BR Knot Geeks - Here is your challenge..

[Puggz]

65lb Spiderwire Stealth to 15lb Invizx for a leader.  The line is spooled on a pair of Tekota 500lcs that I use for trolling (Smallies, Walleye, Steelhead, Pike, Muskie) - I keep the reel spooled with braid, just change the rod and leader as I move from one species to another. Trolling style will include long-lining, in-line planer boards, and downriggers.  As the 65# braid is 0.015in / 0.38mm diameter and the Floro is 0.013in / 0.33mm diameter what knot do you recommend?? This will be used on a TDR trolling rod so a small profile know it not necessary as the guides are quite large in diameter.

Preference is:

1. Strenght
2. Ease of tying
3. Profile.

TIA!

 

 

[BrianinMD]

Alberto knot

[IDUTBass]

54 minutes ago, BrianinMD said:

Alberto knot

This or an Albright knot.

[00 mod]

Uni to uni for me

Jeff

[Deleted account]

Since the lines are similar in diameter, I'd go for the uni to uni (also cause I still have an axe to grind with Crazy Al . I like more turns on the braid than the leader, like 10/5 maybe. Also 50 would be a better choice for that connection.

[paleus]

Alberto is what I would use.

[buzzed bait]

uni to uni is easy for me to tie and since you said guide size is no issue, i would see no problems at all with this knot

[Team9nine]

Since strength is your #1 consideration, that leaves out a lot of knots including the uni-uni. There are really just 3 practical/common freshwater knots to consider; FG/Sebile, Alberto and 'J' Knot

1. Strength - FG/Sebile is best, with a tie between Alberto and J knot for 2nd strongest (edge Alberto)
2. Ease of tying - J Knot has the least amount of turns/twists, but Alberto isn't far behind in ease. FG/Sebile seems to be the toughest of the three for most.
3. Profile - FG/Sebile wins here again, with Alberto in 2nd and J knot in 3rd

-T9

[eyedabassman]

Uni or the albright knot.

[desmobob]

FG or easier-to-tie Alberto.  Great knots!

Tight lines,

Bob

[JustinU1X]

Step one throw away the spiderwire (jk)

step two use an Alberto/modified Albright. FG is really strong but also susceptible to knot failure. 

[Oklahoma Mike]

I tried out the FG knot for the first time yesterday and lost the leader on a nice one, first hookup. I was pretty sure I tied it correctly. I was tying 10lb Fireline to a 15lb CX leader.

[fishballer06]

The Seaguar knot is probably the easiest leader knot I have found to tie. I do however prefer the Alberto knot. 

[paleus]

1 hour ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

I tried out the FG knot for the first time yesterday and lost the leader on a nice one, first hookup. I was pretty sure I tied it correctly. I was tying 10lb Fireline to a 15lb CX leader.

This has been my experience with the FG knot. It holds great until that first loop slips off the end of the leader, then it all comes undone. I know you have to pull really hard to set the knot so the braid really bites into the leader. I just can't get it to work reliably on small diameter lines. Plus, the alberto is easier to tie.

[adam lancia]

17 hours ago, paleus said:

This has been my experience with the FG knot. It holds great until that first loop slips off the end of the leader, then it all comes undone. I know you have to pull really hard to set the knot so the braid really bites into the leader. I just can't get it to work reliably on small diameter lines. Plus, the alberto is easier to tie.

I have found that the harder the leader material is, the more difficult it is to get the braid to bite into it and take a good hold. Also, ensuring the braid doesn't have any slippery waxy coating on it helps a lot. I use Sufix 832 and find that I need to strip the braid with my fingernail several times before it looses it's slippery coating.

[tander]

I think the uni is easier to tie but I prefer the Alberto knot because I think it goes through the guides better.

[Tim Kelly]

A properly tied FG will not slip. I had a few false starts with it when I first used it, but that was down to me and not the knot. More practise and really pulling hard on both ends of line after you've done the first half hitch is really important. I tend to do around 24 weaves then the first half hitch. Pull like a lunatic on the braid and the fluoro to seat the knot, then a couple more half hitches. Clip the fluoro  flush with the knot, then three more half hitches round the standing braid, then a double through half hitch to finish and leave the braid tag 1/2" long.  Absolutely no failures since getting the technique down.

[Further North]

On 3/21/2016 at 1:05 PM, desmobob said:

FG or easier-to-tie Alberto.  Great knots!

Tight lines,

Bob

Agree.

[South FLA]

Uni to Uni for me. Haven't lost a fish at line junction to date!  

[Puggz]

On 2016-03-21 at 2:30 PM, JustinU1X said:

Step one throw away the spiderwire (jk)

step two use an Alberto/modified Albright. FG is really strong but also susceptible to knot failure. 

 

26 minutes ago, South FLA said:

 

Sigh..

On 2016-03-21 at 0:00 PM, reason said:

Since the lines are similar in diameter, I'd go for the uni to uni (also cause I still have an axe to grind with Crazy Al . I like more turns on the braid than the leader, like 10/5 maybe. Also 50 would be a better choice for that connection.

Hmmm, finally an intelligent answer.. Unfortunately I've already purchased and spooled the 65# 

Just for clarity, for Muskie I tie on a dedicated Leader, usually 100# with hardware using a Polamer. 

For bass, "eyes and steelhead, I'll be tying on the Floro.  Right now I'm using 15#, if I went down to 12, would that help?

[Jaheff]

10 hours ago, Puggz said:

 

 

Sigh..

Hmmm, finally an intelligent answer.. Unfortunately I've already purchased and spooled the 65# 

Just for clarity, for Muskie I tie on a dedicated Leader, usually 100# with hardware using a Polamer. 

For bass, "eyes and steelhead, I'll be tying on the Floro.  Right now I'm using 15#, if I went down to 12, would that help?

Knots can be a personal and what you have the most confidence tieing. Switching from 15# to 12# is not gonna make a huge difference using 65# braid.

One trick I learned with the Alberto, once you tie it and pull it snugg with a straight pull, is to snap lock it (like your snapping your dads belt when you were a kid). Works for all types of  leader material and diff diameter line.

 

[adam lancia]

17 hours ago, Tim Kelly said:

A properly tied FG will not slip. I had a few false starts with it when I first used it, but that was down to me and not the knot. More practise and really pulling hard on both ends of line after you've done the first half hitch is really important. I tend to do around 24 weaves then the first half hitch. Pull like a lunatic on the braid and the fluoro to seat the knot, then a couple more half hitches. Clip the fluoro  flush with the knot, then three more half hitches round the standing braid, then a double through half hitch to finish and leave the braid tag 1/2" long.  Absolutely no failures since getting the technique down.

Have you had any issues with leaving such a relatively long tag end on the braid? I have clipped my tag end as close as possible and that usually results in the lock knot coming loose eventually.

[Tim Kelly]

2 hours ago, adam lancia said:

Have you had any issues with leaving such a relatively long tag end on the braid? I have clipped my tag end as close as possible and that usually results in the lock knot coming loose eventually.

None whatsoever. The braid is so soft it makes no difference going through the guides. Doing the final half hitch by going through twice also helps lock the half hitches down, the longer tag end is just belt and braces insurance.

[South FLA]

YouTube has a knot wars series and I believe the modified albright beat the uni to uni knot, but since the uni to uni retains close to 90% according to Berkley, I haven't had a need to modify what I use for my applications since leader to line failures is not the weak point (snook, bass, tarpon, reef, etc).  Yes, the FG knot is the slickest and according to many the strongest, but as far as ease use, both the albright and uni to uni are easier.  Pick a knot get proficient at it and stick to it.

[Further North]

13 hours ago, Puggz said:

Just for clarity, for Muskie I tie on a dedicated Leader, usually 100# with hardware using a Polamer. 

For pike and musky, I tie the wire directly to the main line using and FG not.  Never had one slip.  Dunno how that can happen...

I do use tieable wire, I can recommend some if you are interested.

For all non-toothy critters, I tie the line (Mono, fluoro or co-poly) directly to the leader using the FG knot.  Again, never had on slip.

It's a good knot, smaller than the Albright or Alberto, much easier to tie than it is often presented.  I've never had one properly tied fail, all failures have been in the leader or the main line.  That's pretty solid performance in my opinion.