Naturally as an engineer, these are my favorite videos. Thanks for clearing this up for all of us. Of course we’re all going to want a leader to main line knot test next lol
You can improve the uni knot in two important ways: 1) pass the line through the eye of the hook twice, instead of once and 2) increase the turns of the knot (I use 8). Secondly, you should look at the effect of the length of the tag on your experiments: the way you did these, its unclear whether the knot is slipping or whether its failing some other way.
It is also very dependend on line type and thickness. Thin bread (6 lbs) needs a lot more turns than thick (20 lbs). Lubricating mono line with saliva prevents local heating and damage during knot tightening! Practise also leads to perfection. Double pass through eye uni and palomar are the knots I use most. With palomar the line leaves at a mild angle. This can be a disadvantage for some presentations.
Very good point on the line size. I use less turns on higher pound test, and more on lower pound test - to the appropriate relative degree of course. @MrNomyar
As someone who does materials testing for a living, when you have samples that are subject to human error (like knot tying), you should plan out two supplementary tests in addition to the number of results you are seeking, toss out the high & low outliers, then analyze your remaining results. In statistics, one sample is an indicator, two is an average, and three or more is considered a statistical analysis... if you apply this logic to your testing, kick out the high/low and calculate the three remaining, the results are as follows: Palomar - 19.67 Double Jam - 19.43 Snell - 19.27 Double Pitzen - 18.90 Uni - 18.27 Trilene - 17.40 Improved Clinch - 17.23
I like your channel a lot. I'm a retired Engineer. I spent years in an Engineering test lab. I would love to see someone look at the mechanics or each knot and see what causes each knot to fail. Do they fail predictable in the same point , or type of point such as line to line or line to hook eye or where a line crosses another line. Slow motion video would be cool. It is a lot of fun chasing failures. Sometimes we never figure it out as well as we would like to actually make a design change. Sometimes we assume the wrong thing by a mile. Keep doing it !!!
The failure is more often in the main line, than the failure of the STRENGTH of the knot. The line gets a lot of abuse during fishing, especially with casting and retrieving. Not to speak of the transport and storage 😅 Frequently take few meters of the end of your line, that is most reliable solution.
Nice job, Tyler! After 50 years of fishing, I've settled on the uni-knot with 4 wraps. Tying the strongest knot is only part of the equation, because some knots wear well and some don't. For example, the uni-knot will wear well all day and the Palomar will not. I often look at my line, feel my line and check my knot by trying to break it as I fish. I gave up on the Palomar because It too frequently disintegrated and I would break off a fish long before I reached the end of my hookset. That doesn't happen with the uni-knot. I hope I can save your viewers some aggravating break-offs. Really like your style!
I'm also a fan of the uni-knot. We have experimented and our opinion is 4--8lb = 7 wraps 10--14 =6 wraps 17-20lb = 5 wraps. I also believe if your using fluro you need a lot of spit and cinch down slow. To me fluro burns more easy than mono.
In April, when I begin targeting Alosa sapidissima (American shad), I tie my secret colored dart type lures with my one and only knot.....the simple improved cinch knot. BUT I DOUBLE THE LINE. It's NEVER failed, and these fish battle you pound for pound like TARPON !!! No lie.
Turning the crank by hand i think is a variable that fucks up the test. Like tearing toilet paper off the roll if you do it fast it breaks off a square, slow, and it unravels the roll. So pulling it at the exact same ft/lbs and same speed is inportant
no the reason toilet paper breaks off a square when you do it fast is because of the friction between each layer, pulling something faster doesnt break it easier
Came here to say this. Love this video, but slow increasing tension does not replicate real fishing conditions. Rather, it breaks on the hookset. Building a test harness to mimic a hookset with a predetermine amount of force would be interesting.
Perhaps, but how accurate are the scales at high speeds? Every digital scale samples the strain gage at a certain frequency. Unless the sample rate is in the megahertz range it will be highly inaccurate.
That's been my exact experience...when tying 2 lines using the double Uni, the line almost always breaks well outside the knot. I've yet to have a double Uni break at the actual knot.
I switched from the trilene knot to the double pitzen knot last year based off your last video. Since doing that, I have not had a single break-off at the knot. Not one. And I won my club championship on Okeechobee last month with 7+ and 8+ pound fish. I'm good.
Completely agree. I broke off way too much with the Trilene knot and switched to the double pitzen after watching Tyler's TH-cam video. I'm very very happy with it.
I have done similar tests for my fly fishing setups to ocean trolling setups. What I found was that each knot has an optimum number of wraps for each line class. Generally the finner the line is, the more wraps are needed for optimum strength and if you do more wraps than is optimum, the line will breakvery easily. For example, you might do 8 wraps in 4 lb line, but only 2 or 3 in 30 lb line. If you do too many wraps in heavy thick line, it may break at only 10% or so.
I taught mechanical engineering and design for 40 years and did any similar tests with my students. You used good procedures to collect your data. Only suggestions would be to wear safety glasses and cover the hook point. Nice job.
Great video but on any knot I always help guide the cinching down without pulling it tight or it will burn the fluorocarbon. I always used to wet it and pull tight and finally figured out if I assist the knot down with my finger before pulling it tight I hardly ever break off because of the knot.
Great testing. I've always been stuck on the clinch and improved climch knots even after 45 years of tx fishing but, it's been the only knot that has ever failed me. For the past two tears tho, I've been exclusively using the single UNI knot. It has never failed me. Even in a 3 knot scenario like a Carolina rig. I will now however, check out the SD Double and see if my stubborn ways allow myself the extra time that it takes while in a tx situation. In a tx, I prefer a speed knot like a clinch or a Palomer. I like to keep it simple and fast and still retain reliability.
Miller knot has been my go fluoro knot for about 4 years now and there is no going back for me. Prior to that it was a double San Diego jam. I still use a Palomar for braid, well a double Palomar to be specific. I will use the snell if I’m flipping/punching but not in wood. The PR knot replaced the FG knot for me for leaders, unless I don’t have a bobbin handy. Edit: one of the reasons for the consistency of the snell over the rest is due to the way it is tied with no real tension of the not being slid down the line to the termination point which weakens the line. A Palomar can work with fluoro if tied carefully but there are much better knots for fluoro, ie the miller and dsdj.
While the DSD Jamb knot performs well in this test, you said it is critical to tie ANY knot correctly. Palomar is simple and quick, thus I always use this whenever possible. I have used the Palomar exclusively, whenever possible, for 45+ years. Any breakage or slipage can be counted on two hands, but I am a fitness fisherman not a buriser. Thanks for reinforcing my decades old decision. You da man. 👍
Double and Single SDJ are fantastic knots. I think it's a good idea to master a few different knots because I think for different line types and hook types, there's different optimum knots.
Sometimes those outliers are real! Some knots are more compatable with a line than others. The strength of the best knot will vary by brand and diameter. SDJ originated on the west coast among tuna fisherman, its a very legit knot. Also, the double palomar/nanofil knot is more compact, simple to tie than the DSDJ, and has two fewer tags. double palomar/ modified palomar is more cosistant than the normal palomar. I use the single/reg SDJ on braid. It WILL not slip like many knots will (palomar included).
Great video! Science! If you are considering a follow up, I'd love to see how the doubled up uni knot fares. It addresses the single line through the eye issue and is theoretically stronger. I use it fairly often.
Agreed! I did way too much research on this when I got into bass fishing and the double line uni knot was what I concluded to be the best option. I did some testing myself comparing it to a standard uni knot and found inconclusive results. Likely user error but that’s perhaps even more important to realize than knowing the scientific strengths. I think Tyler touched on a huge point in this video that a lot of people overlook, being that it all depends on how reliably YOU tie the knot you choose. Palomar is great but with fluoro if you don’t get it perfect, it cuts into itself like butter and you get what happened here, about HALF your line test.
Super cool video. Paloma’s is super easy to tie, is very strong. I think I’ll stick with it. KVD once said, everyone keeps trying to get me to tie different knots. But, the Palomar has worked for me for 30 years. Not the exact quote.
Uni knot has never failed me. It’s easy and strong. Like Brian latimer says , tie the best knot you can tie. But I will definitely try to learn the last one you tested. Awesome video! Do braid strength next.
@@Trump2024musthappen I’ve looked at a lot of these knots, and honestly if you don’t want to break off on a bass hook set, stop trying to rip the fishes head off lol hooks are sharper now than they ever been lol good clean sweep and you got them. And I like a knot if I get hung up I can break it off fairly easily without having to rip my reel off the rod 😂
Yep - also if you throw the line through the eye one more time on a Uni knot (double uni), it’s even tougher. I use that on jigs when I’m in tough cover and using straight braid. Never fails.
This makes me glad I switched from the double pitzen to the double san-diego jam knot! I gotta have knots and line I trust when throwing my expensive swimbaits. Trying the DRT Tiny Klash yesterday for the first time was nerve wracking haha. Next time I go out I am trying out the DRT K9! Excited!
When I was a child I met a professional match fisherman and he taught me how to whip a line onto a hand made spade end hook. I tested them in the same way of this video, and the line never broke at the knot! The takeaway from this is that the loop on the hook and line imperfections are the weakest links. With good line, my small hooks would straighten before the line broke with 100yds of 4 lb test line taking the strain.
Great video, I've done this before with leader knots. ( no video, it was 1990). Please do a video on loop knots for lures as a lot of use believe it's a better presentation if the lure can swing freely
SD jam did originate in SD...originally on the offshore fishing boats for tuna then everyone started trying it in freshwater and lighter line applications and works very well.
You should do this for trout an ultralight fisherman as well. With four and six and 8 pound test you ,can also discover what line works best with what knot. Because it does vary.
Wow! Absolutely the best knot test I’ve seen (and I have been fishing for over 60 years!) A zillion years ago, I performed my own knot test using a Zebco De-Liar mounted in a vise. I compared a clinch knot, and improved clinch knot and a Crawford Figure Eight knot. The two clinch knots consistently broke at well below the line rating. The Crawford knot broke at the rating or higher and often broke the line and not at the knot! Very impressive, indeed. I have modified the Crawford when using newer braid (because it slips) by either double looping through the eye and/or passing the tag end through the bottom loop. Many diagrams for this knot are on line. I have used the basic Crawford for the last 60 years and have taught it many times. 2 stories - a friend hooked an 18lb Northern on 6lb mono tied with a Crawford and landed it! Another friend hooked his personal best 32lb Muskie using the knot as well (The guide he hired was so impressed with the knot - he immediately switched and started teaching his guests and students). Another bonus of this knot is the very small footprint and economy (you need to trim very little line after tying the knot, unlike some of the others which seem to waste a lot when trimming the tag) Now for my request - can you find some Crawford diagrams online and test them on your high-tech fixture? I am dying to know how this knot stacks up to the others in your test. PS - This knot was invented Jack Crawford (maker of the famous Crawford Jigs) back in the late 50’s I believe.
I wish you would have included the double uni as well. Not the connecting two lines knot but a doubled over uni knot. I've been using it for braid and fluro and its been strong! Learned the knot from Brent Ehler
I would love to see you do the exact same knot test but with 8 or 10lbs line. For example, I believe that thinner line diameter is able to make a stronger knot because it can clinch tighter together. The Adv Clinch Knot sucks on 20 lbs because the line can’t circle tight enough to actually “clinch” tight.
It's not the lack of clinch of the not that causes it to break; it is the stress of the pressure of the hook on the strained string that causes the weakness and breakage. To do it properly he should have used a normal hook on all the tests, not two different kinds.
Yea there were issues with the test concerning line size/type and hook. I just dont catch enough fish to worry about this. I mean you have The Machine Richard Gene catching whoppers on 2lb line and tiny rigs.. its all about the fisherman
@@BassFishingHQ When you do, make sure to test different line diameters. Because testing in the past has shown the GT knot to be the best for thick line but for thin line it's strength falls far below the FG knot.
The Stern fishing knot. I say fishing because their some kind of variant out there. The knot has never let me down. I'm talking 30lb plus Snook and monster tarpon. I've had the line break, but never the connection. Braid to Fluro, the thing is underappreciated.
Great advice about knowing the knot/ re doing a knot that just feels off. We’ve all got lazy at times with those. You never know when you’ll get a big one on, or possible lose a nice lure from a bad knot.
Hi Brad here, Just wanted to say great test, very interesting, I watched it all 👍💯 I acknowledge the fact that it would be a huge pain in the you know what but maybe you need to re do the test and start by tying each knot to the hook (which would start it's stroke from all the way wound in) then crimp every individual test separately to try to minimise discrepancies in line length.. It may give slightly different results, who knows. I'll follow to see the results.👍
As an avid long range Tuna fisherman out of San Diego with many freinds who work on or are captains in the long range fleet. I can confirm the SD jam originated on those boats. I can say it is still very popular amongst crew members. My personal favorite is called a Spangler or Springer knot which I use for big tuna, I actually use a single san diego jam in freshwater much more often.
Thanks Tyler. This was a well done test and really helpful. I will echo other comments; why on earth were you not wearing safety glasses. One thought I had was related to your comment about the poorly tied knots breaking much easier. The Double SD Jam might be the strongest, but not if I can’t tie it right. I know I can tie the Double Pitzen right every time. Next test, connection knots?? Would like to see how my favorite (Alberto) stacks up!!
Awesome helping content I did my own knot test once about 10 years ago using a suspended hook and added weights in 4oz incraments using 4oz home made lead egg weights a guy gave me he made for fishing powerlines My results mirrored yours with the XL but the XT was clearly stronger especially every knot I felt was tied incorrectly broke at 1/2 strength I used Trilene XL and XT taught me both the absolute importance to pay close attention when trying your knots and also taught me how to instantly spot or recognize when I tied a knot incorrectly or damaged the line when I sinched it tight Dod the test again using Yozuri Co-polymer and was amaized at its breaking point All I have ever used for over 35 years now has been the Polomar when ever possible and if not then the Trilene knot With the Trilene I find about 10-15% of my knots need re-tying due to they dont look right or they didn't feel right wnen I sinched them down Polomar knot is all but absolutely mistake proof in my experience
Very interesting video, like to thank you for your time and work put into this, I always tie just a regular clinch knot unless I'm tying straight braid and rarely break off , wonder if the results would be different if there was a way to test a snapping hookset strength, also curious if different brands would have different results as there are many different fluorocarbon compositions and finishes
I grew up using a clinch knot with monofilament. Last year I got back heavy into bass fishing but I used fluorocarbon on everything except my top water poles. Well I broke off three times on the hook set with a Carolina rig and clinch knot. I watched Tyler’s video he did on the double pitzen and switched to that and I haven’t had my line break since the switch. I’m gonna switch to the double San Diego jam knot now based on the results of his testing in this video.
I have done exactly these experiments in my physics class, now 30 years ago. I was using 0.25 mm mono line. Any of the breaking instances are SO MUCH higher than the force that a rod and line can ever reach. Let alone a fishing hook in a fishes mouth. In practise the line gets damaged by casting, wetting, stopping a cast, kinking, etc. Changing the damaged line often will give you most reliability, to my opinion. If you test the knot you made a few weeks later, you probably get worse results. Especially when stored wet, which is logical for fishing........ I like the approach, the test bench you've build is great.
If you did that again with copoly, I bet some of those will change in ranking. I remember the Trilene Knot Wars TH-cam channel and some knots were stronger on certain type lines and weaker on others.
Tyler, very informative video. Appreciate you taking the time to run all these tests, very educational. Thanks for the extra tip on proper not tying. I’ve had many knots that didn’t quite look right, so I retied and now I know why! Been enjoying your channel for over a year now, and I’m grateful for you, sharing to help us all improve our skills and knowledge of fishing.
Excellent knot video. 👍 I’d like to see the knot I use the Double Line Uni-Knot that Gary Yamamoto ties not sure if anyone else in the pro’s category uses it.
for me the double pitzen is the absolute strongest knot it hasnt failed me yet. but might have to try that last knot for sure. i like a palomar aswell but its easy to tie it wrong and sometimes you dont notice until you set that hook and snap off
Thanx Tyler. I'm a fan of the Double Pitzen. I of course used the Palomar for years but noticed with LIGHT TEST LINES the knot broke way too easy. I then switched to the Pitzen and will not change again. Light lines being 6-10lb test. I don't know why the Palomar seems weak with light lines but it was obvious. Great choice of floro by the way, that T7 Yo-Zuri checks all the boxes except bulk spools.
I've been using the double pitzen for years for it simplicity and strength. After watching this video I believe I'll be using the Double San Diego Jam knot. You should do a video on the breaking point of braid with the most popular braid knots and with various braided line.
You should have tested the Fish-N-Fool knot that was the winner on Knot Wars. It beat all of these knots in the tests that the North American Fishing TV show did. I created this knot about 35 years ago now and it has proven to be the strongest knot I have ever seen. As long as it is tied so the lines on the hook remain parallel and not crossed, you can't tie a better knot. The great thing about the Fish-N-Fool Knot is it is one of the easier knots to tie.
Without good testing setup It is quite difficult to do these tests so thanks for sharing. I would love to see tests of loop knots as they are weaker than snug knots and it is important to tie the best one.
Two issues. #1, Your test totally ignored shock strength. I'd guess that over the 50+ years of serious fishing, I've broken more line on close range hooksets than any other situation. Particularly flipping straight braid. Seriously, I was waiting to see how you were going to test for shock strength. Rarely break anything on a steady pull, unless there's serious line abrasion involved, as in when a big fish (usually in salt water) drags the line across a shallow gravel bar. #2, Ease/speed of tying. I can tie a clean palomar knot quicker than any other knot. Less of my on-the-water time wasted tying knots is a win in my book. It may not be quite as strong against a steady pull as a SD Jam, but on the water, cold fingers and sans my prescription reading glasses, I can tie a Palomar and get off a couple casts before I tie a suitably clean SD Jam that I'm happy with.
Agreed. This is why I stick with my favorite knot. The other is that none of us set our drag to the full rating of the line we use. If I set my drag at 12 and used 12 pound test I'd expect to break off A LOT.
Nice! Thought double pitzen would win. That’s the knot I tie exclusively for fluorocarbon but after this might go back to my OG knot, palomar. Simpler and one tag end vs 3 and I fish mostly vegetation being in Florida. Thanks!
Just for the heck of it, would you consider doing a snell knot test like this? I'd be interested in the results of that, for sure. Edit: just realized you did a snell, but there are multiple kinds, and I'd like to see them compared.
Great video! It got me thinking since the snell knot was so consistent could it be due to the way that it’s tied? What I mean by that is the other knots require you to lubricate them to cinch them meaning they create friction and in turn always have a chance at burning or creating a weak spot in the line. The snell does not require lubrication to pull tight. Idk just a thought, I would love to be confident that any knot I tie will be consistent without outliers but with human error it’s hard to gain that confidence!
Enjoyed this video...very informative. Often I like to know my knots will break first especially when steelhead fishing so that I'm only losing terminal tackle and not the whole rig including the float/shot line. There are also certain knots I like tying for specific functions...double Uni for tying lines together, snell for hooks, and I almost always use clinch knots when tying to swivels. Snell knots are great when you're using light-weight fluoro, less chance of burning the line when cinching that knot onto the hook. Some knots I prefer solely because of ease of tying when you're out on the water, otherwise it's for ensuring certain parts of the set up break before others...especially because there are lots of snags where I fish most. On many occasions, when I've tied lines together with a double-Uni, at 5+ wraps per knot, I've had the line break before the knots gave out...so I've observed the knot itself actually adding some strength, in cases where I tied two lines of the exact same type (same lb test, same line type) together with a double Uni.
Love this video and the one you did on fluoro lines and your thoughts on braid regarding wind knots. I echo the Personal Protective Equipment concerns. One improvement to the strain gauge setup would be to use a low rpm motor vs hand cranking to maximize consistency. I don't know if your average rod turning motor would have the torque, but I'd think you could find something for not to much $. I also think it's be interesting to see this repeated with a fast (but consistent) speed a little more analogous to ahook set. This video better aligns with fish fight stress. Again, so glad you're doing these and appreciate all the content you've been putting out. Big fan.
Any idea why line mostly breaks at the knot? Does it have to do with the super pressure created when the knot is pulled tighter and tighter in on itself until finally physics takes over and the line, to come up with the best example I can think of, "cuts itself in two"? Just a thought on top of a question. I do have a curiosity question related to breaking tackle. Have you ever had a bait break due to the tugging and pulling of landing a fish? Line holds up, but the tie bolt pulled loose from the nose. Rings holding the hooks spread out and thus pulled loose. Hooks broke. Bad day when your knot is strong, your line is strong, but now you discover your bait is weak.
Love what you said at 8: 54 it "clicked" there was an "outlier" you're absolutely right, sometimes when you tie a knot it doesn't cinch up properly and you can see it. I've tied and re-tied knots simply because the finished knot just didn't look right and I'm glad I did cause your test proved that . I'll continue to use the Palomar cause I know it and it's easy to tie even with cold fingers, Thanks for the video!!
As a life long fly fisherman of 20 plus years. . I prefer Palomar knots for one big reason. Theyre hardy and have endurance for casting. Every knot else ive experimented with have all consistently get weaker faster and i knot test regularly.
Hello, Another variable to check the strength of a knot is hook size. The wire diameter affects knot strength. The bigger wire (hook wire diameter) the higher knot strength will be. But each knot react differently to wire diameter (hook size) I noticed some knots are better on smaller hook size and some are not. Thank you
So, you determined the strongest knot, but, how long does it take to tie it? I've never heard of your strongest knot before. But, it looked like it was a bit more difficult to tie than the palomar. I think the palomar was probably your simplest knot and it was still pretty close in strength to the best knot you found. When I am out sitting in a boat and my hands are freezing and it's tough to feel my fingers anymore I am not sure if I can tie anything more complicated than a palomar. Just my 2 cents.
Bro you research and content is top notch. I started tying the double pitzen last year after watching you video and haven’t broken off since. Looks like I am going to have to learn a new knot now. Thanks
I almost always use the double improved clinch knot (looks similar to that pitzen knot) im curious to see how it would perform. Definitely surprised about that uni knot!
There will be a difference in breaking points of the knots between static pulls like we see here and a shock load (ie dropping a known weight a set distance). The shock load on the knot will also be determined by length of line out etc etc etc.
In the middle of the heat of fishing and when the school is attacking intensely, the concern is that the line always returns to the water in good condition, and the only knot that out of 10 attempts you can get 09 perfectly is called: UNI KNOT.
After many years of always using a leader line, in many cases now I just use the main line with a improved clinch knot and count on the knot being the weakest point. Nice to see some actual numbers about the strength of this and the other knots.
Few comments, some of which were likely made: first if you do this again wear some eye protection. Chances are you’ll be fine but only takes once and could do some serious damage. Next my fav, the uni, I loop at least 6-8 times. That will make it stronger. That said I use the palomar when convenient, and grew up on the clinch which needs less line to tie it seems and hasn’t let me down. So overall they’re all good especially when tied right.
I would have been really interested in seeing a test using the whip knot for spade ends, I love spade end hooks, if the turns are well done and not over lapping each other I've found it the strongest because it does not constrict the line unlike how most knots do, the tag end is bound to the shank by several turns and more often than not the line brakes above the knot. the san d knot is simply a regular blood knot with a tuck but doubled line uni knot is usually my go to knot, if its neat and tidy again more often than not the line brakes above the knot, I think that seeing the hooks after each test so we could see where the line or knot failed is vital to see, slow motion of the knot tightening up would be fabulous to see
I've been tying the double pitzen since I saw you introduce it in an earlier video. It almost never breaks, however it doesn't seem to hold well in braid
Great video - Quick tip for excel to prevent the div error showing like it did in your table try something like the following to prevent. =IF(E2="","",IFERROR(SUM(A2:E2/5),"----")) The first "IF"waits for the last cell to be filled before calculating and the "IFERROR" tests for an error and then does the true/false. Best advice is research the IF and IFERROR functions on excel and you can find a solution you like.
The strongest and simplest tippet to fly knot there is, is the Pitzen knot (fly fishing - also known as Eugene Bend, The Pitzen and 20-16). The San Diego Jam Knot is one of the derivatives of this knot. The only difference is the tag end runs through the opening on the bottom before the loop located at the top. This extra step adds an additional pressure point to the dynamics of the knot and gives the San Diego Jam Knot the ability to be used on a slippery braided line and the double is a derivative of the single. The knot is well tested to retain 95 percent of the breaking strength of the line. Tying this knot is easier if you are using tippets or a lighter line than it is for a heavier line. It retains more than 95% of the line’s breaking strain It is simple to tie and can be learned in a few minutes It can be tied in any conditions - cold fingers, rocking boat or when you have spotted a big fish! Because it cinches up with a little ‘pop’ it is easy to tell when it is tied correctly
Thanks for doing this! I’ve used Improved Clinch and some loop knots more than anything else for 50 years. Now I mostly flyfish and have added Lots of knots to my arsenal. A lot has to do with your drag setting and rod flexibility in any fishing situation. Unless you have to absolutely just haul them out of cover..then go up in line test. Experience will teach you the proper way to fight em..especially when you lose em! 😅 Thanks again..really enjoy your videos! 👍👍🎣👌✌️
My Wife is a year bass fisherwoman...I taught her the Miller Knot. Then after watching your previous Dbl Pitzen video, I taught her how to tie it. She found it easier to tie and she stuck with tying it.
Yes sir. If you fish any long range trips out of Diego you will learn the SD Jamb knot. It is the most used knot in the fleet. I’ve been tying it for over 40 yrs. It’s the best knot to tie using floro carbon line.
The simple 6 turn clinch with an overhand jamb on the tag end has been tested stronger than the socalled improved clinch and it can be tied in the dark where it does not matter if a litte of the tag end shows. In the light it is easy to pull up close and tight.
Thank you for all this info!!! I had to laugh at the sounds you made when the knot broke !!!😂. Me, well I'm a big pansy.....I CANT EVEN OPEN A CAN OF BISCUITS without a long utensil and full body armor and a few choice words!!! 😂😂😂😂! Again, thanks so much!!!!!
That SD Jam looks like a pain to tie in the wind on a kayak. The pitzen is pretty easy. When I have to tie a knot, I don't have a lot of space. Great video! I've learned a bunch from your videos.
I tie the Palomar knot, it is the easiest for me and also the easiest to teach when I have people who will get caught on everything and lose a hook every 5th cast.
I’d be interested to see this test with a three turn (instead of 5) trilene knot. In my own experiments a three turn trilene knot has 100% strength but a five does not. It does slip a tiny bit so it requires at least a 1 inch tag end.
Great video, only thing is on the uni knot. Use 5 instead of 4 twists. I don't throw 20 pound line very often. But, I've never broken the knot using that.
I would like to have seen the "non-slip mono loop knot". It is my favorite for bigger flies and lures and has tested for me 95% to 100%, meaning sometimes the line breaks, not the knot. As someone else mentioned, the number of twists needed increases for light line/tippet. Too few wraps and the knot slips and too many can mean too much friction/heat on draw up, and that can weaken knots. That brings us to moistening wraps. Nylon seems much more to need moistening than fluorocarbon, which seems to be somewhat self lubricating. PS-Chapstick works great to help knots draw up.
Naturally as an engineer, these are my favorite videos. Thanks for clearing this up for all of us. Of course we’re all going to want a leader to main line knot test next lol
I am glad you liked it. I’ll have to do braid to leader next
I vote for double uni, FG, and red philips knots. Maybe throw a blood knot in for good measure. @@BassFishingHQ
Crazy Alberto = good.
FG = Awesome... seriously, over 100% rated when done right.
@@JC-dt7jv FG, also my favorite!
@BassFishingHQ definitely!
You can improve the uni knot in two important ways: 1) pass the line through the eye of the hook twice, instead of once and 2) increase the turns of the knot (I use 8). Secondly, you should look at the effect of the length of the tag on your experiments: the way you did these, its unclear whether the knot is slipping or whether its failing some other way.
A theory that should be tested
It is also very dependend on line type and thickness. Thin bread (6 lbs) needs a lot more turns than thick (20 lbs).
Lubricating mono line with saliva prevents local heating and damage during knot tightening! Practise also leads to perfection.
Double pass through eye uni and palomar are the knots I use most.
With palomar the line leaves at a mild angle. This can be a disadvantage for some presentations.
That’s the best knot I use I call it the double uni 😂
Very good point on the line size. I use less turns on higher pound test, and more on lower pound test - to the appropriate relative degree of course. @MrNomyar
That’s called the fish n fool knot
As someone who does materials testing for a living, when you have samples that are subject to human error (like knot tying), you should plan out two supplementary tests in addition to the number of results you are seeking, toss out the high & low outliers, then analyze your remaining results. In statistics, one sample is an indicator, two is an average, and three or more is considered a statistical analysis... if you apply this logic to your testing, kick out the high/low and calculate the three remaining, the results are as follows:
Palomar - 19.67
Double Jam - 19.43
Snell - 19.27
Double Pitzen - 18.90
Uni - 18.27
Trilene - 17.40
Improved Clinch - 17.23
Statistical analysis with a sample size of 3 is completely useless.
I knew someone would chime in with some corrections to make the average more realistic. You are the man.
and this is amending results by taking out the outlier. understand the theory
I like your channel a lot. I'm a retired Engineer. I spent years in an Engineering test lab. I would love to see someone look at the mechanics or each knot and see what causes each knot to fail. Do they fail predictable in the same point , or type of point such as line to line or line to hook eye or where a line crosses another line. Slow motion video would be cool. It is a lot of fun chasing failures. Sometimes we never figure it out as well as we would like to actually make a design change. Sometimes we assume the wrong thing by a mile. Keep doing it !!!
The failure is more often in the main line, than the failure of the STRENGTH of the knot. The line gets a lot of abuse during fishing, especially with casting and retrieving. Not to speak of the transport and storage 😅
Frequently take few meters of the end of your line, that is most reliable solution.
Check out Toit Fishing here on TH-cam! I believe you will enjoy his approach to testing knots!
I’m saying it fails right where the knot is tied bc tying the knot increases pressure on the line thus making it weaker when being pulled
Nice job, Tyler! After 50 years of fishing, I've settled on the uni-knot with 4 wraps. Tying the strongest knot is only part of the equation, because some knots wear well and some don't. For example, the uni-knot will wear well all day and the Palomar will not. I often look at my line, feel my line and check my knot by trying to break it as I fish. I gave up on the Palomar because It too frequently disintegrated and I would break off a fish long before I reached the end of my hookset. That doesn't happen with the uni-knot. I hope I can save your viewers some aggravating break-offs. Really like your style!
Correct, the Palomar knot is prone to fail because it is with an dependant on the overhand knot in its core.
I'm also a fan of the uni-knot. We have experimented and our opinion is 4--8lb = 7 wraps 10--14 =6 wraps 17-20lb = 5 wraps. I also believe if your using fluro you need a lot of spit and cinch down slow. To me fluro burns more easy than mono.
In April, when I begin targeting Alosa sapidissima (American shad), I tie my secret colored dart type lures with my one and only knot.....the simple improved cinch knot. BUT I DOUBLE THE LINE. It's NEVER failed, and these fish battle you pound for pound like TARPON !!! No lie.
Turning the crank by hand i think is a variable that fucks up the test. Like tearing toilet paper off the roll if you do it fast it breaks off a square, slow, and it unravels the roll. So pulling it at the exact same ft/lbs and same speed is inportant
no the reason toilet paper breaks off a square when you do it fast is because of the friction between each layer, pulling something faster doesnt break it easier
@@shsd7579 Incorrect. Strain rate matters a lot in tensile testing.
Came here to say this. Love this video, but slow increasing tension does not replicate real fishing conditions. Rather, it breaks on the hookset. Building a test harness to mimic a hookset with a predetermine amount of force would be interesting.
Perhaps, but how accurate are the scales at high speeds?
Every digital scale samples the strain gage at a certain frequency.
Unless the sample rate is in the megahertz range it will be highly inaccurate.
Hand cranking too variable ...gd vid tho
Been using a uni knot for charters for the last 30 years, if you double the line before tying the uni, the main line will break before the knot
That's been my exact experience...when tying 2 lines using the double Uni, the line almost always breaks well outside the knot. I've yet to have a double Uni break at the actual knot.
“Cadia broke before the guard did!”
I use a uni. What do you mean double the line before tying? Fold it in half and tie the whole not doubled, or run it theough the eye twice? Thanks.
@@pickledcottoncandysame question just commenting for answer notification
@@KINGSLAYERTURBO Pretty sure he means to pass the line through the eye of the hook twice, instead of once.
I switched from the trilene knot to the double pitzen knot last year based off your last video. Since doing that, I have not had a single break-off at the knot. Not one. And I won my club championship on Okeechobee last month with 7+ and 8+ pound fish. I'm good.
Completely agree. I broke off way too much with the Trilene knot and switched to the double pitzen after watching Tyler's TH-cam video. I'm very very happy with it.
improved trilene knot is better..
I have done similar tests for my fly fishing setups to ocean trolling setups. What I found was that each knot has an optimum number of wraps for each line class. Generally the finner the line is, the more wraps are needed for optimum strength and if you do more wraps than is optimum, the line will breakvery easily. For example, you might do 8 wraps in 4 lb line, but only 2 or 3 in 30 lb line. If you do too many wraps in heavy thick line, it may break at only 10% or so.
I taught mechanical engineering and design for 40 years and did any similar tests with my students. You used good procedures to collect your data. Only suggestions would be to wear safety glasses and cover the hook point. Nice job.
100% Agree! I was cringing every time the hook flew.
I was thinking the same thing. The gasp at every break was funny.
It's a good thing he's a fisherman. That could develop into a severe flinch for a hunter! @@FishOn1
As long as your line is good and you tied the knot the right way, all these knot will work fine.
Thank you….thats the truth!
Improved clinch is still my go to. Never had issues and can tie it in pitch black
every single knot on the earth (provided it doesn't slip) "will work fine". the point, however, was to determine how strong each of them is.
@@s_s-g4dagree especially when you set your drag properly.
@@s_s-g4d not slipping is the main point of a good fishing knot
Great video but on any knot I always help guide the cinching down without pulling it tight or it will burn the fluorocarbon. I always used to wet it and pull tight and finally figured out if I assist the knot down with my finger before pulling it tight I hardly ever break off because of the knot.
Great testing. I've always been stuck on the clinch and improved climch knots even after 45 years of tx fishing but, it's been the only knot that has ever failed me. For the past two tears tho, I've been exclusively using the single UNI knot. It has never failed me. Even in a 3 knot scenario like a Carolina rig. I will now however, check out the SD Double and see if my stubborn ways allow myself the extra time that it takes while in a tx situation. In a tx, I prefer a speed knot like a clinch or a Palomer. I like to keep it simple and fast and still retain reliability.
Miller knot has been my go fluoro knot for about 4 years now and there is no going back for me. Prior to that it was a double San Diego jam. I still use a Palomar for braid, well a double Palomar to be specific. I will use the snell if I’m flipping/punching but not in wood. The PR knot replaced the FG knot for me for leaders, unless I don’t have a bobbin handy. Edit: one of the reasons for the consistency of the snell over the rest is due to the way it is tied with no real tension of the not being slid down the line to the termination point which weakens the line. A Palomar can work with fluoro if tied carefully but there are much better knots for fluoro, ie the miller and dsdj.
The improved clinch knot is my favorite knot. Since I was a kid I did that knot. Do more like this..
While the DSD Jamb knot performs well in this test, you said it is critical to tie ANY knot correctly. Palomar is simple and quick, thus I always use this whenever possible.
I have used the Palomar exclusively, whenever possible, for 45+ years. Any breakage or slipage can be counted on two hands, but I am a fitness fisherman not a buriser.
Thanks for reinforcing my decades old decision. You da man. 👍
Double and Single SDJ are fantastic knots. I think it's a good idea to master a few different knots because I think for different line types and hook types, there's different optimum knots.
Sometimes those outliers are real! Some knots are more compatable with a line than others. The strength of the best knot will vary by brand and diameter.
SDJ originated on the west coast among tuna fisherman, its a very legit knot. Also, the double palomar/nanofil knot is more compact, simple to tie than the DSDJ, and has two fewer tags. double palomar/ modified palomar is more cosistant than the normal palomar.
I use the single/reg SDJ on braid. It WILL not slip like many knots will (palomar included).
Great video! Science! If you are considering a follow up, I'd love to see how the doubled up uni knot fares. It addresses the single line through the eye issue and is theoretically stronger. I use it fairly often.
Agreed! I did way too much research on this when I got into bass fishing and the double line uni knot was what I concluded to be the best option. I did some testing myself comparing it to a standard uni knot and found inconclusive results. Likely user error but that’s perhaps even more important to realize than knowing the scientific strengths.
I think Tyler touched on a huge point in this video that a lot of people overlook, being that it all depends on how reliably YOU tie the knot you choose. Palomar is great but with fluoro if you don’t get it perfect, it cuts into itself like butter and you get what happened here, about HALF your line test.
Super cool video. Paloma’s is super easy to tie, is very strong. I think I’ll stick with it. KVD once said, everyone keeps trying to get me to tie different knots. But, the Palomar has worked for me for 30 years. Not the exact quote.
Uni knot has never failed me. It’s easy and strong. Like Brian latimer says , tie the best knot you can tie. But I will definitely try to learn the last one you tested. Awesome video! Do braid strength next.
Same , it’s never failed me .
@@Trump2024musthappen I’ve looked at a lot of these knots, and honestly if you don’t want to break off on a bass hook set, stop trying to rip the fishes head off lol hooks are sharper now than they ever been lol good clean sweep and you got them. And I like a knot if I get hung up I can break it off fairly easily without having to rip my reel off the rod 😂
Yep - also if you throw the line through the eye one more time on a Uni knot (double uni), it’s even tougher. I use that on jigs when I’m in tough cover and using straight braid. Never fails.
Uni-knot versatility, if you stop it short of the eye and cinch it you have a loop knot for working top water.
@@gospideygo8781 that’s right
This makes me glad I switched from the double pitzen to the double san-diego jam knot! I gotta have knots and line I trust when throwing my expensive swimbaits. Trying the DRT Tiny Klash yesterday for the first time was nerve wracking haha. Next time I go out I am trying out the DRT K9! Excited!
I appreciate the video bro but please put on some safety googles. I would hate for you to lose an eye trying to teach us something important!
😂 That's all I could focus on during the whole video!
He was clearly worried about getting hit, too.
The snell knot hook took off like a bullet
Really?
Yup eye protection pls
Great video! Like watching Elf test the Jack in the Boxes from Santa’s workshop.
When I was a child I met a professional match fisherman and he taught me how to whip a line onto a hand made spade end hook. I tested them in the same way of this video, and the line never broke at the knot! The takeaway from this is that the loop on the hook and line imperfections are the weakest links. With good line, my small hooks would straighten before the line broke with 100yds of 4 lb test line taking the strain.
Great video, I've done this before with leader knots. ( no video, it was 1990).
Please do a video on loop knots for lures as a lot of use believe it's a better presentation if the lure can swing freely
SD jam did originate in SD...originally on the offshore fishing boats for tuna then everyone started trying it in freshwater and lighter line applications and works very well.
You should do this for trout an ultralight fisherman as well. With four and six and 8 pound test you ,can also discover what line works best with what knot. Because it does vary.
Wow! Absolutely the best knot test I’ve seen (and I have been fishing for over 60 years!)
A zillion years ago, I performed my own knot test using a Zebco De-Liar mounted in a vise. I compared a clinch knot, and improved clinch knot and a Crawford Figure Eight knot. The two clinch knots consistently broke at well below the line rating. The Crawford knot broke at the rating or higher and often broke the line and not at the knot! Very impressive, indeed.
I have modified the Crawford when using newer braid (because it slips) by either double looping through the eye and/or passing the tag end through the bottom loop. Many diagrams for this knot are on line.
I have used the basic Crawford for the last 60 years and have taught it many times. 2 stories - a friend hooked an 18lb Northern on 6lb mono tied with a Crawford and landed it! Another friend hooked his personal best 32lb Muskie using the knot as well (The guide he hired was so impressed with the knot - he immediately switched and started teaching his guests and students). Another bonus of this knot is the very small footprint and economy (you need to trim very little line after tying the knot, unlike some of the others which seem to waste a lot when trimming the tag)
Now for my request - can you find some Crawford diagrams online and test them on your high-tech fixture? I am dying to know how this knot stacks up to the others in your test.
PS - This knot was invented Jack Crawford (maker of the famous Crawford Jigs) back in the late 50’s I believe.
I wish you would have included the double uni as well. Not the connecting two lines knot but a doubled over uni knot. I've been using it for braid and fluro and its been strong! Learned the knot from Brent Ehler
I would love to see you do the exact same knot test but with 8 or 10lbs line. For example, I believe that thinner line diameter is able to make a stronger knot because it can clinch tighter together. The Adv Clinch Knot sucks on 20 lbs because the line can’t circle tight enough to actually “clinch” tight.
It's not the lack of clinch of the not that causes it to break; it is the stress of the pressure of the hook on the strained string that causes the weakness and breakage. To do it properly he should have used a normal hook on all the tests, not two different kinds.
Yea there were issues with the test concerning line size/type and hook. I just dont catch enough fish to worry about this. I mean you have The Machine Richard Gene catching whoppers on 2lb line and tiny rigs.. its all about the fisherman
I’d love to see this done with braid-to-leader knots too!
I will definitely have to do that in the future
Definitely!! And best braided lines and knots!
@@BassFishingHQ When you do, make sure to test different line diameters. Because testing in the past has shown the GT knot to be the best for thick line but for thin line it's strength falls far below the FG knot.
someone @ me when he does
The Stern fishing knot. I say fishing because their some kind of variant out there. The knot has never let me down. I'm talking 30lb plus Snook and monster tarpon. I've had the line break, but never the connection. Braid to Fluro, the thing is underappreciated.
Great advice about knowing the knot/ re doing a knot that just feels off. We’ve all got lazy at times with those. You never know when you’ll get a big one on, or possible lose a nice lure from a bad knot.
Darn it. I also love the double pitzen knot. So easy to tie and I have never had a failure. I may have to try the double SJ now. Cool test. Thanks
Can you add the Double Pitzen. I just watched one of your older videos that shows you moved to the Pitzen. Did you change back to a different knot?
Hey man, if the pitzen has worked, why change it?
Hi Brad here,
Just wanted to say great test, very interesting, I watched it all 👍💯
I acknowledge the fact that it would be a huge pain in the you know what but maybe you need to re do the test and start by tying each knot to the hook (which would start it's stroke from all the way wound in) then crimp every individual test separately to try to minimise discrepancies in line length..
It may give slightly different results, who knows.
I'll follow to see the results.👍
sweet video man, I love a single uni, so fast and dependable but always double SDJ on heavy flipping, straight braid type stuff
As an avid long range Tuna fisherman out of San Diego with many freinds who work on or are captains in the long range fleet. I can confirm the SD jam originated on those boats. I can say it is still very popular amongst crew members. My personal favorite is called a Spangler or Springer knot which I use for big tuna, I actually use a single san diego jam in freshwater much more often.
Thanks Tyler. This was a well done test and really helpful. I will echo other comments; why on earth were you not wearing safety glasses.
One thought I had was related to your comment about the poorly tied knots breaking much easier. The Double SD Jam might be the strongest, but not if I can’t tie it right. I know I can tie the Double Pitzen right every time.
Next test, connection knots?? Would like to see how my favorite (Alberto) stacks up!!
Awesome helping content
I did my own knot test once about 10 years ago using a suspended hook and added weights in 4oz incraments using 4oz home made lead egg weights a guy gave me he made for fishing powerlines
My results mirrored yours with the XL but the XT was clearly stronger especially every knot I felt was tied incorrectly broke at 1/2 strength
I used Trilene XL and XT taught me both the absolute importance to pay close attention when trying your knots and also taught me how to instantly spot or recognize when I tied a knot incorrectly or damaged the line when I sinched it tight
Dod the test again using Yozuri Co-polymer and was amaized at its breaking point
All I have ever used for over 35 years now has been the Polomar when ever possible and if not then the Trilene knot
With the Trilene I find about 10-15% of my knots need re-tying due to they dont look right or they didn't feel right wnen I sinched them down
Polomar knot is all but absolutely mistake proof in my experience
Very interesting video, like to thank you for your time and work put into this, I always tie just a regular clinch knot unless I'm tying straight braid and rarely break off , wonder if the results would be different if there was a way to test a snapping hookset strength, also curious if different brands would have different results as there are many different fluorocarbon compositions and finishes
I grew up using a clinch knot with monofilament. Last year I got back heavy into bass fishing but I used fluorocarbon on everything except my top water poles. Well I broke off three times on the hook set with a Carolina rig and clinch knot. I watched Tyler’s video he did on the double pitzen and switched to that and I haven’t had my line break since the switch. I’m gonna switch to the double San Diego jam knot now based on the results of his testing in this video.
I have done exactly these experiments in my physics class, now 30 years ago. I was using 0.25 mm mono line. Any of the breaking instances are SO MUCH higher than the force that a rod and line can ever reach. Let alone a fishing hook in a fishes mouth.
In practise the line gets damaged by casting, wetting, stopping a cast, kinking, etc.
Changing the damaged line often will give you most reliability, to my opinion. If you test the knot you made a few weeks later, you probably get worse results. Especially when stored wet, which is logical for fishing........
I like the approach, the test bench you've build is great.
If you did that again with copoly, I bet some of those will change in ranking. I remember the Trilene Knot Wars TH-cam channel and some knots were stronger on certain type lines and weaker on others.
Tyler, very informative video. Appreciate you taking the time to run all these tests, very educational. Thanks for the extra tip on proper not tying. I’ve had many knots that didn’t quite look right, so I retied and now I know why! Been enjoying your channel for over a year now, and I’m grateful for you, sharing to help us all improve our skills and knowledge of fishing.
There's a big difference in a dead pull versus a hard snap in any line breaking. Even a chain for that matter
Agreed
Excellent knot video. 👍 I’d like to see the knot I use the Double Line Uni-Knot that Gary Yamamoto ties not sure if anyone else in the pro’s category uses it.
Great test. I'm a palomar knot guy. You can tie it with your eyes closed, doesn't take much dexterity, and it's clearly one of the strongest.
Yeah and looks like he kept an outlier in the test with the 17 when most everything else was 19
for me the double pitzen is the absolute strongest knot it hasnt failed me yet. but might have to try that last knot for sure. i like a palomar aswell but its easy to tie it wrong and sometimes you dont notice until you set that hook and snap off
You should also test with braid and mono. Some knots will favour certain line material.
Thanx Tyler. I'm a fan of the Double Pitzen. I of course used the Palomar for years but noticed with LIGHT TEST LINES the knot broke way too easy. I then switched to the Pitzen and will not change again. Light lines being 6-10lb test. I don't know why the Palomar seems weak with light lines but it was obvious. Great choice of floro by the way, that T7 Yo-Zuri checks all the boxes except bulk spools.
Cool video, would love to see this with braid to floro knots.
I've been using the double pitzen for years for it simplicity and strength. After watching this video I believe I'll be using the Double San Diego Jam knot.
You should do a video on the breaking point of braid with the most popular braid knots and with various braided line.
we've gone through all these over the decades, for saltwater heavy line and tackle the Improved Trilene knot has been the best.
Great video! Would like to see the double improved clinch in the mix.
Great video. Definitely like seeing things put to the test. I agree with another commenter, need some safety glasses . Better safe than sorry.
DTF Fishing has the best knot tying series on TH-cam, nice to see you featured his video on the sd jam knot.
You should have tested the Fish-N-Fool knot that was the winner on Knot Wars. It beat all of these knots in the tests that the North American Fishing TV show did. I created this knot about 35 years ago now and it has proven to be the strongest knot I have ever seen. As long as it is tied so the lines on the hook remain parallel and not crossed, you can't tie a better knot. The great thing about the Fish-N-Fool Knot is it is one of the easier knots to tie.
Well FishNFoolLures, why don’t you make a video showing us how to tie it and do so in slow motion!!!!! Thanks for the info!!!
He did.
Without good testing setup It is quite difficult to do these tests so thanks for sharing. I would love to see tests of loop knots as they are weaker than snug knots and it is important to tie the best one.
Two issues. #1, Your test totally ignored shock strength. I'd guess that over the 50+ years of serious fishing, I've broken more line on close range hooksets than any other situation. Particularly flipping straight braid. Seriously, I was waiting to see how you were going to test for shock strength. Rarely break anything on a steady pull, unless there's serious line abrasion involved, as in when a big fish (usually in salt water) drags the line across a shallow gravel bar.
#2, Ease/speed of tying. I can tie a clean palomar knot quicker than any other knot. Less of my on-the-water time wasted tying knots is a win in my book. It may not be quite as strong against a steady pull as a SD Jam, but on the water, cold fingers and sans my prescription reading glasses, I can tie a Palomar and get off a couple casts before I tie a suitably clean SD Jam that I'm happy with.
Agreed. This is why I stick with my favorite knot. The other is that none of us set our drag to the full rating of the line we use. If I set my drag at 12 and used 12 pound test I'd expect to break off A LOT.
Nice! Thought double pitzen would win. That’s the knot I tie exclusively for fluorocarbon but after this might go back to my OG knot, palomar. Simpler and one tag end vs 3 and I fish mostly vegetation being in Florida. Thanks!
Just for the heck of it, would you consider doing a snell knot test like this? I'd be interested in the results of that, for sure. Edit: just realized you did a snell, but there are multiple kinds, and I'd like to see them compared.
Great video! It got me thinking since the snell knot was so consistent could it be due to the way that it’s tied? What I mean by that is the other knots require you to lubricate them to cinch them meaning they create friction and in turn always have a chance at burning or creating a weak spot in the line. The snell does not require lubrication to pull tight. Idk just a thought, I would love to be confident that any knot I tie will be consistent without outliers but with human error it’s hard to gain that confidence!
I appreciate the time you took to test these knots.
You must of messed up on the first palomar knot that's too big of a variation
If the two pieces of line cross over each other inside the eye it's only good for about 50%.
Enjoyed this video...very informative. Often I like to know my knots will break first especially when steelhead fishing so that I'm only losing terminal tackle and not the whole rig including the float/shot line. There are also certain knots I like tying for specific functions...double Uni for tying lines together, snell for hooks, and I almost always use clinch knots when tying to swivels. Snell knots are great when you're using light-weight fluoro, less chance of burning the line when cinching that knot onto the hook. Some knots I prefer solely because of ease of tying when you're out on the water, otherwise it's for ensuring certain parts of the set up break before others...especially because there are lots of snags where I fish most. On many occasions, when I've tied lines together with a double-Uni, at 5+ wraps per knot, I've had the line break before the knots gave out...so I've observed the knot itself actually adding some strength, in cases where I tied two lines of the exact same type (same lb test, same line type) together with a double Uni.
Palomar. Bar none.
Love this video and the one you did on fluoro lines and your thoughts on braid regarding wind knots.
I echo the Personal Protective Equipment concerns.
One improvement to the strain gauge setup would be to use a low rpm motor vs hand cranking to maximize consistency. I don't know if your average rod turning motor would have the torque, but I'd think you could find something for not to much $.
I also think it's be interesting to see this repeated with a fast (but consistent) speed a little more analogous to ahook set. This video better aligns with fish fight stress.
Again, so glad you're doing these and appreciate all the content you've been putting out. Big fan.
Please wear safety glasses next time!😎
What I came to say
Any idea why line mostly breaks at the knot? Does it have to do with the super pressure created when the knot is pulled tighter and tighter in on itself until finally physics takes over and the line, to come up with the best example I can think of, "cuts itself in two"? Just a thought on top of a question. I do have a curiosity question related to breaking tackle. Have you ever had a bait break due to the tugging and pulling of landing a fish? Line holds up, but the tie bolt pulled loose from the nose. Rings holding the hooks spread out and thus pulled loose. Hooks broke. Bad day when your knot is strong, your line is strong, but now you discover your bait is weak.
Easiest subscribe in my life. I mean, this is a content what I like: with tables, testing and comparing results. I liked it!
Love what you said at 8: 54 it "clicked" there was an "outlier" you're absolutely right, sometimes when you tie a knot it doesn't cinch up properly and you can see it. I've tied and re-tied knots simply because the finished knot just didn't look right and I'm glad I did cause your test proved that . I'll continue to use the Palomar cause I know it and it's easy to tie even with cold fingers, Thanks for the video!!
Another great video, I also like the line test video. Lots of people have opinions, but I do like the side by side comparison.
My go to is the uni knot. It’s always performed well and is very quick and easy to tie.
Maybe test the double uni knot. Aaron Martens did a couple of TH-cam videos on it. It was his favorite knot for any hook or lure.
As a life long fly fisherman of 20 plus years. . I prefer Palomar knots for one big reason. Theyre hardy and have endurance for casting.
Every knot else ive experimented with have all consistently get weaker faster and i knot test regularly.
Hello,
Another variable to check the strength of a knot is hook size.
The wire diameter affects knot strength.
The bigger wire (hook wire diameter) the higher knot strength will be. But each knot react differently to wire diameter (hook size)
I noticed some knots are better on smaller hook size and some are not.
Thank you
So, you determined the strongest knot, but, how long does it take to tie it? I've never heard of your strongest knot before. But, it looked like it was a bit more difficult to tie than the palomar. I think the palomar was probably your simplest knot and it was still pretty close in strength to the best knot you found. When I am out sitting in a boat and my hands are freezing and it's tough to feel my fingers anymore I am not sure if I can tie anything more complicated than a palomar. Just my 2 cents.
Bro you research and content is top notch. I started tying the double pitzen last year after watching you video and haven’t broken off since. Looks like I am going to have to learn a new knot now. Thanks
I appreciate the kind words. The Double Pitzen is a great not.. still one of my favorites...but I am going to be learning this new knot as well
I almost always use the double improved clinch knot (looks similar to that pitzen knot) im curious to see how it would perform. Definitely surprised about that uni knot!
I often use the double improved clinch knot. Try that when you get a chance. It might be a big improvement over the original.
There will be a difference in breaking points of the knots between static pulls like we see here and a shock load (ie dropping a known weight a set distance). The shock load on the knot will also be determined by length of line out etc etc etc.
I use the Uni Knot with 7 wraps. And even when I'm snagged hard and I can slowly pull on the line and always get my bait free.
I like it to, not sure I'm motivated to change knots.
He only did 4 wraps on the test I go 5or 6 min
In the middle of the heat of fishing and when the school is attacking intensely, the concern is that the line always returns to the water in good condition, and the only knot that out of 10 attempts you can get 09 perfectly is called: UNI KNOT.
After many years of always using a leader line, in many cases now I just use the main line with a improved clinch knot and count on the knot being the weakest point. Nice to see some actual numbers about the strength of this and the other knots.
Few comments, some of which were likely made: first if you do this again wear some eye protection. Chances are you’ll be fine but only takes once and could do some serious damage. Next my fav, the uni, I loop at least 6-8 times. That will make it stronger. That said I use the palomar when convenient, and grew up on the clinch which needs less line to tie it seems and hasn’t let me down. So overall they’re all good especially when tied right.
I would have been really interested in seeing a test using the whip knot for spade ends, I love spade end hooks, if the turns are well done and not over lapping each other I've found it the strongest because it does not constrict the line unlike how most knots do, the tag end is bound to the shank by several turns and more often than not the line brakes above the knot.
the san d knot is simply a regular blood knot with a tuck but doubled line
uni knot is usually my go to knot, if its neat and tidy again more often than not the line brakes above the knot,
I think that seeing the hooks after each test so we could see where the line or knot failed is vital to see, slow motion of the knot tightening up would be fabulous to see
I've been tying the double pitzen since I saw you introduce it in an earlier video. It almost never breaks, however it doesn't seem to hold well in braid
Yes I just use the Palomar for braid
Great video - Quick tip for excel to prevent the div error showing like it did in your table try something like the following to prevent. =IF(E2="","",IFERROR(SUM(A2:E2/5),"----")) The first "IF"waits for the last cell to be filled before calculating and the "IFERROR" tests for an error and then does the true/false. Best advice is research the IF and IFERROR functions on excel and you can find a solution you like.
The strongest and simplest tippet to fly knot there is, is the Pitzen knot (fly fishing - also known as Eugene Bend, The Pitzen and 20-16). The San Diego Jam Knot is one of the derivatives of this knot. The only difference is the tag end runs through the opening on the bottom before the loop located at the top. This extra step adds an additional pressure point to the dynamics of the knot and gives the San Diego Jam Knot the ability to be used on a slippery braided line and the double is a derivative of the single.
The knot is well tested to retain 95 percent of the breaking strength of the line. Tying this knot is easier if you are using tippets or a lighter line than it is for a heavier line.
It retains more than 95% of the line’s breaking strain
It is simple to tie and can be learned in a few minutes
It can be tied in any conditions - cold fingers, rocking boat or when you have spotted a big fish!
Because it cinches up with a little ‘pop’ it is easy to tell when it is tied correctly
Thanks for doing this! I’ve used Improved Clinch and some loop knots more than anything else for 50 years. Now I mostly flyfish and have added Lots of knots to my arsenal. A lot has to do with your drag setting and rod flexibility in any fishing situation. Unless you have to absolutely just haul them out of cover..then go up in line test. Experience will teach you the proper way to fight em..especially when you lose em! 😅 Thanks again..really enjoy your videos! 👍👍🎣👌✌️
My Wife is a year bass fisherwoman...I taught her the Miller Knot. Then after watching your previous Dbl Pitzen video, I taught her how to tie it. She found it easier to tie and she stuck with tying it.
That was awesome!! Enjoyed watching the tests & seeing the results!! Stay Safe & God Bless!!!
The San Diego Jam knot started in the saltwater tuna industry in San Diego California
Yes sir.
If you fish any long range trips out of Diego you will learn the SD Jamb knot. It is the most used knot in the fleet. I’ve been tying it for over 40 yrs. It’s the best knot to tie using floro carbon line.
The simple 6 turn clinch with an overhand jamb on the tag end has been tested stronger than the socalled improved clinch and it can be tied in the dark where it does not matter if a litte of the tag end shows. In the light it is easy to pull up close and tight.
Thank you for all this info!!!
I had to laugh at the sounds you made when the knot broke !!!😂. Me, well I'm a big pansy.....I CANT EVEN OPEN A CAN OF BISCUITS without a long utensil and full body armor and a few choice words!!! 😂😂😂😂! Again, thanks so much!!!!!
Really good video and knot info. Greatly appreciated. I'll be sticking with the uni until I learn the SD knot you tested. 👍🇺🇸
That SD Jam looks like a pain to tie in the wind on a kayak. The pitzen is pretty easy. When I have to tie a knot, I don't have a lot of space. Great video! I've learned a bunch from your videos.
I tie the Palomar knot, it is the easiest for me and also the easiest to teach when I have people who will get caught on everything and lose a hook every 5th cast.
My uncle taught me the Palomar, it’s literally all over ever known or done. Didn’t even know the name of it. Turned out uncle knew a pretty good knot!
I’d be interested to see this test with a three turn (instead of 5) trilene knot. In my own experiments a three turn trilene knot has 100% strength but a five does not. It does slip a tiny bit so it requires at least a 1 inch tag end.
Great video, only thing is on the uni knot. Use 5 instead of 4 twists. I don't throw 20 pound line very often. But, I've never broken the knot using that.
I would like to have seen the "non-slip mono loop knot". It is my favorite for bigger flies and lures and has tested for me 95% to 100%, meaning sometimes the line breaks, not the knot. As someone else mentioned, the number of twists needed increases for light line/tippet. Too few wraps and the knot slips and too many can mean too much friction/heat on draw up, and that can weaken knots. That brings us to moistening wraps. Nylon seems much more to need moistening than fluorocarbon, which seems to be somewhat self lubricating. PS-Chapstick works great to help knots draw up.