Improved Clinch All The Sudden Slipping Everytime

[Catch and Grease]

Today I grabbed my crankbait rod that has 20lb power pro super slick 8 on it and went to our pond to mess around awhile. Well when I got there I noticed that every time I tied my improved clinch if I gave it a pull to test the strength it would slip everytime. After 10-15 trys I gave up and switched to the Palomar that I dislike and it worked.

Why is this happening all the sudden? I used the improved clinch for this line for forever and I use the improved clinch for my other rigs to and never had it slip like this.

The line is probably 3-4 months old, is it just failing because its old? I don't see how the line would slip just from being old because it still has all of its 20lb strength...

I wrap my improved clinch 8 times for 20lb super slick then I tried 9 and it would still slip.... Any help guys?

[Scott F]

Clinch knots have never been the recommended knot for braided line because.....it slips.  Most guys use a palomar knot with braid. There are others that will work, but I've always use it and never had a problem so it's all that I use.

You find wrapping the line 8 or 9 times with a clinch knot easier than tying a palomar?

[Catch and Grease]

Hmm I've never had problems with it on braid... I do find the clinch knot easier at the moment because I have tied it for years. The Palomar Is easy too but I dont like how it can be finicky with treble hook lures trying to get it through the loop.

I might start tying it more and see if I can get faster with it, I've never had a improved clinch slip with braid until now.

[Cgrinder]

You should try a 5- turn Uni. Similar to the clinch but very braid friendly.

[Catch and Grease]

You should try a 5- turn Uni. Similar to the clinch but very braid friendly.

I like the uni knot and double uni knot but don't use them often except for saltwater. I'll give them another try

[Maico1]

Hmm I've never had problems with it on braid... I do find the clinch knot easier at the moment because I have tied it for years. The Palomar Is easy too but I dont like how it can be finicky with treble hook lures trying to get it through the loop.

I might start tying it more and see if I can get faster with it, I've never had a improved clinch slip with braid until now.

Just make the loop larger then.......

[Catch and Grease]

Just make the loop larger then.......

And it always seems that when I make a huge loop to get a big lure through I end up with a long tag end and wasted fishing line.

[rippin-lips]

For me it's palomar for braid.

Doubled over uni for fc and improved clinch for mono.

[Catch and Grease]

I guess I'll suck it up and tie the Palomar because its better than the improved clinch.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

Just tie another knot similar to the clinch that doesn't slip. There are tons of options,

[kickerfish1]

I have usead the improved clinch and variations of it for years. I tie the same knot with all types of lines and never had any problems when it is tied properly.

[OkobojiEagle]

Make the loop of your palomar knot large enough that you can reach through the knot with your hand, grasp the lure and it's treble hooks in your hand, bring your hand grasping the lure back through the loop and tighten the knot using only the main line not the tag end.  Use this technique with PE lines, not fluoro or nylon lines.

 

 

oe

[Catch and Grease]

Make the loop of your palomar knot large enough that you can reach through the knot with your hand, grasp the lure and it's treble hooks in your hand, bring your hand grasping the lure back through the loop and tighten the knot using only the main line not the tag end. Use this technique with PE lines, not fluoro or nylon lines.

oe

I'll do this, sounds like it'll solve all my problems with the Palomar.

[stk]

You can also use the San Diego jam knot, pretty close to the improved clinch. I use it for my power pro super slick 15lbs.

[Catch and Grease]

You can also use the San Diego jam knot, pretty close to the improved clinch. I use it for my power pro super slick 15lbs.

I've tied this before but haven't messed with it in quite awhile... I'll look back into it.

[SirSnookalot]

If the improved clinch hasn't failed until now it sounds like it's a line issue, I've used slick with the improved clinch without incident.  

This is what I do, I actually saw it on a saltwater fishing show and it worked to perfection.  I tie my improved clinch with 7 wraps the feed it thru the large loop, before cinching it I wrap thru the loop a second time then cinch it down. My 20# braid has landed many fish upwards of 50# or more without slipping ever, I use the knot the same way for freshwater.  I probably have not used the palomar more than 5 times in the last 10 years.

[Tywithay]

Sounds like maybe you were not going back through the loop the second time. Age of the line has nothing to do with slippage. I use the improved clinch for everything and it will not slip with any line if tied properly.

[JSFEcho]

I have used the improved clinch for over 45 years and I don't remember it ever slipping until last week.  Now every time I tie one, it slips.  Old line, new line, it doesn't matter, it worked with both before last week. 

 

I have to be doing something different, but I just can't figure it out.  It's not so much that I can't use another knot, because of course I can. 

 

I'm just perplexed.  

[LionHeart]

I use the improved clinch knot often with braid.  I've had the same thing happen but only occasionally.  I have noticed that when tying to a lure with a split ring, like a crank bait, it tends to happen more if the knot is clinched where the split ring doubles over itself(which is most of the ring).

 

Try clinching the knot down on the small portion of the split ring where the two ends of the ring end, and don't double over.  Hope that makes sense, it's hard to describe.

[kenmitch]

I've never had a issue using the improved clinch not with braid. Maybe I'm actually not doing it correctly? Haven't looked lately to see as I just tie what i think it is/was.

[FishDewd]

Another vote for sam diego jam. It'll work for all line types incuding fluorocarbon. Might want to make a second pass through the eyelet though just to help spread the load out more just for peace of mind if using FC.

[Lead Head]

I always use a uni for braid. Mostly because it's a much prettier knot than the Palomar and has never failed me.

[OkobojiEagle]

3 hours ago, LionHeart said:

Try clinching the knot down on the small portion of the split ring where the two ends of the ring end, and don't double over.  Hope that makes sense, it's hard to describe.

This spot on the split ring will provide the MOST abrasion to the line.  I prefer tying the line directly opposite on the ring to where you proposed.

 

oe

[LionHeart]

8 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

This spot on the split ring will provide the MOST abrasion to the line.  I prefer tying the line directly opposite on the ring to where you proposed.

 

oe

Never had an issue with this but who knows how many variables there could be.