afternoon all. heres the question of the day for discussion. what is the best knots for rigging up hooks on fishfinder / flounder rigs etc. my brother likes palomar. my cousin likes surgeon knots (believe it or not). i may self like tying a hangsman noose (6-8 loop) . so whats everyone else doing? have had no luck with a knot i was show in the outerbanks last year. passing a loop throught the eye with roughly 6" slack and twisting it around the shank of the hook, left behind, right in front then wet and pull tight looks like a sneeled hook but seems to pull out under a good load. so lets hear it people what ya got?

I tie palomar on everyting I can, the only limits are if you cannot pass the loop around something, or if the eye of the hook is too small for the double line.

i second the palomar

I use the polomar also. Here is a pretty good link for animated knots.

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing....ge=LogoGrog.jpg

i guess call me old school. i use nail knots single and double for most leader to hook situations, and snells when i have to. for leader to swivel loops i use perfecto loops, and bimini twists (if i can avoid tieing myself to the dock). I always use crimps on leader over 120 pounds both for loop and hook connections.

my 2 cents - bo

Bo

How about some day you show me how to do a bimini twist?

[quote=Donna Sea,Jun 16 2007, 05:41 AM][quote=woody2,Jun 15 2007, 09:52 PM]i guess call me old school.  i use nail knots single and double for most leader to hook situations, and snells when i have to.  for leader to swivel loops i use perfecto loops, and bimini twists (if i can avoid tieing myself to the dock).  I always use crimps on leader over 120 pounds both for loop and hook connections.

my 2 cents - bo
[/quote]

Bo

How about some day you show me how to do a bimini twist?

[/quote]

Charlie,
Can do if Bo's not around. Also use it to make Shock Leaders for Offshore Fly Fishing.
Dave

Palomar as much as possible.

I use the Uni Knot and it has served me well. Easy and strong. The site that Charlie gave is a great one for a visual demos. A great book for knots and any fishing info is by Vic Dunaway..."Complete Book of Baits Rigs and Tackle".

May be at the next MNG I'll give a Bimini Knot lesson...if Bo's knot around

I use the palomar, nail and improved clinch, depending on the usage. For offshore I use crimps where ever possible, and a bimini twist on the heavy gear to double the line.

Here is another good site with animation on knot tying.
http://www.marinews.com/Palomar-Knot-343.php

My next go to knot would be the improved clinch.

the jansik and palomar are the strongest for most applications.

I use a hybrid of a Trilene and Improved Clinch (aka Two Turn Improved Clinch) on stuff under 20 lbs and all lures. Over 20 I use Polomar. Over 80, I swage it.

I read a chart/test results a few years back that had the most common knots used in fishing and then rated the strength retention of each.

As I recall, the "Trilene" or "Two Turn Clinch" knot had the best overall and most consistent strength retention percent. It was rated #1 with a 90-97%, never dropping below 90%. The "Polomar" was rated #2. It was registered the highest percent (98%) BUT it could not be tied consistently at that %. It generally hovered around 82-90% with one of 8 making 91-98%.


I believe the test was conducted using mono and mono/floro hybrids.


I guess its apples and oranges.

You could tie a less stronger, more consistent, more involved knot OR
you can tie a more stronger, less consistent, less involved knot.


Something to ponder......

Don - you crack me up!

I would be glad to show you the b-twist ... but don't hold on for me, I am sure the guys can show you the "right way".

Bimini twists and I have a love - hate relationship. I love the knot, but hate tieing it! So, I am always looking for a better way! Funny story .. I was taught the knot by a guy named Lee Gills (owned the Fat Cat) at Fisherman's Warf many a moon ago. Lee was Captain Bligh ... yelled and screamed at the crew, and was generally a pain in the (you know). Well - he was giving me a commanding lesson on the "twist" and had me using a dock cleat as the anchor point. After wrapping and twisting for what seamed like forever, I did the wind down move and ended up somehow lashing myself down to the dock! Lee gave up on me at that point, left me hopelessly tied to the dock and wandered off mumbling something about damn long-haired civilians!

bo

Palomar. Didn't know there was any other kind.

Kidding of course.

I can still remember the day my Dad taught me to tie on my first hook (Walleye Fishing Jessie Lake in Northern MN). He told me that there were alot of knots for alot of situations but a Palomar can be tied pretty quickly by anyone and it would never come untied. I'm 46 now and I don't think I have ever had one come untied.

Thanks for the links guys. Great stuff.