Favorite fishing knot

[clemsondds]

I know this has been done a ton, but I searched through and haven't seen a recent thread on this topic specifically.  
I typically use the palomar, but occasionally I am running out of room on my leader and want to switch to something that doesn't use up so much line (especially on long top water lures like super spook jr). I have tried several in the past and just need to narrow it down to two knots so that I can be more proficient with them. I have gotten pretty good at the fg knot so I like that for joining braid to leader, so now I just need to get one more lure knot.  
So what's your favorite? palomar, San Diego jam, improved clinch, uni, alberto...
Thanks everyone

[MN Fisher]

MK knot - use it for all terminal attachments. More wraps for braid, less for mono/FC. Thicker the line, the more wraps.

[Jar11591]

Monofilament and hybrid: Clinch 

Braid: Palomar 
Backing to mainline and mainline to leader: Alberto 

[Will Ketchum]

Just a plain clinch knot. With arthritis creeping in it gets tougher and tougher.

[Mobasser]

I like polamer for most everything. Mostly using mono

[Woody B]

I suspect an orvis knot would waste the least amount of line.  I don't use it...never learned how to tie it quickly.  

 

I use a trilene knot.  It might use more line length than you're wanting to use.  I've used a palomar but my opinion is it's too strong.   If you break off a lure with a palomar knot it's not going to break at the knot.  You may lose a bunch of line.   A trilene knot tied properly won't slip, but it will break right at the knot, unless there's a weak place elsewhere in the line.  I read an article a while back that called it something like a 95% knot.    

[redmeansdistortion]

Uni for braid to spool, Albright for braid to leader, improved clinch for leader to lure.

[bulldog1935]

Perfection loop. 

I loop on micro snap-swivel, paper clip, titanium-wire micro-swivel bite trace, and complex rigs. 

Can loop lines together.  

Loop connections are stronger than any single-bend knot, because larger contact area keeps the smaller line from cutting through the larger. 

 

this is on salt finesse leader business end, and the loop is 1" long

(ok, a double surgeon's loop, which is easier to control the length)

 

so I can also loop-on a clicking cigar cork

 

[FrnkNsteen]

Palomar on most things. Uni knot on small ballhead jigs or Uni to Uni on leaders.

 

Learning the FG and getting little more comfortable with tying it.

[PhishLI]

Improved Clinch for mono and braid. SDJ for Fluoro.

[Darth-Baiter]

4 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Improved Clinch for mono and braid. SDJ for Fluoro.

this exactly for me.  I have only started using the Sandiegojam this summer.  I never had troubles with the improved clinch for flouro, but I'm not looking for anymore trouble.  I can see the merits of two loops on the baits.  I always thought the SDJ was called the Jimmy Houston knot..but who knows?

 

to be fair, I would add the dropshot-knot to my list since I fish it so much.  I am can't seem to get a palomar to sit right.

[Hulkster]

palomar

[A-Jay]

Uni-Knot for mono and braid.

Uni to Uni to connect anything to braid.

SDJ for fluorocarbon.

 

All else fails, I go with the Mite Knot.

Might hold, might not !

?

A-Jay

[Mike L]

SDJ for fluorocarbon

Palomar for braid 

Snell for bottom contact 

 

Don’t use leaders

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Cbump]

I have used two knots for 20 years. Doesn’t matter if I’m fishing for 50lb blue cat, bass, or sharks. Type and strength of line doesn’t matter. 
Improved clinch and Alberto. 
 

 

well I guess I lied. If I’m fishing with circle hooks I pre make leaders using a snell knot. But main line to leader swivel is always improved clinch. 

[BrianMDTX]

Arbor knot mono to spool

Uni knot for braid to mono backing

Lefty Kreh knot for braid to leader

IC knot for pretty much everything to terminal tackle except Palomar knot for dropshot rig

[roadwarrior]

Pitzen (16/20) Knot:  

 

[Jig Man]

3 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Pitzen (16/20) Knot:  

 

Absolutely.  I rarely tie anything else.

[Deleted account]

uni, with practice you can leave a tiny tag, and it's one of the strongest knots you can tie, and it's easy and fast to boot.

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Perfection loop. 

I loop on micro snap-swivel, paper clip, titanium-wire micro-swivel bite trace, and complex rigs. 

Can loop lines together.  

Loop connections are stronger than any single-bend knot, because larger contact area keeps the smaller line from cutting through the larger. 

 

this is on salt finesse leader business end, and the loop is 1" long

 

so I can also loop-on a clicking cigar cork

 

 

Rube Goldberg called, he wants his knot back...

[A-Jay]

19 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Pitzen (16/20) Knot:  

 

Funny story ~

For about three years, and in tests over 8 lb,

I tied this one thinking it was a SDJ.

Never failed.

Should have seen my face when I finally figured it out.

In the end, didn't even mater.

Both are good, IMO.

A-Jay

[Cory20]

35 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Pitzen (16/20) Knot:  

 

It's like someone messed up tying a San Diego Jam and named it pitzen. I'll try it as I tie a sdj often.

[CrashVector]

Bass fishing: Palomar

Panfish: improved clinch

 

 

[J._Bricker]

San Diego Jam, Snell, Alberto, Palomar, and a Rapala Knot are my starting five. It’s been my experience the SDJ works with everything, braid, flouro, and mono. 

[Bankbeater]

Uni and palomar knot.  

[LonnieP]

Uni knot for everything