Flouro Light line, heavy line same knot?

[FishyFingers]

Seems like when I tie a palomar knot with fluoro it snaps if I'm using 10# and under. Do you guys use a different knot when using different pound test? Or do you recommend a different knot?

[FrankW]

Hi FishyFingers,

Are you snapping it when you tie it or when you are catching a fish?

Why don't you just try a Uni knot. If that snaps then try the Double Uni. If it breaks with the Double Uni then it is not the knot but something you are doing. Maybe the line it too light for your application.

When tying the Palomar make sure you lubricate the knot and pull tight slowly. You can also try keeping the overhand knot loose as you pull up the knot so the loop closes at the end instead of the beginning of the knot. If the overhand knot pulls tight too soon then the rest of the line has a lot of friction as it passes through the overhand knot.

Frank

[FishyFingers]

The line breaks on the hook set. It happens a lot with shakey heads and jerk baits. I'm using an NRX 853 when I'm breaking shakey heads off. Maybe the rod is overpowering the 8# because my NRX 822syr seems fine? I'm not setting the hook that hard I don't think. Maybe my knot sucks with light line but I lube it pretty good.

I break 10# at the knot throwing jerk baits with a St.Croix legend tournament Jerkbait rod. Also I have lost some cranks at the knot using 10# on a crucial 7'11" crank rod. The lines I have been using are Berkley 100% fluorocarbon and Seaguar Invizx

[njbasscat]

I use a Palomar knot 99% of the time on 4lb to 20lb fluoro and have no issues. I'm very careful when tying the knot. I always wet the line and make sure I tighten it with as little friction as possible. I also never lock my drag down unless I'm using braid.

[buster 2900]

It’s been said the Palomar knot usually will test at 100% on testing machines, but when line below 20# is shocked by a sudden strike it can break far below line test. I learned this from a reliable source, a classic fishing book. The Uni or Improved Clinch are better terminal knots, especially with lighter line—line under 20# test.

Nevertheless, after learning this I’ve continued to use the Paolmar knot with braid without any problems. But I’ll use the Improved Clinch knot with either mono or flouro. I've used the Uni (seems more difficult for me to tie) and it works at least as well.

[FishyFingers]

I took a look at my rods and they are rated 2lbs higher than the line i've been using. I think the rod is overpowering the line on the hook set.

[buster 2900]

I took a look at my rods and they are rated 2lbs higher than the line i've been using. I think the rod is overpowering the line on the hook set.

Seriously, even if that is the case the problem is still with the Palomar knot, I think. The rod should not overpower flouro, or any other line, that is within the recommended range for use with the rod.

The book I mentioned in a comment above is the “Complete Book of Baits, Rigs and Tackle,” by Vic Dunaway. He says on page 88 that the Palomar knot should only be used with leader or heavy line of 20# test and up because with a powerful strike the knot will break far below the test of the line. He strongly recommends the Uni-knot or the Improved Clinch knot for use with lighter line (<20# test).

[FishyFingers]

I feel like it's the palomar knot as well buster 2900. I will try a different knot and see what happens.

[Thor]

Improved clinch, twice through the hook eye.

[FishyFingers]

I've been doing some research on the flouro lines and it seems like the stretchier the line the better the knot strength. The Toray super hard looks like the best mix of low stretch and decent knot strength. I think a soft rod would be better for the low stretch line. Has anyone tried the Toray? How is it?

[iabass8]

lowest I've gone /w fluoro was 5# and used the san diego jam. same knot i use for 20#. no issues.

[tywithay]

I use the same improved clinch knot for everything. Can't remember the last time I snapped a line at the knot. The only thing I change is the number of twists, depending on diameter.

[buster 2900]

I would consider using the half blood knot, also known as the clinch knot, in this situation. It is one of the strongest knots for tying a hook or lure to line of 6 to 30# test. I used it for many years and still do at times. Any overlapping of the wraps around the doubled line considerably weakens a knot. The half blood knot is much easier to tie than the Uni- or Improved Clinch without an overlapping of the threads.

This knot was known simply as the Blood Knot to generations of anglers before the Improved Clinch knot came along, with its drawing of the tag end of the line back through the loop above the wraps. That ‘improvement’ is also the weakness of the Uni- and Improved Clinch, IMHO. It often results in a mess of overlapped line as the knot is pulled tight. (This overlapping mess is carefully avoided and won’t show up in a controlled testing machine measurement.)

The term ‘blood knot’ is now of course used as the name for two blood knots (or two half blood knots, in current lingo) used to tie together line. But the traditional Blood Knot is one of the best knots ever for tying a hook or lure to line. I'll even use it with light braid and without difficulties. I would surely give it a try.

[mark poulson]

I've been doing some research on the flouro lines and it seems like the stretchier the line the better the knot strength. The Toray super hard looks like the best mix of low stretch and decent knot strength. I think a soft rod would be better for the low stretch line. Has anyone tried the Toray? How is it?

BPS fluoro has great knot strength, and has some stretch, although it is still a great slack bite detector.
If you have to rip lips with light line, you're probably using too heavy a hook, one with heavy gauge wire. See if using lighter wire hooks with your lighter line applications lets you make less violent hook sets.

[Snyder Rods]

I've been doing some research on the flouro lines and it seems like the stretchier the line the better the knot strength.

- Well, sure... if a line stretches more, it delivers less force at the knot.

This is an interesting question. I know that monos/copoymers .28mm and smaller diameter are processed differently during manufacturing than larger .29mm and above lines. I use different knots for them. I don't know if this applies to fluorocarbon lines though?

I can tell you that fluoro has very weak knot strength compared to mono. I use double and triple-clinch knots on Berkley Ironsilk and have zero issues with knot strength, and people really complained about the knot strength of that line... but fluoro is worse still... to get reasonable knot strength with fluoro, I have to do special things, such as put extra turns in the knot, and use Fast Snaps on smaller hooks... the Fast Snaps are larger gauge wire than the hooks... smaller hooks penetrate easier, but present another problem... tighter bends in the knot... knots break because of the tight bends the line has to take to make the knot.