Easy Way to Tie Braid to Fluoro and Mono

[Sam]

Friend in California sent this YouTube to me on tying braid to your mono or fluorocarbon leader and I am sharing it with you.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

[A-Jay]

I'm a hard pass right there . . .

A-Jay

[flyfisher]

I'll pass on that one.  I'd like to see some tests done on it for strength though or if it slips.

 

[Sam]

2 hours ago, flyfisher said:

I'll pass on that one.  I'd like to see some tests done on it for strength though or if it slips.

 

I am going to give it a try.

 

Should hold as I put a dab of glue on the knot.

[Jig Man]

That is pretty similar to the triple surgeons knot.

[Sam]

Just now, Jig Man said:

That is pretty similar to the triple surgeons knot.

Never heard of the triple surgeon's knot.

 

Is that what is used in surgery?

[Diggy]

I'll try it, why knot ?

[Ogandrews]

There’s a lot of knots that will hold 2 lines together but in my opinion the thing that separate the good from bad is the knot diameter. I always use a 9 loop blood knot, it is very strong and a very thing diameter. If you are fishing braid to a leader like I do where you tie on 10-15ft leaders and are reeling the knot onto the spool, a knot with a bigger diameter will not be fun to use. That one looks like it makes a pretty thick knot, similar to a double uni. The blood knot is really easy to tie, I’m really not sure why it isn’t more popular.

[basser27]

I’ll stick to Alberto. 

[king fisher]

1 hour ago, Ogandrews said:

There’s a lot of knots that will hold 2 lines together but in my opinion the thing that separate the good from bad is the knot diameter. I always use a 9 loop blood knot, it is very strong and a very thing diameter. If you are fishing braid to a leader like I do where you tie on 10-15ft leaders and are reeling the knot onto the spool, a knot with a bigger diameter will not be fun to use. That one looks like it makes a pretty thick knot, similar to a double uni. The blood knot is really easy to tie, I’m really not sure why it isn’t more popular.

I have used blood knots for over 40 years, and still do for mono to mono or floro to mono connections.  The reason it is not more popular is because it is not as strong as FG , Alberto, or Uni to Uni.(Alberto and FG are also both smaller per diameter). I make this statement, after testing many knots, both individually with scales, and head to head against each other ( yes I have too much spare time).   Before blood knot fans get all bent out of shape and tell me how many big fish they have caught using a blood knot, let me say I did not say the blood knot is not strong, only not as strong as the other examples.  The Tacticalbassn guys use it exclusively and catch way more big bass than I ever will. If you watch their knot instruction video, they do mention there is stronger knots, but they like the blood knot because they can tie it quickly, and it is easy to tell if tied correctly.  I'm just saying a correctly tied Alberto, of FG is stronger not better,  If you like the knot you use, than don't change.  If you like to experiment with other knots, or are always looking for a slightly better mouse trap than I recommend giving the Albero and FG a try.  A few years ago all the captains fishing the CA Mexico coast swore by the Tonya Pena knot (not sure on the spelling).  I started to hear about all the Florida guys using the FG.  I learned to tie it and like its strength and how slim it is. Didn't lilke how long it took to tie.  (recently  learned a new way to tie the FG very quick and easy).  Other captains told me if it aint broke don't fix it.  Now most deck hands don't even know how to tie the Tonya Pena, FG has completely taken over.  Even though I had been told hundreds of times the Tonya Pena was a 100% knot and they NEVER fail.  I guess maybe there was room for fixing after all.  Now most are switching to hollow braid splice, even stronger than the FG  not full proof but very close.

       I don't know how many times I have had friends tell me their favorite knot has never failed.  Then they get snagged forcing them to break the line. I point out to them where the line broke and they say that is not a failure because the line broke slightly above or below the knot and didn't come untied.  If the line breaks next to the knot it was because of the knot.  If you are satisfied with a 75% knot that you never loose any fish with, is easy to tie, and you have great confidence in, than by all means use it.  You will probably never need the extra 10% you might get with another knot.  I just get tired of people saying they NEVER have had a knot fail because their knot is 100%, even when using  floro and or braid.  Mono has better knot strength, and that is why at one time the only knots you ever saw fishermen tie were clinch(improved, trilene, variations), Palomar, blood knot, and surgeons( double, triple etc.)  Even mono does not have 100 percent knot strength. Now with super braids, and floro, new knots come out all the time.  It doesn't hurt to give them a try.

[Ogandrews]

7 hours ago, king fisher said:

I have used blood knots for over 40 years, and still do for mono to mono or floro to mono connections.  The reason it is not more popular is because it is not as strong as FG , Alberto, or Uni to Uni.(Alberto and FG are also both smaller per diameter). I make this statement, after testing many knots, both individually with scales, and head to head against each other ( yes I have too much spare time).   Before blood knot fans get all bent out of shape and tell me how many big fish they have caught using a blood knot, let me say I did not say the blood knot is not strong, only not as strong as the other examples.  The Tacticalbassn guys use it exclusively and catch way more big bass than I ever will. If you watch their knot instruction video, they do mention there is stronger knots, but they like the blood knot because they can tie it quickly, and it is easy to tell if tied correctly.  I'm just saying a correctly tied Alberto, of FG is stronger not better,  If you like the knot you use, than don't change.  If you like to experiment with other knots, or are always looking for a slightly better mouse trap than I recommend giving the Albero and FG a try.  A few years ago all the captains fishing the CA Mexico coast swore by the Tonya Pena knot (not sure on the spelling).  I started to hear about all the Florida guys using the FG.  I learned to tie it and like its strength and how slim it is. Didn't lilke how long it took to tie.  (recently  learned a new way to tie the FG very quick and easy).  Other captains told me if it aint broke don't fix it.  Now most deck hands don't even know how to tie the Tonya Pena, FG has completely taken over.  Even though I had been told hundreds of times the Tonya Pena was a 100% knot and they NEVER fail.  I guess maybe there was room for fixing after all.  Now most are switching to hollow braid splice, even stronger than the FG  not full proof but very close.

       I don't know how many times I have had friends tell me their favorite knot has never failed.  Then they get snagged forcing them to break the line. I point out to them where the line broke and they say that is not a failure because the line broke slightly above or below the knot and didn't come untied.  If the line breaks next to the knot it was because of the knot.  If you are satisfied with a 75% knot that you never loose any fish with, is easy to tie, and you have great confidence in, than by all means use it.  You will probably never need the extra 10% you might get with another knot.  I just get tired of people saying they NEVER have had a knot fail because their knot is 100%, even when using  floro and or braid.  Mono has better knot strength, and that is why at one time the only knots you ever saw fishermen tie were clinch(improved, trilene, variations), Palomar, blood knot, and surgeons( double, triple etc.)  Even mono does not have 100 percent knot strength. Now with super braids, and floro, new knots come out all the time.  It doesn't hurt to give them a try.

I know that the blood knot is by no means the strongest knot out there but like you said you don’t need a 100% knot strength to land fish. I will say though that for the first 2 years of fishing braid to a leader I used a uni to uni and I feel like the blood knot is stronger. Now I’m not basing this off of tests I have done but I definitely broke off at the leader knot more often with a uni than with a blood knot. There’s not a huge difference in strength between the two but the blood knot definitely has a smaller diameter which is a big deal for me. Both will work, and the uni is easily the easiest knot around to tie. I have wanted to try the fg knot but I end up tieing leaders on the water so often to switch lines that I really appreciate something easy to tie.

[king fisher]

2 minutes ago, Ogandrews said:

I know that the blood knot is by no means the strongest knot out there but like you said you don’t need a 100% knot strength to land fish. I will say though that for the first 2 years of fishing braid to a leader I used a uni to uni and I feel like the blood knot is stronger. Now I’m not basing this off of tests I have done but I definitely broke off at the leader knot more often with a uni than with a blood knot. There’s not a huge difference in strength between the two but the blood knot definitely has a smaller diameter which is a big deal for me. Both will work, and the uni is easily the easiest knot around to tie. I have wanted to try the fg knot but I end up tieing leaders on the water so often to switch lines that I really appreciate something easy to tie.

Try the Alberto.  After a bit of practice it is as fast and easy to tie as any, and I believe  is second only to the FG in both strength, and size.  There are a couple tricks to tying the Alberto that make all the difference in the world.  One is how you tighten it, the other is trimming the leader end flush.  Watch more than one how to video.  There are a couple that show both the common mistakes, and the correct way.  If you don't like the Alberto after giving it a try, like you said the blood works for you.  I have a friend that swore the uni to uni was the strongest.  I finally talked him into doing a head to head test.  The uni to uni broke every time.  At first he claimed it was because we pulled slow and steady.  So we jerked hard, same results.  Then we had to do the test underwater, same result.  What knot does he use now?  Uni to Uni.  Does he out fish me on a regular basis? Yes he does.  Do we both have a good time fishing together?  Yes as long as neither of us talks about knots. 

[Ogandrews]

15 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Try the Alberto.  After a bit of practice it is as fast and easy to tie as any, and I believe  is second only to the FG in both strength, and size.  There are a couple tricks to tying the Alberto that make all the difference in the world.  One is how you tighten it, the other is trimming the leader end flush.  Watch more than one how to video.  There are a couple that show both the common mistakes, and the correct way.  If you don't like the Alberto after giving it a try, like you said the blood works for you.  I have a friend that swore the uni to uni was the strongest.  I finally talked him into doing a head to head test.  The uni to uni broke every time.  At first he claimed it was because we pulled slow and steady.  So we jerked hard, same results.  Then we had to do the test underwater, same result.  What knot does he use now?  Uni to Uni.  Does he out fish me on a regular basis? Yes he does.  Do we both have a good time fishing together?  Yes as long as neither of us talks about knots. 

I actually was looking at knots after my last message and realized how easy the Alberto knot looked to tie. I’ll definitely give it a try, actually looks easier to tie than a blood.

[roadwarrior]

18 hours ago, basser27 said:

I’ll stick to Alberto. 

[Sam]

Tried this method this morning and the results:

 

Try 1

Tied 8-pound Yo-Zuri Hybrid to braid using this knot on a 6'6" medium heavy spinning rod with a 2500 Sedona reel.

Went into the field and could cast my Provider 1/16 jig head with a Zoom green pumpkin trick worm between 25 to 30 yards without a problem.

Also could pitch the bait at least 10 to 12 yards without a problem.

Took setup into garage where I put hook in vise and then tied braid around a screwdriver.

Pulled hard on the screwdriver and the line popped.

The knot held but the braid popped.

Either the braid could not take the stress or I missed a knick or cut in the braid.

 

Try 2

Did the same set up and same test as Try 1 and checked the braid for any knicks or cuts.

Found none so repeated the vise test.

Results different.

This time the 8-pound Yo-Zuri line popped but the knot held.

 

Interesting results.

Will now set it up again and when we get a break with the rain I will go out and give it a try at a local pond or lake.

Thinking of upgrading leader to a 10-pound Trilene XL Smooth Casting line but concerned about the knot size if I do this.

Once I hit the water I will come back to this thread and let you know what happens.

[JediAmoeba]

On 5/17/2020 at 12:38 PM, Ogandrews said:

There’s a lot of knots that will hold 2 lines together but in my opinion the thing that separate the good from bad is the knot diameter. I always use a 9 loop blood knot, it is very strong and a very thing diameter. If you are fishing braid to a leader like I do where you tie on 10-15ft leaders and are reeling the knot onto the spool, a knot with a bigger diameter will not be fun to use. That one looks like it makes a pretty thick knot, similar to a double uni. The blood knot is really easy to tie, I’m really not sure why it isn’t more popular.

It's what I use - the knot is easy to tie and it is very clear if it is tied correctly.  It never fails me and I have had to break a lot of times off when being snagged on rocks and stumps this year - not once has the leader to main line knot failed, it always breaks at the hook/jighead.

On 5/17/2020 at 11:17 PM, Ogandrews said:

I actually was looking at knots after my last message and realized how easy the Alberto knot looked to tie. I’ll definitely give it a try, actually looks easier to tie than a blood.

I have used the Alberto but it has failed me a few times.  Actually caused me to lose 4 pointers last year.  What I found is it needs a dab of super glue or the stress from hitting the guides over and over can cause it to loosen.

[boostr]

Yeah, I'll stick with the Alberto or Albright. If you want less knot, do the albright knot. I do 4 minimum wraps to keep the knot small.

[Timberwolf530]

On 5/17/2020 at 11:17 PM, Ogandrews said:

I actually was looking at knots after my last message and realized how easy the Alberto knot looked to tie. I’ll definitely give it a try, actually looks easier to tie than a blood.

You are correct.  I tied the blood knot for 30 years until I saw the alberto and after doing it a couple times, I ccould do it ALOT faster, especially in the boat.  Plus it's stronger. A definite win-win.  

[Fishin Dad]

I always tie the FG while at home adding leaders and also in the boat if it is convenient.  This know was tricky to tie at first, but it sure gets easier, just like every knot.  There are also some variations that individuals have come up with to try.  If I am in a hurry or in poor conditions, I will tie the Crazy Alberto knot.  On both knots I have experimented and adjust the wraps according to the line size I am using.  I have not seen a knot smaller than the FG yet.  

[Big Swimbait]

Small knot - tie it in 15 seconds. It has never failed me. Some tarpon fishing buddies turned me on to it. They've been known to pull a little bit ?

 

 

[The Maestro]

Personally, I don't trust any braid to leader connection on any rod above a medium or anything that calls for a hard set.

[Ogandrews]

On 5/19/2020 at 3:52 PM, Timberwolf530 said:

You are correct.  I tied the blood knot for 30 years until I saw the alberto and after doing it a couple times, I ccould do it ALOT faster, especially in the boat.  Plus it's stronger. A definite win-win.  

Well I’m glad to say that after one day of using the Alberto knot I think I’ll be staying with it. Much faster to tie, just as thin as a blood knot if not thinner, not too sure about strength as of now but I’m sure it’s strong enough to work. Feel a bit stupid for always telling people I’ve talked to that the blood knot is the way to go without ever trying the Alberto, but I’m glad I’ve tried it now. First time I tried to tie it it came out perfect, definitely can’t say that for the blood knot.

[PourMyOwn]

Am I the only Yucatán knot user here? I switched over because I actually can tie this one without a microscope. Getting older is a pain.

[cookieman]

sounds dumb but i use a regular old knot and a drop of super glue that i use t0 hold plastics to hooks. 

[Sam]

35 minutes ago, cookieman said:

sounds dumb but i use a regular old knot and a drop of super glue that i use t0 hold plastics to hooks. 

Cookie, that Granny Knot can be a killer!!!!!