Knots (Tipit to leader)?

Had an issue today with tying a surgeons knot. My leader was Fluorocarbon and tippet was too, tied it on and hooked into a fish and broke my line at the knot, so I tied it again on and the second cast did the same thing. Lost both fish of course and 4 chronies too. Pisses me off. What happened?

Adam

what were the diameter differences?

5lb to 3.6lb.

Adam

I think it has to do with the flourocarbons biting into the other flourocarbon with the double surgeons knot. I do think fluorocarbon is helpful for lake fishing. I use a blood knot and have less problems with that. when you tighten it you have to be carefull- moisten it and gently pull - at time you almost have to push the knot together. avoid it tightening around the line prior to forming the knot.
hope that helps.
mike

Be sure to wet your line/knots before you pull it tight. It helps to lube it.

Jim

I've been using the uni knot, it works much better than the barrel or blood knot when the sizes of the two leaders is significant. It also works well for attaching tippet, even when the size of leader material is the same.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/13222_fly-fishing-attach-tippet.htm

Keith

When you get tied up.. give it a real good tug.

triple is good.

:rofl:

Me too!

Keith

It's probably been said before, but if I'm experiencing tippet failure I'll use a different/newer spool of tippet. I've noticed if tippet get a couple years old it can get brittle especially if it gets too much sun on the spool. When we buy tippet at the store you really don't know how old it is. Don't recall seeing a mfg date on a tippet spool.

I replace all of my leaders every year. I'm not as good with tippet but if it's a couple of years old it's probably suspect. One other thing for consideration, I was having the same issues with a double surgeon's. I saw a variation recommend by Orvis. Instead of it being a double overhand knot it's a double figure eight knot. Since I started doing that I haven't had any issues even when mixing fluro and mono.

GBeeman

I'm lazy. I just loop to loop and put a dab of UV Knot Sense on each knot.

I've had trouble with the surgeons knot tying my fluorocarbon tippet to my leader. I was told by those who knew better than I not to use a surgeons knot. But use barrel, nail, uni, knots.

Frustrating when your get a dozen nice takes on chronomids and they break off. I went back to mono after that.

Sam

Great info, I might try a different knot. I did do a tripple and that seemed to work. I always lube it with spit because of the friction. Just pisses me off when you lose a fish due to a knot. By the way I was up at Pass lake and it was pretty slow. No one catching much. We only landed two and I lost the two due to knots on Blood worms. Pumped the fish and they were eating small green scuds or somehtng to the sort, looked like it was a size 28 or 30. Can not replicate.

adam

Adam

Adam,
That Uni Knot works best for me consistently. Barrel knots will fail if the tippet and leader aren't close in diameter. Surgeons knot seems to fail when putting flurocarbon and regular leader together. That's why in most cases I have been using the Uni Knot.

Keith

first problem is the 3.6lb flouro tippet.

i only break that shit out when im fishing tiny dries on spring creeks!

i promise that you need not go lighter than 5x (maximum!) in flouro on a stillwater. light long tippets DO enable your chiros to sink quicker and truer but THE FISH DO NOT CARE. i promise! besides what if a 5lb one eyed brown swam into your flies and they somehow became lodged in his lip?

nothing if you are fishing that tiny stuff.

tight lines home slice.

I have been a uni knot user too. If you are looking for a new knot to use I would look at this one, it is simple to tie and works well in many situations too.

I saw an article in Field & Stream on the "strongest" knots. Learned a new one for connecting drastically different diameters together - looks like good stuff:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/photo...-fish/2009/02/strongest-fishing-knots?photo=1