Don't Forget To Retie

[slonezp]

If not to keep your bait, or catch that hawg, at least do it for the bass. My son caught a bass yesterday that he had to remove 2 additional hooks besides his own from the fishes mouth. I know many of todays youth feel metal piercing thru their lips defines their identity. I don't believe the bass have the same self esteem or attention issues.

 

Tight lines

[Big Jon]

I'll add to make sure that your knot won't untie while fighting a fish as well. I had some 10lbs line I was using and lost two fish after making the set. I looked at the end of the line and it looked liked the knot came out. I had tied an improved clinch knot. Well, on the third hook, I left about two inches of tag end and slowly pulled it all the way out. Needless to say, I'm not buying that line anymore and I stopped using that rod until I could replace the line.

[Bladesmith,]

Semper; use a Palomar knot. It will not slip and is quick and easy to tie.

[SirSnookalot]

One of the things I don't understand about bass fishing, even though I've been doing it for 60 years, are broken knots and lines.  Believe me it's just not bass fishing, it happen with all species.  I don't care what knots are being used, if tied correctly and checked for wear they don't break too often.  Saying a knot never fails is absolute, things do happen on occasion, sometimes within our control and sometimes out of it.  I've been catching bonita the last few days on med spinning, I have not retied my leader to line knot or my knot to my duolock, but it's checked often, for the most part knot and line failure is negligence. 

[AJMichigan]

Personally I use a noose type knot (not sure the exact name of it) and i've never had a problem with the hook just sliding off of the line or the not coming undone.

[Basshammer]

^{I use a knot called the miller knot and hasn't done me wrong yet.}

[Snakehead Whisperer]

It also pays to check the line often for nicks/abrasion, especially with fluorocarbon. If I find a nick nowadays, I always cut it out and re-tie. Lost an incredible fish a long time ago because of this laziness... never again.

[Big Jon]

Semper; use a Palomar knot. It will not slip and is quick and easy to tie.

 

Yeah I thought about doing that after I pulled the knot out that third time, but I just decided to put new line on. I really should switch to the Palomar when applicable. The annoying thing was that I had just got that line. It was brand new, and I had just strung that reel a few days prior and hadn't been fishing. It's OK now though, I put some other line on there and have been keeping all the fish I hook. Trees on the other hand...

[new2BC4bass]

I'll add to make sure that your knot won't untie while fighting a fish as well. I had some 10lbs line I was using and lost two fish after making the set. I looked at the end of the line and it looked liked the knot came out. I had tied an improved clinch knot. Well, on the third hook, I left about two inches of tag end and slowly pulled it all the way out. Needless to say, I'm not buying that line anymore and I stopped using that rod until I could replace the line.

 

Seriously doubt it is the line.  What line is it?  I used the Clinch and Improved Clinch Knot a lot in my youth.  Always with mono.  Never had that problem.  Try a Uni Knot or the Fish N Fool Knot (a Uni with line thru eye twice).  I agree with SirSnookalot....just about any knot should hold as long as your drag is set correctly.

[Big Jon]

Seriously doubt it is the line.  What line is it?  I used the Clinch and Improved Clinch Knot a lot in my youth.  Always with mono.  Never had that problem.  Try a Uni Knot or the Fish N Fool Knot (a Uni with line thru eye twice).  I agree with SirSnookalot....just about any knot should hold as long as your drag is set correctly.

 

I have almost exclusively used the improved clinch for fishing my entire life. I have never had it just straight pull out like that before. I haven't had the issue since I changed the line. I just checked the back of the car, but I guess I already tossed the line in the trash. Someone had given it to me brand new in the box so I don't remember what it was, I just strung it up as 10lb line was what I had wanted at the time and that was the only one I had. 

 

Believe me, I know what knots are and how to tie them. I am an Eagle Scout and I was in the Marine Corps. I spent years learning and teaching knots. When I say the line slid straight out of the knot, that is what it did. I didn't even have to pull that hard for it to do it. The knot has never been the problem in the past, and it hasn't been a problem since that time. The only thing I did was get rid of the line and the problem was fixed. Logically speaking, it had to have been the line.

[AQUA VELVA]

Also learned the hard way about checking your line for nicks every few fish. Im a mono man and use the improved cinch or palamar and have never had a knot failure if tied correctly.

[slonezp]

I have almost exclusively used the improved clinch for fishing my entire life. I have never had it just straight pull out like that before. I haven't had the issue since I changed the line. I just checked the back of the car, but I guess I already tossed the line in the trash. Someone had given it to me brand new in the box so I don't remember what it was, I just strung it up as 10lb line was what I had wanted at the time and that was the only one I had. 

 

Believe me, I know what knots are and how to tie them. I am an Eagle Scout and I was in the Marine Corps. I spent years learning and teaching knots. When I say the line slid straight out of the knot, that is what it did. I didn't even have to pull that hard for it to do it. The knot has never been the problem in the past, and it hasn't been a problem since that time. The only thing I did was get rid of the line and the problem was fixed. Logically speaking, it had to have been the line.

That line sounds like Nonofil. The only knot recommended for it is the double palomar.

[slonezp]

Also learned the hard way about checking your line for nicks every few fish. Im a mono man and use the improved cinch or palamar and have never had a knot failure if tied correctly.

Be glad you don't fish in zebra mussel infested waters. Instead of checking every few fish, it's every few casts.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

That line sounds like Nonofil. The only knot recommended for it is the double palomar.

Is that a typo, or is that spelling intentional? I laughed, regardless

[Darren.]

It also pays to check the line often for nicks/abrasion, especially with fluorocarbon. If I find a nick nowadays, I always cut it out and re-tie. Lost an incredible fish a long time ago because of this laziness... never again.

 

Indeed true. Too many times have I reeled in after either a catch, or coming through abrasive stuff. I check my line, feel *something*, but decide to cast again. Surely I won't catch a fish on the next cast... Wrong. Or wrong some of the time. Enough times to convince myself that I need to retie after I feel the first imperfection in the line.

 

And I echo the sentiments on learning to tie knots. I'm pretty darn good at tying snells, palomars, albrights (variants) while on the water. I *always* test my knots before casting the first time. It is rare that a knot fails on me. Broke off a TX rig the other day in rocks. Couldn't free it for the life of me. Pulled till my line broke -- just below the albright knot...

[Big Jon]

That line sounds like Nonofil. The only knot recommended for it is the double palomar.

 

I'm guessing you meant Nanofil. Either way I just looked it up online, and that was it. Thanks! Good to know. I guess I shouldn't have tossed the line. Oh well, you live and you learn.

[slonezp]

I'm guessing you meant Nanofil. Either way I just looked it up online, and that was it. Thanks! Good to know. I guess I shouldn't have tossed the line. Oh well, you live and you learn.

You did right by tossing it. Aside from it's castability and sensitivity, I hated it. It floats, it's highly visible, knot issues, and the zebra mussels would shred it apart.