Knots

sunsignarcher said:
What knots are you using to attach your fly.

Dries?

Nymphs?

Streamers?

Whatever?
Click to expand...

What's a nymph??

Okay so you need to start with a loop. Give that loop a double-twist. Then circle back around so the two ends are neighbors, right?? Okay then one neighbor invites the other over for a barbecue, and the kids (the two ends) play tug of war. If the bout ends in a stalemate, you've tied it correctly. I'm pretty sure it's called the quadruple windsor knot, but I could be wrong.

My grandpa taught me the improved clinch knot when I was about 8. It's been almost 15 years since I learned that knot and I haven't lost a single dolphin.

HIGH QUALITY TIPPET MATERIALS, DUDE. HIGH QUALITY TIPPET MATERIALS.
 
Dries - Improved clinch
Nymphs - Davy (Double Davy)
Streamers (normal sizes) - Improved clinch
Streamers (large articulated) - Non-slip mono loop
 
When I'm paying attention Davy.

Old habits die hard.. If I'm having a "senior moment', Improved Clinch.

Seldom... I've been experimenting with using a "Super Braid" as a tippet, for "toothy" creatures, in lieu of wire.
Then a Palomar will hold better.
 
I pretty much use the clinch or improved clinch depending on hook wire size. Larger wire eyes don't let the tag end get held as well so I generally improve it. For smaller hook sizes I generally do not.


Midges are where I experiment. Davy knot and knot from Midge Magic are smaller than clinch and look better to me. In Reno many of the good fishermen prefer larger tippets, like 4X, on midges and use a loop knot so they move better on a larger tippet. I've gone back and forth on that one, but the guys who use it swear by it. If you are fishing where a 24" brown is a possibility going to a larger tippet is a good idea in my experience. I know everybody claims to catch 20" plus fish on 7X tippet with no problems, but I feel better with a stronger tippet.

Some days I like a loop knot for a streamer, but not often.
 
I like a surgeons loop for anything sub surface and a non slip mono loop for streamers.

With my dries though I'm not happy with the improved clinch. The knot influences how the fly sits and not usually in a good way. I really like the looks of that davey knot, Ive seen it before but never used it.

FIN-ITE, why do you use the clinch over davey for your dries?
 
I use a reverse clinch knot. for all my flies. and I use the surgeons knot for tippets.

I like the reverse clinch because the tag end is opposite to the eye of the hook. In a traditional clinch and improved clinch knot the tag is always next to the eye of the hook the tag is very small and can cause failure of the knot . The reverse clinch eliminates the small tag end that can unravel. I have never had one slip and it is very simple to tie.

I like the surgeons knot because of its simplicity.
 
I use an improved clinch knot mostly, but I will use an uni knot on nymphs and streamers...it has a slip loop so harder strikes are protected a bit on light tippet....it also lets the fly swing on the loop a bit.
 
Be careful using that duncans/uni loop LU. Fluorocarbon bites into itself and a sliding knot like that will and has cut through, save it for mono and use a surgeons or rapala knot for loops in floro.
 
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