rare in it fer ya if ya do good rofl
come on by anyways for the nightly bon fire,. I cut firewood on the side and we be bringin' a LOT of it to burn.

[brushhog]

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the only bass forum in existence to quote Shakespeare...

I'm sure there is a pun in her somewhere regarding the name
Will, but I can't come up with it!

I don't know what's worse the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or the slings of BS flying around in here..

PS - I pretty much tie palomar knots and ain't bright enough to learn much else.

[BassAddict]

I tie a version of the Jam knot and that's all I use. It's easy to tie and very dependable!

[quenston]

The palamar and the rapala not is about the only two that i use neither has failed me yet!

[The Doc]

I tie the palomar with my mono and braid, unless I'm using a crank, then I tie a rapala knot, If using flouro, I use a miller knot.

[Kevin]

A lot of these knot tests are flawed by human error. I've heard of a couple that never wet the knot before cinching... which in my opinion, destroys any scientific validity. All knots must be moistened properly to ensure maximum knot strength.

Second, with certain knots, especially the Palomar, you can have "good" ties and "bad" ties. Everything from twists in the line to improper seating of the knot, to even little things like how the tier cinches down the knot. For instance, it is very important to pull both the main line and tag end at the same time when cinching the Palomar.

I'm a big fan of the Palomar for both fluorocarbon and monofilament. For braid, I've been using the double Palomar more and more with better success.

I've experimented with the other "fluorocarbon" knots and have yet to find any to be noticeably stronger than the Palomar. That's just my experience thus far.

[Raul]

Cass, first of all, the line being 8 lb test don´t mean it´s going to break at 8 lb test of tensile strength unless it´s IGFA certified line and most japanese lines.

The weakest link at any line is the knot, some knots like the palomar knot retains most of the line´s tensile strength. 8 lbt test line breaking at 12 lbs at the knot means nothing because 8 lb test regular ordinary non IGFA certified line breaks well above the 8 lbs of tensile strength.

When a manufacturer claims on the label "X" lbs test of tensile strength is actually telling you that you have at least "X" lbs test of tensile strength, so he´s really giving you more tensile streght for your money.

If you are fishing with japanese for the japanese market line or IGFA certified line ( ANDE ) if the label says X lbs you can bet your money it will break at that exact tensile strength and sometimes a little bit less.

[Joel]

Originally Posted by Kevin

....Second, with certain knots, especially the Palomar, you can have "good" ties and "bad" ties. Everything from twists in the line to improper seating of the knot, to even little things like how the tier cinches down the knot. For instance, it is very important to pull both the main line and tag end at the same time when cinching the Palomar.

I'm a big fan of the Palomar for both fluorocarbon and monofilament. For braid, I've been using the double Palomar more and more with better success.

I've experimented with the other "fluorocarbon" knots and have yet to find any to be noticeably stronger than the Palomar. That's just my experience thus far.

Kevin, I clinch down a Palomar knot 1st by just pulling the main line. Once the knot starts to form I re-wet the knot and the line, then pull equally on both the tag and main lines. a really wet knot lets the line seat properly.

Since a Palomar knot is already doubled up through the hook or lure, what is the advantage of a double Palomar knot? Sound like it's over kill.