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Jesse's Hunting > Fishing Articles > Fishing Articles Archives > Knot This!
Knot This!
Fritz Schmitt - JHO Pro Staff
February 06, 2004
Volumes can be found on the different types of connections used in fishing. Search "fishing knots" on the web and you get over 11,000 sites as a starting point. While there are thousands of sites, the reality is most of us use only two or three knots regularly on a given outing.
Ask yourself about the last time you went fishing: How many different knots did you use? One or two, even three if you broke off.
Our main knot use attaches a hook or lure to the line. I would guess that the Improved Clinch, Clinch or Palomer might have been on most people’s list as that knot. I know last time out I used three different connectors: Improved Clinch, Palomer and Perfection.
The Perfection was needed to make a straight loop connector on my new leader to attach to my fly line and the Palomer for special type of fly, each sees limited service.
I use the Improved Clinch as my main knot, the knot I first learned to tie on hooks or lures as a kid. I use to practice tying it with my eyes close or in a darkened room. Sometimes, in the summer, I would sit in front of a fan and tie knots. Practicing tying knots that you will use makes you a better fisherman.
The importance of being able to tie your knots cannot be overstated. You will eventually have to tie the connector in adverse conditions. Whether it be cold and snowing at a trout opener, or a sudden summer thundershower in a float tube, the knot will have to be tied correctly to prevent losing your fish. That empty feeling holding a "Curly-Q’d" nylon tag end drives that point home. You just lost a big fish because you didn't knot a correct connector.
There are some things that need to be followed to ensure perfect execution. Always wet a knot tied on mono(nylon). Lick it, spit on it, drool on it, coffee it, dip it... just get it wet. The friction caused by tightening a knot without some sort of cooling agent will greatly weaken that connection.
In order to start slowly cinching down a knot, you need to have followed the needed process to of making that connector. Layers need to be uniform, twists or wraps done with consistent tension and careful attention that all the steps were done correctly. Finally, using your nippers, not nail clippers (they have a concave cutting surface, nippers are a straight edge), trim your tag end as close as you can.
ALWAYS TEST A KNOT BEFORE USE.
Tying the Improved Clinch Knot:
Take the tag end (end of the line), pass it through the hook eye, wrap the tag end over the main line 7 times (I like 7, some people like 5 or 6), fold the tag end back towards the loop at the hook eye, pass the tag end through the line loop (if you cinch here, it becomes a Clinch Knot or half blood knot), then fold the tag end back into to the remaining loop. WET, and slowly pull the tag end and main line, work the wraps in an uniform manner and pull tight. Nip the tag end.
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