Sandiego Jam

[papajoe222]

I finally saw the light and started fishing with FC line last season.  The use of a line conditioner helped with the controll issues I had previously and changing from a Palomar not to a Pitzen relieve some of the line breakage issues. 

The Pitzen is a great knot and the only issue I have with it is the tag end sticking out to the side of the knot which picks up the fine weeds and moss.  I have been practicing tying the SanDiego Jam (which to me is a variation of the Pitzen) and like the fact that it, too wraps both the mainline and the tag.  How do you feel this knot performs with fluorocarbon?

[Bluebasser86]

Only knot I tie with fluoro anymore. It's easy to tie and when tied carefully and properly it's extremely strong. 

[5fishlimit]

For me it is now the only knot I use for fluorocarbon and copolymer line. Since switching to it I have not had a knot failure occur.

Many people swear by the palomar, but it was not a knot I could tie confidently. I had too many knot failures.

[nascar2428]

Only knot I tie with fluoro anymore. It's easy to tie and when tied carefully and properly it's extremely strong. 

My sentiments exactly. An outstanding knot for fluorocarbon.

[CJV]

I tie a palomar with fluorocarbon 100% of the time. If you guys are having knot failures with that knot your not tying it correctly. Remember you can't cross the lines when cinching that's the main problem I see people mess up when tying it.

[Bluebasser86]

I tie a palomar with fluorocarbon 100% of the time. If you guys are having knot failures with that knot your not tying it correctly. Remember you can't cross the lines when cinching that's the main problem I see people mess up when tying it.

 

I've never understood this, how do you not cross the lines when tying a knot? Isn't a knot essentially just a bunch of crossed lines? A knot wouldn't work very well if it never crossed itself. Don't take that as a jab at you at all, I just hear that a lot and it's never made sense to me.

 

For me, I feel the SDJ knot cinches down much smoother, which reduces heat damage to the line. I tied a Palomar for a long time with fluoro and had very few problems. I agree that most probably tighten it too quickly or don't wet the line well enough and damage it while tightening it and that it isn't a matter of it being a poor knot for fluoro, I just like the SDJ better.

[WIGuide]

I tie a palomar with fluorocarbon 100% of the time. If you guys are having knot failures with that knot your not tying it correctly. Remember you can't cross the lines when cinching that's the main problem I see people mess up when tying it.

x2

 

I've never understood this, how do you not cross the lines when tying a knot? Isn't a knot essentially just a bunch of crossed lines? A knot wouldn't work very well if it never crossed itself. Don't take that as a jab at you at all, I just hear that a lot and it's never made sense to me.

 

For me, I feel the SDJ knot cinches down much smoother, which reduces heat damage to the line. I tied a Palomar for a long time with fluoro and had very few problems. I agree that most probably tighten it too quickly or don't wet the line well enough and damage it while tightening it and that it isn't a matter of it being a poor knot for fluoro, I just like the SDJ better.

It just means that your lines must be running parallel to one another. When people double the line a lot of times they'll twist or cross the two lines over one another. or somewhere in the knot they will. (not sure if I helped to explain that right or not, if not just let me know and I'll either make a video of it tonight or get a picture of some kind.)

[Preytorien]

I like the Palomar for braid, but the SDJ or reverse clinch for flouro/copolymer seems to work great for me. Not to get off the OP, but the reverse clinch seems to cinch down very well too, and it's one that's easy to visually distinguish if you've tied it effectively.

[ClackerBuzz]

I love the SDJ. it's great for beginners using fluoro b/c you cinch it upward (opposite direction of the eye on hook) so you can't burn it as easily and you can take your time making sure your wraps lay nicely. it's also great for lures 5-8" b/c you don't have to waste ablot of line using a hoop like with a palomar.  

now that my fluoro knot tying skills are up to par i'm back to the palomar for lures smaller than 4" and use the SDJ for larger lures to save line.

[Mike L]

SDJ is a Pitzen with one more step, going through both loops.

I also use this for evevy line other than braid. For that I still use the Palomar.

The thing about the SDJ, as with the Uni is that the knot continues to cinch tighter and tighter to the hook, or eye..The double SDJ which is just passing the line twice through the eye as you do with a Palomar, is what I use now for all flippin or pichin in heavy cover with heavy floro. Just less twists.

Mike

[hatrix]

I use mostly a improved clinche knot almost all the time now a days and have no issue. As someone had said it is easy to see when you tie a good one and it is a very easy and fast knot to tie. With braid I still tie a palomar because passing a tag end through loops is almost impossible at times.

I think with the line crossing on a palomar if your loop has a twist in it when you go to tighten it will burn your line or sometimes it will tighten down before you can even pull all the slack out.

[WRB]

The SD jam knot has been around a long time before FC line became popular. Easy to tie on the water, but use at least 4-5 twists. Back in the 70's we called the SD knot the spinnerbait knot because it was easy to use the lures weight and swing it around the double line, then clinch it tight.

Tom

[Elegantly Wasted]

Why don't you guys use the SDJ on braid as well? Based on Knot Wars testing the SDJ actually has higher break strength on braid than a palomar knot does. I now use the SDJ for everything other than snelling a flipping hook and tying a drop shot. The SDJ is super easy to tie and has exceptional break strength on fluoro, mono and braid. 

[Mike L]

Its just a confidence thing with me.

Its why I still use the Uni to Uni to join 2 lines when it seems the whole world uses the Albright or Alberto.

Mike

[fishguy613]

I tie a palomar with fluorocarbon 100% of the time. If you guys are having knot failures with that knot your not tying it correctly. Remember you can't cross the lines when cinching that's the main problem I see people mess up when tying it.

this, im glad i saw a video on that subject when i was teaching myself the palomar ive never had a knot failure yet. I used the improved clinch knot before the palomar and did have the odd failure

[NathanW]

I am shocked that people are having issues with the palomar knot...

 

If you give yourself plenty of line to tie it with it is fool proof.

 

All of these knots are easy to tie but the palomar is quick and requires little to no finessing.

 

Double it up for braid.

[rippin-lips]

Another problem I noticed with a few people when tying the Palomar is that once they make the overhand knot,they cinch it down too much. This cause line burn when pulling it tight during the final step. I always pull that loop back open a good bit after I go down around the hook or lure. When cinching it down the line doesn't even have any resistance until the end. Also wet it good but we all already knew that part.

[Preytorien]

I like the Palomar for braid, but the SDJ or reverse clinch for flouro/copolymer seems to work great for me. Not to get off the OP, but the reverse clinch seems to cinch down very well too, and it's one that's easy to visually distinguish if you've tied it effectively.

 

Turns out the reverse clinch knot, as I've heard it called, is also the San Diego Jam Knot.....huh....who knew.

 

I love that knot, super easy for cranks, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits, among others of course.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

A similar knot, the "fishin' fool" is even simpler: twice through the eye and then a regular uni. Works well for braid too. The double loop gives it some bite to prevent slipping.

[Mike L]

A similar knot, the "fishin' fool" is even simpler: twice through the eye and then a regular uni. Works well for braid too. The double loop gives it some bite to prevent slipping.

I used that knot before I switched to the SDJ for eveything but braid.

Honestly don't remember why I switched, its just as easy and fast.

I like the double loop.

Mike