Knot Testing - James' page

[Lou Bruno]

So, I'm gearin up to go fishing today. I tied up my leader, using loop-to-loop connections. I used the perfection loop tying sections of nylon and one section of fluorocarbon. When pulling thd leader junctions the fluro broke at the perfection loop knot. I retied three more times...same result. So i used the Huffnagle loop knot...fluro broke at the knot.
I tried two brands of fluro, Stren 17lb test, and Seagar 15 lb test.
So, with two brands and two knots, everytime the fluro broke at the knot. I switched over to RIO hard nylon, with perfection loop. LINE DID NOT FAIL...going fishing.

Lou

[Paul Arden]

Fluoro is crap. It's all about marketing IMO. Poor knot strength, invisibility in water is nonsense - I can see it. It sinks fast so no good for dries or surface fishing. If you need abrasion resistance then use Spectra.

"Fly fishing" mono is also a rip-off. I buy bulk spools for coarse and sea angling. I shop by diameter. And you will need to measure this too because the packaging is all lies!

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Sorry I forgot to make the Bimini Twist/Slim Beauty video. I'll shoot this tomorrow and upload on Wednesday.

Cheers, Paul

[Lou Bruno]

Fluoro is crap. It's all about marketing IMO. Poor knot strength, invisibility in water is nonsense - I can see it. It sinks fast so no good for dries or surface fishing. If you need abrasion resistance then use Spectra.

"Fly fishing" mono is also a rip-off. I buy bulk spools for coarse and sea angling. I shop by diameter. And you will need to measure this too because the packaging is all lies!

Cheers, Paul

Paul

I agree, others swear by it, makes me think I'm doing something wrong with my knots....Spectra? I'll look into that.

Lou

[Lou Bruno]

Paul

Spectra is braid..I use it? Do you use a leader from your braid?

Lou

[Paul Arden]

To be honest I don't know anyone else using Spectra for tippets but it's been a game changer for me with Gourami and I'm using it for sinking lines for Jungle Perch me too. I hooked a Gourami a couple of days ago that stumped me twice and I still landed the fish.

I know people who swear by fluoro too but I think it's a mind confidence thing other than actual tests. Many years ago I was working for the RIO distributors in the U.K. This was at a time when fluorocarbon first arrived on the market. RIO posted out a marketing campaign against the new material stating that it was bad for the environment taking as much as 2000 years to decompose. Of course they sell it now which is a shame.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

For the butt I use 80lb for sinking lines and one of Graeme's varnish/linseed oil braided leaders on floating lines.

[Viking Lars]

I'd love to see the following tests related to my own fishing and use of knots:

1. Strength of blood knot vs. Surgeons's/Water knot when joining nylon of similar diameters and then in-/decreasing the diameter difference by 0,10mm at a time, and the same test in fluorocarbon, and even the same test in joining fluorocarbon to nylon.

2. Strength of blood knot to fly vs. Rapala Knot to fly vs. Turle's Knot to fly.

3. Strength of loop-to-loop using Perfection Loops.

These are the knots I use on a daily basis (and I suppose thousands of other fishers too).

Lars

[Viking Lars]

Oooh, and I'd *really* like to see tests of different leader-to-flyline knots and methods as well!

Lars

[Paul Arden]

Lots of those are done! Search “Instron” on the FP