Tippet to Leader Knots ?

[attila]

I was wondering what everyone uses here. At home I tie my own leaders useing a blood knot tool. But on stream if I need to add tippet or repair a leader I'm useless for blood knots. I just use loops, but I don't like them much. My eyes and fingers ain't what they were so I'm looking for a simple but good knot. Thanks.

 

[txshane]

I like fly lines with welded loops or the add-on braided loops. But if I don't have a loop end, I use a nail knot to tie on the leader.

 

[mcnerney]

Blood knots are probably the best, but for quick and easy on the stream I like the triple surgeons knot, very simple especially with my aging eyes.

 

[mrp1]

I use a blood knot to connect my leader and tippet. There are a couple things that help me and my middle age (61) eyes.

Start with a good amount of leader and tippet to work with to make your knot. It makes the job simpler.

Picture the leader in your right hand and the tippet in your left hand. I use a good amount of tippet and line to do the twisting. I place the leader behind the tippet and wrap it first. I wrap or pass it over the top of the tippet. Pinch it with your thumb and first finger of you left hand and pass it to your middle finger and ringer on your right hand. You are pinching between your middle finger and ringer when you take it from your left hand. Passing from the end that you are wrapping from one hand to the other is what made tying a blood knot easy for me. Again, starting with a good amount of leader and tippet helps you do this.

Also, when you wrap the second portion leave a large space to insert the leader into the hole. It really helps if you have middle age eyes.

For me learning to tie a blood knot was like learning to do a whip finish. There were no tools at the time (1971). To a certain extent I think the blood knot tool makes it more difficult.

Reading these tips on knot tying is not the same as watching someone do it. If my "tips" didn't help just post the grumpy, red smilie and I will understand.

 

[attila]

Thanks that was a great effort to explain on your part. I'm gonna try it and practice at home. I'm tying leaders right now lol.

 

[Rip Tide]

I'm a loop2loop guy.
Perfection loop on the leader, non-slip loop on the tippet

 

[steeliemark]

#2 on the Surgeons knot onstream, it's one I can (almost) tie in the dark. I use a Blood knot when I build a leader ahead of time, although a Double Uni looks pretty good also.

 

[cattech89]

I'm a loop2loop guy.

Perfection loop on the leader, non-slip loop on the tippet

+1 for the loop-to-loop method.

 

[FlyFlinger2421]

Here is a great video showing a simple way to tie a blood knot. I only use 4 or five wraps instead of the seven they say.
This site has videos on 70 fishing knots, so if the blood knot is still to difficult, you should be able to find one that suits your fancy!
Blood Knot - Instructions

 

[attila]

Wow you people are so helping. I love this site Thanks

 

[caseywise]

i use a lot of furled leaders so obviously loop to loop on them.
i like to use a double surgeons knot on mono leaders.

casey

 

[depenner]

Like Casey, I use mainly furled leaders with a loop-to-loop for the tippet.

david

 

[fire instructor]

I'm a loop2loop guy.
Perfection loop on the leader, non-slip loop on the tippet

Curious, why not a Perfection on both sides?

 

[darwin]

A 3 turn water knot has never failed me. :secret:

But I do prefer a furled leader most of the time and I use an Improve Clinch Knot for that.

Step by Step here if you need. http://www.netknots.com

 

[wabi]

Surgeons knot meets my requirements (quick, easy, & reasonably strong).

 

[Guest1]

I'm not a spring chicken anymore and have hit the "my arms aren't long enough" phase of life. I always wear eye protection when I fly fish (since the day I beaned my eye with a clouser) and all of them have built in cheaters. I have cheaters in every room in the house, My line box, my spey bag, my front left pants pocket, my car, my remote bag in the bedroom, my rod building table, my fly tying table, my ...... everywhere. I do my blood knots without a tool. I start with the lines crossed between my thumb and the finger next to my Karate pinky. :biggrin:. I do four turns and put the line through the hole made by my abused digits and the crossed line. I do the other side by by taking the crossed line and the tag end and clamping them in plact with the other hand and then repeat in the opposite direction. It helps to practice and wear good cheaters. :icon_eek: I've got some cheaters that are so powerful I should be able to see through stuff.

P.S. It's the only knot I trust.

Curious, why not a Perfection on both sides?

Perfection loops are not even close to 100% strength knots.

 

[Rip Tide]

Curious, why not a Perfection on both sides?

Thanks for asking
In my opinion, the perfection loop is not strong enough for the tippet side... ever

While the perfection loop is easy to tie and quite slim it's not a strong knot and when you get down to the "X" sizes it can be too weak

 

[wjc]

Knot strength estimates are all over the place and hardly ever in agreement. Also, the same knots often go by different namesl.

For instance, on this website Learn Fishing Knots, the "Water Knot" referred to by Darwin is nothing more than a 4 pass-through overhand knot, whereas a surgeon's knot is a 2 pass-through overhand knot.

In their own write up on that website, they claim near 100% breaking strength on the surgeon's knot but only 60% breaking strength on the "Water Knot". Like most strength claims, they do not cite any testing proceedures, material used, lube used or anything else.

The only things I am strongly convinced of after 59 years of tying fishing knots are:

1) Knots cinched under water are never, ever weaker than those which are cinched after lubing with spit

2) Knots which are cinched with both tag and main line held as close as possible to the knot are never, ever weaker than those which are cinched when held further away.

3) Knots which are cinched fully in one smooth, uninterupted move are never,ever weaker than those which show even a micro second of hesitation while being cinched.

4) Every single spool of leader material should be hand tested till it breaks before it is ever used.

5) A hook ring and pliers are extremely handy when tying heavy bite tippets.

6) It is very helpful to learn to tie the most commonly used knots by feel so that they can be tied at night without light or glasses.

7) added on edit Leader material is cheap relative to everything else. Don't shortchange the tag.

 

[attila]

Ok I practiced the blood knot without the tool and .... Argghhhh!!! I NEED to find another option.

 

[planettrout]

In the Summer 2010 Issue of Flyfishing and Tying Journal (pgs. 38-40), Dave Whitlock presented an article titled "ONE KNOT"...for all your fly line connections. That knot was the Uni-Knot...

Double Uni Knot - Instructions

I have been using it for about 27 years and have never looked back...About eight years ago I also started using these for my leader to tippet connection, mono and flurocarbon:

I save a lot of money on leaders...

PT/TB