Palomar Or Improved Clinch Knot?

[Highhawk1948]

Palomar

[iabass8]

Palomar on braid

San Diego Jam on mono and fluoro. Super strong knot and barely waste any amount of line at all.

[SirSnookalot]

What those testing machines don't do is utilize a drag which IMO is very important in fishing, especially for larger stronger fish.  The palomar is a good knot, I find too awkward for me and it's a knot I seldom consider using using.  I do vary the way I tie my loop and improved clinch dependent on my target species.

[Hooligan]

Palomar is not recommended for fluorocarbon lines at all. Seaguar uses to have on their packaging that you were not to tie the Palomar because of its propensity to weaken fluorocarbon. Many, many pros no longer tie the Palomar for the same reason. It may well pass through the eye twice, but it also crosses on itself which is Terri me for fluorocarbon. It loses strength drastically, it used to be considered one of the strongest knots, but that simply isn't the case any longer.

[MrSwimJig]

I pretty much only use the Palomar knot. I also use it with Seaguar InvizX and AbrazX and have not had a knot failure with it....knock on wood. I do moisten the heck out of it while tying it though.

But after reading this thread I may give the Improved Clinch Knot a shot.

[PABASS]

Palomar is not recommended for fluorocarbon lines at all. Seaguar uses to have on their packaging that you were not to tie the Palomar because of its propensity to weaken fluorocarbon. Many, many pros no longer tie the Palomar for the same reason. It may well pass through the eye twice, but it also crosses on itself which is Terri me for fluorocarbon. It loses strength drastically, it used to be considered one of the strongest knots, but that simply isn't the case any longer.

I have read this as well, Aaron Marten recommends a uni knot when using FC and for dropshoting.  Last week I used a dropshot exclusively with FC and while the Palomar knot didn't fail at the wrong time it did break a few times.  Been using the Berkeley braid knot for FC and Braid and its worked great thus far.

[BrianSnat]

For most of my life it was clinch knot only. I can tie it blindfolded.    Now I use palomar to tie on hooks, for dropshot and for smaller lures. Larger lures are too much of a pain to pass through the loop so I still use clinch knot for those. 

[fishking247]

Palomar

[HuskyKMA]

Palomar knot for braid.

 

Improved Clinch for mono.

 

San Diego Jam for heavy mono or big (salmon, tuna, etc.) species.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

I use the palomar knot for flouro 17lb. Never had a break off. Until I do I'll switch.

I just watched a *** vid on YouTube about how to tie the palomar for flouro. Even though I never tied it that way I still never had problems.

[PABASS]

The trouble with FC for me is the light test 6#s Palomar knots break easy, improved clinch doesn't fair well either, trying the uni to see how it goes.

[martintheduck]

I like the palomar for all of my needs, but I can't tie one without an over abundance of tag left so I waste a bunch of line every time I retie. Went to dual locks to fix that.

 I had the same problem, but fixed it..... you double the line through.... then do the overhand knot.... THEN, mess around with the loop (before bringing it back over the hook) and you can pull the excess tag line. Then, once you putt the loop over the hook, just pull the single spool line piece instaead of both line and tag end. 

 

 

 

That might have been a terrible description, but it's the best I can give.

[TNBassin']

 I had the same problem, but fixed it..... you double the line through.... then do the overhand knot.... THEN, mess around with the loop (before bringing it back over the hook) and you can pull the excess tag line. Then, once you putt the loop over the hook, just pull the single spool line piece instaead of both line and tag end. 

 

 

 

That might have been a terrible description, but it's the best I can give.

I appreciate the tip. Hopefully I will save some line now.

[backcast88]

Neither.  Learn the San Diego Jam Knot.  You can use it for braid, mono, and fluoro and is just as easy to tie.  Its all I use anymore and have never had one fail, I can't say the same for the Palomar.

[BassThumb]

I prefer the Improved Clinch for mono, fluoro, and copoly, and the Double Palomar for braid. The Double works especially well with newer styles of braid which tend to be slicker.

 

I know a lot of people swear by it, but I've had bad luck and a few breakoffs while using the Palomar with fluorocarbon line. Fluoro is highly susceptible to friction burns that badly weaken the knot, and I believe I was burning my line when I tried it, despite using lots of spit.

 

I'm very comfortable with the Improved Clinch. I can tie it with my eyes closed, so I see no reason to switch.