My New Go-To Leader Connection Knot- The Uni-Uni is Strong!

[FishDewd]

Up until yesterday, my go-to knot for connecting mono/fluro/co-polymer to my braid line has always been a modified version of the Alberto knot. It always served me well, minus a few times when it slipped for whatever reason. Well, as of yesterday I know have a new leader connection knot favorite and I'm officially switching it for times when the FG knot is not needed- the uni to uni! I know a lot of you already use it... I've known about it for some time, knew how to tie it.... I just never got around to actually using it. Night before last I was messing around and decided on a whim I wanted to tie it and see how it compared to the Alberto. I had 10 lb. Seaguar Red Label flouro secured on as a leader in no time , and it seemed to be very solid. So yesterday evening I rigged the lure up and took the set-up to a local pond I like to frequent to see how it did overall.

 

Tossed it around all day without any issues with slipping or fraying. Last thing I was throwing was a chatterbait, and this is where things got a little sketchy. I got it snagged on something underwater, badly. Finally figured I'd have to break the leader... so I grabbed the pole in the middle, turned the drag up all the way, locked the spool with a thumb and started to step back straight to cleanly snap the leader and not damage the pole. But I could not break it no matter what I did! I was actually worried I might end up hurting the reel I was putting so much pressure on the line. I took a break, muttered a few obscenities to myself, then tried again. I really did not want to cut the braid and leave it in the water if I could avoid it. So I gradually applied more pressure than before, and fiinally with a POP it came free. Thought I had broken the leader finally, but nope! The chatterbait had somehow gotten loose and I reeled it in without a mark on it, hook was perfect, line looked fine... weirdest snag I've ever experienced.

 

So this taught me two things: 1.) That the uni-uni knot is apparently awesomely strong. 2.) Seaguar Red Label is some unbelievably strong leader line! 10 lb test my butt! Lol. Even though it looked okay, I still cut the line off and retied just in case.

 

So... there's my story of how I changed connection knots and inadvertently tested it under the worst conditions... 

[Brad in Texas]

Pretty interesting!

 

The largest LMB I have ever caught was on 10 braid to 8 fluoro (Invizx) and it held very well using a Uni-to-Uni junction knot I had tied that day just sort of to make certain I could still tie it very accurately. 

 

No, at least in fair tests, I am pretty certain it lost to an Alberto junction knot in the "Knot Wars" series. But, close! The FG knot was about 50% stronger than either. The FG is a plaited knot with totally different characteristics.

 

The issue with a Uni junction knot is you have two (2) knots to possibly fail, not just one. It'll likely fail on one particular side, the side where the fluoro (or other leader material) is wrapped around the braid. Braid bites into fluoro and mono lines; but, they don't bite very well into braid.

 

A tip: Most of us tie a terminal knot from one direction better than the other. When you tie a Uni junction knot, tie it in your "dominant" direction first, then simply grab the two source lines and rotate them so that you are tying the second knot from the same direction. Then, straighten it all out, pull the two knots together to finish the knot.

 

No doubt, a great knot to have available. If you only had one knot for all angling purposes, yep!

 

Brad

[FishDewd]

I know the alberto is supposedly stronger, but a lot of things affect knot strength. Sometimes it's more what you're better at tying, or the one that your lines work best with that makes the best choice. But I've tried the Alberto a lot, many different ways, and so far it's the one connection knot that has slipped or broken more often that others I've tried. I'm confident the Alberto would have slipped or broken long before the chatterbait came loose in this scenario though. FG is definitely stronger than these, but I only use it for when I want a lot of leader, otherwise it takes up too much time to do.

 

Also, when I tied this uni I opposed the leader side and mainline side wraps. Leader end I did first (on top) going with wraps I could do easier than the other way. The braidside I did opposite. I feel like actually works better cause it fuses the knots tighter when the line is pulled taut or tugged on (as in this scenario).

 

Really though, it seemed like I had an immortal strip of fluorocarbon cause I could not break that stuff lol. I don't use it too often for a leader, but I felt like I was trying to snap piano wire.

[LionHeart]

Next time you get snagged, try letting out some extra line and wrapping it around something like a paddle, or a healthy stick if you're on the bank.

 

Using rod and reel to free a snag may come around to bite you.  Not trying to tell you how to free a snag, just offering a suggestion.  Glad the knot is working great.  I have thought about giving it a try but am hooked (no pun) on the FG.

[islandbass]

The only thing that gets my with the uni knot I have it memorized at home and then when I’m on the water I get mixed up with it and can’t remember how to tie it... every ding dang time.  ? 

 

I also second 1000% what lionheart recommends. I do the exact same thing. I remove my rod and reel completely from the snag freeing equation. The other thing is when I pull and yank on the line I situate my body out of the project r cool path. That way if it come flyong back at me and I like a deer caught in bright lights and can’t move, it has near zero chance of hitting me. 

 

[Junger]

I like the uni to uni for lighter lines, and for connecting reel backing lines, and FG for heavier leader knots.

[FishDewd]

2 hours ago, LionHeart said:

Next time you get snagged, try letting out some extra line and wrapping it around something like a paddle, or a healthy stick if you're on the bank.

 

Using rod and reel to free a snag may come around to bite you.  Not trying to tell you how to free a snag, just offering a suggestion.  Glad the knot is working great.  I have thought about giving it a try but am hooked (no pun) on the FG.

I do that sometimes... in this case I was on a dock over a railing. I just had no idea it would be that hard to break, usually I am running a 12 lb p-line leader and I can snap that stuff pretty easily by comparison. Might try that next time... granted I am glad to have gotten my chatterbait back!

 

1 hour ago, islandbass said:

The only thing that gets my with the uni knot I have it memorized at home and then when I’m on the water I get mixed up with it and can’t remember how to tie it... every ding dang time.  ? 

 

I also second 1000% what lionheart recommends. I do the exact same thing. I remove my rod and reel completely from the snag freeing equation. The other thing is when I pull and yank on the line I situate my body out of the project r cool path. That way if it come flyong back at me and I like a deer caught in bright lights and can’t move, it has near zero chance of hitting me. 

  

Lol yes... good idea to be out of the firing line or at least prepared for it, especially at shorter distances.