stlhd20: Would you like it better if it were called the poor white trash knot, or perhaps the toothless, slack-jawed yokel knot ? Just kidding. I know you live in Forks where them's fighting words.

The palomar is, IMHO the easiest knot in the world to tie, and it tests at nearly 100%. What more could you ask?

But. .. I do tie the improved clinch most of the time cuz I have been tying it since before they invented mono- just after dirt was invented.

Sometimes I get lazy and tie the unimproved clinch. I usually quit that for a few months when the knot comes unraveled on a big fish

Don't worry about what Herzogs book calls your knot. I know he only uses a square knot, unless he''s in a hurry then its a granny.