...yeah but can you tie it with one hand?

Gonna hafta dig around in the fish box and see if can't fumblefinger my way through that knot...thanks!

PALOMARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

fishNphysician's knot is nice and clean and without a doubt a 100%'er.

I have a somewhat simpler knot that incorporates some characteristics of more than one of the aforementioned knots, and is also nice and clean and 100%'er (I tested it in a knot tying contest where each contestant was allowed two knots.....both of mine tested at 100%+).

Run the line end through the eye twice, then wrap the line three times around the main line and run the end back through BOTH loops which were formed at the eye. Wet and tighten knot by pulling both tag end and main line. Done.

Clinch knot and improved clinch knot are lousy knots.....test them if you don't believe me....both will bind on the single loop through the eye and cut it....They were my Dad's favorite knots, but I wouldn't waste my time tying either.

fun5acres:

What you describe is a three-turn version of the old standby Trilene knot. I gave up on it because the two passes around the eye cause so much friction (with or without spit) that the knot always seems to have a pigtail appearance in the main line just above the knot. The knot itself is sound, but the Achilles heel of the whole deal is those pigtails. It always breaks just above the knot.

And yes, the clinch and unimproved clinch are LOUSY knots for strength... you lose 20-25% on unknotted line strength. Their only upside is that they are incredibly fast and easy to tie, which could be a plus when you need to get back in the water in a hurry after breaking off in the middle of a hot bite!

anyone use a uni knot?

I've always used what I call a "double clinch knot" and it looks exactly like fishNphysician's knot. I don't understand the 3 tags on the first knot, a few more and it would look like a rag.

Affirmative.

I use many different knots for various situations (flyfishers curse), but I find the Uni to be the most versatile of all steelhead/salmon fishing knots (especially as the eyes get dimmer). It is strong and very easy to tie. It is adjustable for spinners and spoons; it also works great as a shock knot. It's great for binding disparate lines (mono/braid) and it works well as a sliding bobber stop or a distance indicator for plugs. A steelheader that does not use or know the Uni is similar to a boater that does not use or know a bowline. Two knots you'll always be glad you learned even if all you ever use is a clinch or palomar.

Yeah Mooch, the uni is the bomb. I can tie that thing in the dark. I use it for attaching drift leaders and line splices.

Fun5Acres has the knot that will kick azz on all the others without a doubt.

Don't believe me? Try it ,but, do it right.

FishiNphys, The reason that you get the "squigglie" on the main line is because when tightening this knot you are doing to much on the main line and not the tag end.

We call it a Jim-Bob knot.

And it also works on the braided line, if you use that crap.

fp

It's called the New improved improved cinched knot. Yes you are right, that is 2 improved's and not a typo or double vision. You double the line and send it through and then back through a second time then make 3 0r 4 wrap arounds of the main line. After that you send the double short tag ends back down through the 2 loops that were form when you sent the taged in through eye. After that you can pull tight or you can take the taged ends back up through the loop that was formed when you did the previous step and pull tight forming the strongest knot known to man. You must be careful not to trim the wrong line or you will have to start all over. I do that often.

Aunty is right, it's the clinch knot. I personally use the palomar, uni.,or one that is easier than all the others called the Duncan loop. OOps, just exposed myself as a closet flyfisherman. Mark Sosin & Lefty Kreh wrote an excellent knot book years ago that has stood the test of times as well as the scrutiny of fisherman worldwide. I had the priveledge of having lunch with Lefty once and he suggested the Duncan loop. I have been using it ever since. It's not 100% but damn close, and rated just above the improved clinch. If you want the knots that are actually stronger than the rest look to the Bimini twist and Australian braid knots.The name of Lefty's book is Practical Fishing KnotsII.

What Sid said! I have that book, and it's excellent. I drag it out often enough the cover is pretty well shot. It's especially good for tying knots in really heavy mono.