BLOG: Knot too bad?
Fishos by nature are very precious people. I say this with a hint of sarcasm but in actuality I don’t think I’m too far from the truth.
In this game there seems to be a great divide in popular opinion in just about every facet of what we do from the rods and reels we use, opinions on boats, techniques, locations, fisheries policy and just about any other variable you can think of.
Most of this ends up as friendly banter but on occasion I’ve seen fishos get a little hot under the collar. I guess it’s just a primitive throwback to the days where the best hunter got the most eligible chick in the tribe. Nowadays it’s just the dude with the most money!
One area in particular that gets the competitive juice flowing is knot tying. I have had more "discussions" about what I would consider the best knot for a given application than I care to remember. The one thing that stands out about all this is I rarely have the other person in agreement. There are literally hundreds of different knots and many different knots might suit an application. Knowing which one to choose at times can be difficult.
One example stands out in my mind. I fish plastics in estuaries almost exclusively. While in this pursuit I have tried numerous knots but I find two knots are superior for this application. I use an Improved Albright for my main to leader connection and a Lefty’s Loop Knot to connect my jighead.
Now I don’t get too precious when fishos show me other comparable loop knots as I feel there are a few of similar grade. However, in light line classes the Improved Albright is the supreme main to leader connection by a considerable distance. I hear people push the barrow for the Double Uni or the Slim Beauty.
These in my opinion are great for heavier line classes but in the light line SP game, there is no comparison. The improved Albright is extremely slim and can be tied blindfolded. The only drawback is the knot strength is a little poor, usually breaking at 70-80 per cent of the line class. While this may seem unacceptable, in light line classes when would we need to be at full lock up on estuary species?
Do you agree with me here? Or will this be another slanging match about which knot is better?
Go to our Practical section for videos on tying many popular fishing knots.
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reader comments
Hi Steve...its not so much a matter of steering clear of knots, it's picking the right one for the application. The general rule of thumb however is to learn as many as you can and decide for yourself which is the best to use and where. It's a trial and error thing but you will end up with favorites you like tying and have confidence in. I run 5 or 6 knots only across all my disciplines of fishing. These are enough to get the job done with confidence. My advice is to get a Geoff Wilson book of knots, take it to the throne with you over the next month or so and get familiar with it :-)
savvyfishing on 03-Mar-10 10:27 PM
Am a bit new to the fishing game and am really struggling with all the various knots and their respective application. Are there any knots out there that i should particularly steer clear of or are all of them going to do a reasonable job until i have the ability to venture into unchartered waters. Thanks any advice would be appreciated.
Steve on 03-Mar-10 01:33 PM
Braid complicated the issue when you talk knot strength. If i use 4lb fireline and it breaks at 8lb but my improved albright holds at 70% then it way above the stated breaking strain anyway. If this still isn't enough leeway then go a heavier line class...simple! But for sheer ease of tying, slim profile and good knot strength then there is no choice or need for argument.
savvyfishing on 02-Mar-10 07:10 PM
I've just switched to the improved albright because its quicker to tie but with heavier leader when chasing big Jew I fall back on my favourite "Japanese GT knot". This knot doesn't fold the leader back on itself so super slim and flys through rod guides. Its hard to tie with leader smaller than 30lbs but my bream rod has one using 12lbs leader that I tied months ago. Still holding strong. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_qom1E-ihA
Ben on 02-Mar-10 03:10 PM
In my opinion the best knot is the one that has the most strength. Regardless of how long it takes to tie or complicated it may be as during my early stages of fishing i lost fish due to taking the easy option of tying the easier knot. Once you have a knot downpat what is an extra 10 or 20 secs, not much compared to losing a good fish. Kevin if i where you i would be doing away with the improved albright and find something with close to 100% knot strength.
Shannon on 02-Mar-10 01:01 PM
The best knot is the one that the angler feels most comfortable with and the the ease at which it can be tied. Kevin as you mentioned there are hundreds of knots and personally the top 3 or 4 for each application are probably more then suitable. Everybody pick one and stop the arguing. Although for arguments sack Kevin i personally find the Double uni far superior in all facets and applications then your improved albright. Some may say just an opinion i like to think fact!
Mark on 01-Mar-10 03:05 PM
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