Fluro+Lost Lures=Money Wasted

[einscodek]

  Guys can you show me the best not for fluro. Every time I use this stuff I loose a bunch of lures. Im talking about 50 to 70 dollars worth. I want to try it again but scared too. Any help guys

Fluoro line knots gave me fits as well and I tried palomar, clinch knots.. all unraveled losing me lures as well.

I've a forceful whippy cast and the knots used to unravel first.

The floaters Ill just go and fetch but the sinkers.. well money lost man.

 

Search youtube for Shaw Grigsby and flurorocarbon knot.. his demonstrated knot saved me much angst and I've never broken off at the fluoro knot ever since.. I think at least for me Shaw Grigsby is correct.. his "forget the name" knot is the best on fluoro ..

 

youtube.com/watch?v=3I905PXIYww

[ColdSVT]

I used to tie the palomar knot with seaguar 60# and 40# flouro for my tarpon leaders...never lost a one to knot failure...if it can hold up to a 150# tarpon for 90mins a 20# flouro mainline with a palomar knot can and will hold any bass when tied right

[J Francho]

 

All advice is sound. However, the palomar knot is the wrong choice for fluoro. It crosses over itself inherently weakening the line.

 

Oh please.  Every single knot known to man, "crosses over itself."  Otherwise, it is just a twist, not a knot.  The Palomar, when properly tied, has proven time and time to be one of the strongest knots used with fluorocarbon.  I've been using a Palomar with a drop shot rigs and line as light as 2 lbs. without issue for over a decade.  If there was a problem, I'd see it.  I'd go so far to say, IF you can tie a proper Palomar knot, then it is THE knot to use with fluorocarbon.

 

If you are having issues with a Palomar breaking - it's user error, not the knot.  I proved this time and time again with others at shows, testing the knots on the same line - my knot against someone else that claimed to have issues with knot, using a scale.  Mine always broke above the stated line strength. Once I coached them on how to tie a proper Palomar, and take their time cinching the proper end (pull both the main and the tag, until the main is tight, then pull only tag end, all along keeping the knot moist and cool) their knots were as strong as mine.  most often, they were allowing too many twists in the doubled line, and cinching the wrong end, resulting in kinks in the mainline, before the knot.  If that line isn't straight, cut off and retie, because you failed to tie a strong and proper knot.

 

I know this sounds militant, but SO MANY TIMES, I hear the complaint about such and such knot, only to prove it was user error, not the knot.  Fluorocarbon will separate the men from the boys when it comes to knot tying.  Practice, test the strength, and practice some more.

 

BTW, if a Palomar is too difficult, I've found most decent fluorocarbon lines hold an improved clinch knot very well.  InvisX, Tatsu, Berkley 100%, and based on my bud's success with Vanish (yes, I said Vanish) that too.

[ClackerBuzz]

some great advice. at the end of the day you need to become a better student of fluoro AND knots.

this means picking a knot and any reputable fluoro and sitting down in front of the tv and tying, retying, trying that knot 100+ times. test every knot to break strength. take note if ur line is breaking at the knot or 8 inches above it (anywhere above the knot is good news b/c ur line is breaking BEFORE ur knot). hold it up to the light to see if you see any line burn on ur main line. 

this builds practice and experience. both will build confidence. don't be that guy that waits till he's on the water to practice knots.

[JWOA]

Fluoro line knots gave me fits as well and I tried palomar, clinch knots.. all unraveled losing me lures as well.

I've a forceful whippy cast and the knots used to unravel first.

The floaters Ill just go and fetch but the sinkers.. well money lost man.

 

Search youtube for Shaw Grigsby and flurorocarbon knot.. his demonstrated knot saved me much angst and I've never broken off at the fluoro knot ever since.. I think at least for me Shaw Grigsby is correct.. his "forget the name" knot is the best on fluoro ..

 

youtube.com/watch?v=3I905PXIYww

  Thats what I'm going to end up doing. Thanks

[PABASS]

I tie the Uni knot for FC, tried it with several brands and works well and easy to tie.

[JWOA]

I tie the Uni knot for FC, tried it with several brands and works well and easy to tie.

 I'll look that one up

[Hyrule Bass]

more than likely, youre not tying the knot properly. i just dont get all the knot problems people have. i use two knots for all my fishing and they havent failed me. i use the improved clinch more than any knot, next i seldomly on occasion use the palomar knot. neither have failed me. ive never had a lure go flying across the lake on a cast, and while it may cost me one day, i never retie my knots for the sake of it. visible line damage, yes, then i will retie. also, ive never had a fish pull my knot loose while fighting it, never had a break-off at the knot either. even when catfishing all weekend, if i dont get snagged and lose my tackle, then i often will have the same original knot i tied to start with hold all weekend long.

 

if your lures are flying off constantly, then youre probably not tightening your knots enough. as others have stated many times in this thread, wet your knot with some good old spit before tightening it down. it will reduce friction on the line when tightening it, and it will pull tight much smoother than dry line as the spit lubes it.

[einscodek]

 I'll look that one up

Depends on #lb Fluoro.. I use 25# and the uniknot will unravel.. the fluoro is too slick and thick at the higher # for uniknot .. I lost several lures on that and I love and use uniknot alot for mono and braid

[JWOA]

Depends on #lb Fluoro.. I use 25# and the uniknot will unravel.. the fluoro is too slick and thick at the higher # for uniknot .. I lost several lures on that and I love and use uniknot alot for mono and braid

 Will 20# test work fine??

[Loop_Dad]

Jay, I use Pitzen with all type of lines, including fluro. \

 

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

 

I actually use up to 7 wraps instead of 4. Still it is easy to tie and very strong. I tried the double version of this (Shaw Glibsy one) before, but didn't like it because it has three ends to trim. I like to keep things simple. My tip to tie this knot nice an clean is to moisten and bring the knot close to the hook by your finger, before you pull the line to tighten it up.

 

Good luck.

[einscodek]

 Will 20# test work fine??

Give it a shot if you dare.. I'd go with Shaw Grigsby.. have not lost a lure yet on it.. what a relief with the cost of lures these days!

[Mikey40]

Palomar all the way...like others said...must be very wet!

[NorcalBassin]

Never had a problem with the palomar knot on FC and I use really light test out here.

[Jaheff]

LRF_Advanced_Spangler_Knot.pdf

 

New knot to me that i have replaced the SD jam knot with. No need to moisten.

I have only used it on Seaguar premier which is a harder leader material, and tested

it on Izor co poly in garage with good results.

[Texas bassman]

ive tied nothing but polmars and never lost a lure unless i get hung up. using 12 15 and 20 lb test. ive used berkely trilene 100

% fluorocarbon. invisix,  bps xps flurocarbon, seaguar red label.

[Bluebasser86]

I tie either a San Diego Jam or Palomar. Tie them carefully, cinch them slowly, and keep them wet during the cinching process. Give the knot a good pull test after it's cinched down and you should know right away if you tied a good knot or not. It's amazing how easily even 20 or 25 pound line breaks with a poorly tied knot. 

[SirSnookalot]

If I'm using a light leader I'm pretty cautious cinching as not to burn the line, it hasn't been proven to me burning weakens the line, but why take a chance.  When I'm tying a heavier leader 30# and up I'll wet it down at home, by the water there seems to be enough humidity that spitting on the line isn't necessary.  Pretty common practice to use a pliers or place the hook on an immovable object and cinch the knot hard.