Florocarbon Knots

[RDP1973]

Can anyone tell me what is the best knot for florocarbon line?

[quanjig]

I started tying the Zona shark knot this year with floro, no break offs on the hook set to date!

[RDP1973]

Hey thanks ill try it out?

[Loop_Dad]

Pitzen Knot. I do with 5 wraps for 15 lbs.

[james 14]

Never had a problem with a Palomar. Just wet it well when you tighten it down and it should be fine.

[NorcalBassin]

Never had a problem with a Palomar. Just wet it well when you tighten it down and it should be fine.

x2... I've never needed another knot with my FC.

[Curved]

Double clinch for terminal, and double palomar for in-line is what I use. That said, if I can chose only one knot, its double palomar.

[11justin22]

I have always tied a palomar and when I started using flouro I tried different knots because everyone said a palamor wouldnt work. Well after many break offs I switched back to the palamor and no breaks....go figure. BUT and this is huge but In my opinion I flip the loop after u pass the bait through it, so it will pull down on top of the knot

[matt996]

palomar knot! no need for any other.

[SudburyBasser]

Shaw Grigsby

what I believe is called the double uni knot which he says is the best FC knot.

[Goose21]

I've had nothing but success with the simple improved clinch knot, always sure to wet thouroghly before clinching.

[WRB]

I wonder how many times this topic has come up....hundreds!

FC line is a monofilament, meaning single extruded strand, the difference being polymer; fluorocarbon verses nylon.

Fluorocarbon is not stronger than nylon, it' has less light refraction and that is the only reason to consider using FC line.

If you are fishing in off color water, FC line has little to offer. However if the water is clear and the bass are line shy, then FC is a good choice.

The bottom line is FC stretches about the same as nylon, except FC line doesn't recover; it stays stretched and becomes smaller in diameter and weaker. When you tie knots with FC line you should avoid reducing the line diameter from the pressure of tightening the knot and squeezing line deforming it, thereby weakening the knot.

All good FC knots cushion the line and deform it less than knots that apply high pressure.

Lubricate the knot to reduce heating and pressure. Learn to tie your knots at home and practice looking for flattened line near the knot.

I use FC line because of the gin clear water and use small diameter line to reduce line drag in the water. I also use premium nylon mono line, also small diameter whenever I can; meaning if the bass will bite I will nylon mono, if not I will go to FC. The reason mono knot strength is about 20% stronger pound per pound verses FC line. I use the San Diego knot for FC, it tests stronger and fishes stronger than any other knot with FC line, for me.

Hybrid FC/nylon line is a good compromise; better knot strength then FC and reduced light refraction then nylon.

Tom

[PondBoss]

I switched to the San Diego Jam knot and have had zero problem since I switched. I saw that video of Shaw Grigsby a while back and started using it, not had knot issues since.

[leadslinger]

Shaw Grigsby

what I believe is called the double uni knot which he says is the best FC knot.

Been using this knot for 6 months now and love it. Simple to tie, strong, no break-offs to date.

Whatever it's called, it works great.

[SudburyBasser]

Been using this knot for 6 months now and love it. Simple to tie, strong, no break-offs to date.

Whatever it's called, it works great.

That's good to hear. I'm trying out FC on one of my combos after years of being a strictly braid enthusiast and one of my fears was knot strength.

[Loop_Dad]

Shaw Grigsby

what I believe is called the double uni knot which he says is the best FC knot.

I saw this video before and tried this before too. I wasn't so much fund of having three ends sticking out from a knot, but didn't have any problem otherwise and agree it is a good knot.

And I just noticed this is basically doubled version of Pitzen Knot with 3 turns (It is not doubled San Diego Jam because he does not go through the bottom opening before the loop at the top.) My current preference is the regular Pitzen Knot over doubled version because only one end sticking out from the knot, the knot is more compact and no need to double up which slows me down sometimes.

[susky killer]

Eugene bend knot

[roadwarrior]

Pitzen Knot also known as 16-20 or Duncan Knot

http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/pitzen-knot

[SudburyBasser]

Shaw Grigsby

what I believe is called the double uni knot which he says is the best FC knot.

For accuracy's sake: I have since found out that this is not, in fact, the double uni knot. In another video Grigsby demonstrates his favourite knot for braided line which is the double uni.

[.ghoti.]

Thanks WRB. You saved me a lot of typing. LOL

This info is spot on. I do not like FC line, for the reasons WRB stated, and will use it only in a worst case scenario.

If I have to use it, my tests tell me to use a San Diego jam knot.

[G_money]

I've had success with a multitude of knots. It's more about using high quality fluorocarbon. If you're buying cheap fluoro you might as well forget about the knot because it's gonna break sooner or later. The deal with fluoro that a lot of people don't realize is it does stretch, like mono (some stretch less like Toray Superhard Upgrade), but unlike mono fluoro doesn't retain it's shape once stretched. And the cheaper it is the more it loses strength when stretched, and when soaked. The high quality fluoro's are good for about 15-20 hard trips or more, cheap fluoro some are good for a few trips then it's break off city.

But as far as knots go the most important factor is to wet the knot good, avoid line twisting in the knot, and avoid knots that have a single wrap that can cut through the other wraps in the knot. My most consistent performers have been the Grigsby special, San Diego Jam, and another unnamed knot that involves simply doubling the line then wrapping down the line, like the double san diego jam, except you don't go through the bottom only the top.

Good luck

[BobP]

I think the Grigsby knot would be a standard Pitzen knot, only using a doubled line.

[The Next KVD]

Never had an issue with a palomar knot. I use it for everything and never had an issue with any line be it mono, braid, or fluoro breaking b/c of the knot. Just got to wet it really good.

[tylerwyp]

I switched to the San Diego Jam knot and have had zero problem since I switched. I saw that video of Shaw Grigsby a while back and started using it, not had knot issues since.

Heard about the San Diego jam knot recently too and had no problems. Seems to be getting more and more popular as it reaches the bass fishing world. Before now it was a kept secret among San Diego ocean fishermen. Try it you won't be sorry. Good Luck!

[roadwarrior]