Because braided line has such a thin diameter, the importance of knots used to connect braid to a length of mono or fluorocarbon leader takes on greater significance. Most anglers choose to use a leader with braid, but based on the results of this challenge, it would seem that many are losing 30, 40 and even more than 50 percent of the braid’s breaking strength at that knot. On the other hand, some knots retain 90 to 100 percent of the braid’s strength. The fundamental purpose of this knot challenge is to share with Sport Fishing enthusiasts which knots are the strongest and how they are tied.

How We Tested 53 Fishing Knots

Before we look more closely at the winning knots, here’s how the challenge worked. Those who answered our call for participants could enter in either the light-braid category (15-pound braid to 30-pound fluorocarbon leader) or the heavy-braid category (50-pound braid to 80-pound fluorocarbon), or both. All were sent the same braid and leader so everyone would be working with the same materials.

Specifically, entrants used Spiderwire Stealth Blue Camo Braid in 15-pound-test and Spiderwire Stealth Glow-Vis Braid in 50-pound-test as their main line, tying to Berkley ProSpec fluorocarbon leader in 30-pound and 80-pound, respectively. The 15-pound Spiderwire braid actually broke at 34.4 pounds, on average; the 50-pound Spiderwire broke at 62.8 pounds. That means knots would have had to break at 34.4 and 62.8 pounds to achieve 100 percent strength.

Keep in mind the bottom-line goal of this challenge: Determine the strongest possible knots to connect braid to leader. Given that objective, there were few restrictions. Some tied a double line in the braid, some did not. A few applied glue to their knots. Whatever worked was fair game, as we can all benefit from that knowledge. Those who elected to tie a double line (most often with a Bimini twist) then had two knots to test; they were submitting a “knot system,” if you will.

It was essential to determine which of the two knots tested weaker; that registered as the “weak link” in their system, and that knot was the one that would determine the strength of their method of connecting braid to leader. (In some cases, the weaker knot was the Bimini twist; in other cases, the knot connecting the doubled braid to the leader proved weaker.)

Each entrant submitted three samples of the same knot, so the strength measured represents the mean of the three break tests.

The Best Knots for 15-Pound Braided Fishing Line

As the charts you’ll see a bit farther down show, the strength of these knots was pretty much all over the place, from 100 percent to as little as about 17 percent. For lighter braid (15-pound tied to 30-pound fluoro), here are the three strongest knots, in order.

PR Bobbin Knot — 84.3 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Capt. Bryan Dietz of Merritt Island, Florida

Improved FG Knot — 80.9 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Capt. Tim Simos of Fort Pierce, Florida

FG knot — 73.4 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Ralph Green of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

The Best Knots for 50-Pound Braided Fishing Line

For heavier braid (50-pound tied to 80-pound fluoro), here are the four strongest knots, in order.

GT Knot — 100 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Chad Nisely of Painesville, Ohio

PR Bobbin Knot — 99.5 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Bryan Dietz of Merritt Island, Florida

Improved Bristol Knot — 92.1 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Doug Olander of Winter Park, Florida

Improved FG Knot — 82.1 Percent Break Strength

Tied by Capt. Tim Simos of Fort Pierce, Florida

Two Charts Showing the Strongest Fishing Knots

What to Consider When Tying Fishing Knots

Knot-tiers are becoming more sophisticated, at least based on comparison to a similar Sport Fishing knot challenge years ago. Most of the winning knots here aren’t simple or quickly tied (many best tied the evening before a fishing trip rather than on the water in a hurry in rough seas), but the results speak for themselves.

Another change from the previous knot challenge is the prevalence of single-line knots among better entries. That is, years ago, most of the strongest knots tested were formed from a double line made with a Bimini twist, such as a Bristol (aka Yucatan or no-name knot). This year, only one such knot scored among the best. All other top knots tie the single-strand main line directly to the leader. The FG knot has become quite popular, for example. Also, it should be noted that the time some anglers took to tie elaborate knots connecting doubled braid to leader wasn’t effectively spent since their Bimini twists broke first.

It seems that tying knots approaching 100-percent strength might be inherently more difficult with lighter braided line. The percentages of the two best results with 15-pound braid were in the lower 80s, while three entries with 50-pound braid tested between 92 and 100 percent. (Two knots finished among the top three in both light- and heavy-braid categories, but tested weaker with the lighter braid).

It’s not just the knot; how it’s tied is strategic. That is, in some cases, very similar or even the same knots tied by different entrants tested far differently, suggesting slight variations in how they were tied could make a considerable difference.

Albrights and double-uni knots are very popular — but are they the best knots? One result consistent in this challenge was that Albright and uni knots to connect braid to leader scored pretty low. Lots of anglers — and pros — swear by them, and certainly, a knot you can tie efficiently, with lots of confidence, is important. But the Instron tester suggests anglers can do better.

How to Tie the PR Bobbin Knot

How to Tie the Improved FG Knot

How to Tie the GT Knot

How to Tie the Improved Bristol Knot

Top Fishing Captains Favorite Knots

I asked these charter captains and guides how they choose to connect a braid main line to a fluoro or mono leader. Here’s what they said:

The post Strongest Fishing Knots Connecting Braid to Leader appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Knie is a wild interview. When discussing his predilection for fishing at night, he says, “I only fish the nonhuman hours.” You saw the nickname earlier, right?

Sometimes the best knot is the one you know best. And sometimes the best knot is the one Knie is known for. The Alberto knot works well for connecting braid to mono leaders. It’s small enough to pass through your guides but strong enough to land 50-pound fish through the surf.

I’m still on the phone. Knie has a lot of fish stories, but take him with a grain of salt. “In storytelling,” Knie says, “there’s always three versions: their story, my story and the truth.”

The post Best Knot for Surf Fishing: Alberto Knot appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Below is an animated video showing each step of tying this knot.

The post The 100 Percent PR Bobbin Knot appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Diverse offshore-fishing styles ignited angler resourcefulness throughout the decades to produce innovative leader setups. See a need, fill a need. The ingenuity among experienced fishermen is ongoing, with captains quick to recognize and change tactics whenever better leader options are created. At many fishing ­destinations I visit, I often learn a fresh twist or new leader system from a local captain.

Many techniques are versatile, allowing offshore anglers across the globe to utilize the leader setups. Leaders from the past still have value today; new leader systems stretch the capabilities of today’s tackle. You’ll find both in this column. Below, three respected veteran captains describe tried-and-true leaders.

At least one of these leaders will almost certainly work for your preferred style of offshore hunting.

Trolling for Marlin

Capt. Rom Whitaker of Release Sportfishing in Hatteras, North Carolina, targets dolphin, wahoo, marlin and tuna off the Tar Heel coast. I wanted to know his leader rig for catching blue marlin.

“The leader combinations we use have been tested and improved many times over the years,” says Whitaker, “but one certainty about fishing is there’s always something new and better coming along, and you had better be ready for change.”

Whitaker sets out specific trolling spreads for tunas, white marlin and blue marlin, but here we highlight his tournament-winning blue marlin spread composed solely of lures.

Penn International 80s, packed with 130-pound braid and mono, are set out on Whitaker’s long outrigger lines. Specifically, for tournament fishing, he uses a 300-pound snapless ball-bearing swivel, and crimp connections for the main line and leader.

“I would recommend to those who use crimps to experiment with different crimps, crimpers and monofilament to find a combination that works for you,” he says. “There is an obvious difference when you start switching crimps and crimpers. If you put your leaders to the test, you want everything right.”

Whitaker’s leaders start with 300- to 550-pound Momoi Extra Hard, depending on the size of the lure. He keeps leader lengths at a standard 28 feet for tournament conformity. A single-hook cable rig with an 8/0 to 11/0 Owner Jobu or Gamakatsu Blade Point Tuna Hook connected to 650-pound stainless-steel cable finishes the rig. He uses the same leader setup on short and flat lines but swaps out 80s for 130s. Favorite baits include a Black Bart 1656 on the long rigger, a Mold Craft Wide Range on the short rigger, and a Bonz Agitator on the flat line.

“I like the bend of the hook to hang out of the skirt a half to three-quarter inches,” Whitaker says. “Depending on the size of lure, I try not to overwhelm the action by ­rigging too big.”

All-Purpose Bottomfishing

Fishing in Key West this past October, I noticed the bottomfishing rig that Capt. R.T. Trosset, of Spindrift Fishing, used to catch all types of groupers and snappers. I was lucky enough to join Fin-Nor’s Bob Bagby and Chris Littau on Trosset’s boat one day, testing the new Fin-Nor Primal lever drags (available summer 2017) and Mega Lite spinning reels.

The modest leader setup is a beefed‑up version of a freshwater drop-shot rig. I’ve fished sliding sinker rigs plenty, but this might be the simplest rig ever I’ve used to keep cut baits and live baits near, but not on, the bottom.

“My main setup is 30-pound Cortland Master Braid main line connected to 40-pound Ande fluoro-carbon leader,” says Trosset. “I tie a spider hitch in the braid and then a double uni-knot to the fluorocarbon. My leader length varies depending on the type of fish I’m targeting.”

For casting baits, Trosset might shorten his leader to the length of the rod. But bottomfishing doesn’t require casting, and extra leader length provides protection against structure, so he’ll measure off 15 feet of leader material.

“My basic bottom leader rig in up to 60 feet of water is 10 to 15 feet of ­fluoro, with a double overhand loop 3 feet up from the sinker,” says Trosset. “The egg sinker is attached with an improved clinch knot.”

Trosset uses a 1/0 to 4/0 short-shank hook (such as a 9175 Mustad) in the Atlantic and a 1/0 to 4/0 circle hook in the Gulf of Mexico. To attach a hook, he pulls the loop through the hook eye, then the hook through the loop. The rig itself is similar to the dropper-loop rig used both offshore or even surf-fishing. If not familiar with a dropper-loop knot, check out our knot video online to see how the overhand and dropper loop knots are tied. Trosset was able to tie his rigs in a matter of seconds if a fish broke off.

On our trip, we landed red and black groupers, plus snappers. In some spots, Trosset also landed red snapper regularly on the rig. Minimal tying and minimal effort make this leader setup a cheap but effective option for ­natural-bait bottom-bouncers.

How to Tie the Dropper Loop Rig

Watch this video to learn how to tie two different variations of the dropper loop rig.

Casting for Tunas

Capt. Jack Sprengel, who runs East Coast Charters out of various ports in New England, has been jigging, casting and popping for tunas since 2005.

“We knew braided line would be the answer to strength and capacity,” says Sprengel, “but in the early days, I had issues attaching a leader because most knots simply exploded when the tension caused braided line to cut through the fluorocarbon leader.”

The number of hookups he could expect in the earlier days was staggering, but the number of fish landed was laughable. During that time, Sprengel used 50- to 80-pound braid, connected to the leader via an Albright, Bristol or uni-to-uni-knot. Most times the knots would fail under the extreme pressures. He tried a Bimini twist to a swivel, with the leader crimped to the swivel — but the swivel made it hard to cast a long leader.

“Next, spliced leaders with hollow-core braid made it possible for us to jig with confidence,” says Sprengel. “While these systems were fantastic for vertical jigging, the large loops and the transition of soft loop-to-loop connections to rigid splice points created terrible wind knots when trying to cast through the guides on casts.”

Finally, Sprengel settled on two knots that seamlessly connect heavy braid to fluoro leader: the PR Bobbin and FG knots.

“These knots were something out of the future, and initially they were a little intimidating, but they totally revamped the confidence I had in using a knot to connect my main line to leader,” he says. “Over the past few seasons, I have adapted to the quicker method of tying the FG knot, by leaning the rod away for tension and weaving the fluoro around the braid.”

At the end of this leader system, Sprengel ties a Palomar knot to a heavy-duty split ring (with more than 100-pound-test, he uses a crimp). The lure or jig is then added to the split ring.

“For targeting all species of tuna in the Northeast, our most consistent approach is a weighted-head-and-soft-tail combination that allows you to fish actively,” says Sprengel. “For a long time, jigging and casting offshore was considered less effective than trolling or baiting, but I believe now, when positioned near a biomass of fish, ­jigging and casting is just as ­effective.”

Check Out This Jig-and-Pop Adventure

“While live bait still reigns supreme among those who fish Costa Rica waters, some anglers are all about throwing poppers and dropping metal jigs when possible, enjoying the hands-on action and variety.”

The post How to Rig Popular Offshore Leaders appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

See more how-to knots videos from the Sport Fishing editors.

The post How to Tie the Dropper Loop Rig appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Do you remember in the early 2000s when pork was branded “the other white meat”? I think of snelling a hook as “the other fishing knot.” Although not as common as everyday knots, the versatile snell knot can be used with different styles of hooks, different techniques and different strength leaders. Plus, it’s easy to tie.

While researching this column, I realized just how many ways there are to snell a hook, whether it’s a uni-style or traditional snell wrap. You can thread the terminal end of the leader through the eye of the hook once, twice or not at all before making your wraps, or you can complete your wraps toward or away from the hook eye. No matter which method you use to snell, insight from these experts can help you get the most out of these clean connections. What do you believe is the best way to snell a hook?

Use A Snell Knot When Live-Baitin

Capt. Dean Panos, of Double D Charters in Miami, favors snelled hooks whenever he needs a connection tight to the hook, as opposed to one that’s free-swinging, such as a loop knot. For him, applications include live-baiting for yellowfin tuna or yellowtail snapper, or pitch-baiting dead ballyhoo for blue marlin.

“Fluorocarbon, in my opinion, does not tie very well,” says Panos. “Snelling provides a very good connection. Anglers must make sure they are snelling their circle hooks correctly, so at the bite, when the line pulls tight, the hook turns upward toward the fish — not downward away from the fish.”

Use Snell Knots with Circle Hooks

“I fish for billfish, and unless I happen to be trolling lures, I exclusively use circle hooks, which we always snell,” says Capt. Chris Sheeder, of Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala.

“Pitch bait, live bait, trolled bait or even a bait-lure combination — anything with bait gets rigged with a circle hook attached via a snell knot.”

In-line, straight-eye circles work incredibly well at hooking billfish in the corner of the mouth, even if a sailfish or marlin initially ingested the bait deep in its gut during the drop-back.

Chris Sheeder explains how to snell a hook:

“Snell a circle hook with the line entering the eye from the hook-point side,” Sheeder explains. “Pulling tight on a fish, the hook has an increased chance of finding the corner resting spot. You won’t get this [result] if you use a circle with a bent eye or insert your leader through the hook eye from the opposite side.”

Before snelling, make sure the hook has a smooth eye. Hook eyes with sharp interior edges can slice your knot at the point where the hook eye closes, says Sheeder. Here’s a video showing how to tie a snell to a hook that does not cut on the interior edges. Tying a snell with heavy leader is a chore, and once 125- to 150-pound-test material is necessary, many captains switch over to crimps.

“I suggest using a hook with an eye big enough to run the leader through, going around the shank once and coming back up through the eye to crimp,” says Sheeder. “This gives you the same stiffness of a snell, but instead you’re using a crimp. Still, I believe snelling a hook makes for a stronger connection than crimping.”

Snell Bent Eye Hooks

Bent-eye hooks are tailor-made for attaching via a snell.

One experienced captain who favors bent-eyes is Kenny Koci, of Fin Again Sportfishing in Hatteras, North Carolina. Koci recently made fishing headlines when his boat landed a 138-pound white marlin, a new state record.

“For fishing with tinker mackerel and ballyhoo last year at Norfolk Canyon off Virginia, we snelled our 7/0 and 8/0 bent-eye hooks, depending on the size of the bait. One day we caught 14 white marlin, [and there were] opportunities for tuna and blue marlin.”

Koci feels an angled-eye connection leads to better hookups. He bridles all his baits when slow-trolling, setting out a five-bait spread and tube-squid teasers. “Everything is more in line,” he says. “By using the angle in the eye, you’re not putting any angle into the leader.” By comparison, when tying a snell to a straight J hook, forgo the hook eye completely for a similar effect.

Koci admits that the heavier leader makes snells harder to tie. He commonly uses 80-pound rigs for white marlin and yellowfin tuna, and 100-pound rigs for blue marlin.

“Targeting bigeye tuna, I’ll use crimps with 130-pound fluoro,” he explains. “I actually like a little play in the circle hook when using crimps for the bigeyes.”

Those Pesky Snell Wrap

When tying a snell knot, consider which direction you wrap your leader around the hook shank. I sent four different snells to the IGFA headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida, where Adrian Gray and Jack Vitek tested the knots on the IGFA’s tensile-strength machine for snell knot strength. The knots were a mix of uni- and ­traditional-style snells, all of which were wetted down before tightening.

Three of the four snells tied with 30-pound fluorocarbon broke at or near 20 pounds, showing similar breaking points. I should have sent a length of sample leader, plus a hook tied with a double-clinch or uni knot, to compare the leader strength and knot strength to the strength of the snells.

One snell broke at close to 13 pounds, much lower than the other three. The main difference in this snell was that the wraps along the hook shank moved toward the hook point instead of toward the hook eye. From now on, I’ll tie all my snells with the wraps aimed toward the hook eye, even if it’s harder.

Take these basic, unscientific results with a grain of salt. An in-depth knot test on snells would have required many more tests, different leader brands, different pound-tests, and different hook styles from different manufacturers — and following that, a thorough statistical analysis of the results.

“The most important factor is that when you cinch down on the leader, it must be done slowly, and keeping the leader material moist,” says Panos. “If you cinch down quickly and with a dry leader, you can burn the leader and severely weaken the leader material. The leader will break under pressure right at the hook or just above it.”

When Not to Use a Snell Knot

Some captains snell their hooks only for specific situations.

A snelled hook creates a secure — albeit stiff — connection from leader to hook. A snell might not be the best option for anglers who want to give their live baits plenty of freedom to swim and move for a livelier presentation.

“I do very little snelling of hooks,” says Capt. Glyn Austin, of Going Coastal Charters in Palm Bay, Florida. “I don’t snell when using fluoro or mono leader. I do well live-baiting with a single hook for snook, reds and tarpon, always using a loop knot, which allows the bait to freely swim on the leader whether it’s on the bottom or swimming at the surface.”

Below are step-by-step illustrations showing one way to tie a snell to a hook. This is how to snell a hook with fluorocarbon or monofilament line.

The post How to Snell a Hook appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

In this third Sport Fishing reader knot challenge, we wanted to see how anglers choose to connect their main line directly to terminal gear. That is, without using a leader, what knot would they use to tie their line directly to a hook or lure?

Not all anglers — or professional skippers (see 10 Reasons Pros Don’t Use a Leader) — bother with a leader. For various reasons, some anglers never tie directly, but many do skip the leader at times, depending upon the situation.

What defines a “good” knot? The ease and speed with which a knot is tied are important, but nothing trumps strength. And, ultimately, 100 percent knot strength is the ideal. That means that the knot you tie breaks at about the same point at which the line itself breaks.

All knots are hardly created equal. While most challenge entrants expressed great faith in their knots, in fact, many would seem to be cheating themselves of considerable strength: Mono knots varied from 75 to 100 percent; braid knots varied from 31 to 87 percent.

Clearly, fishing knots matter.

About The Fishing Knot Challenge

We tested 29 mono knots and 30 of the best knots for braided line. (A few additional entries were received but not tested since failing to follow directions rendered them ineligible.)

Entrants received a package containing a length of 20-pound Hi-Seas Grand Slam mono and a length of 20-pound PowerPro braid, along with a half-dozen Berkley McMahon swivels. They were instructed to tie the same knot with mono onto three swivels, and with braid onto the other three.

We allowed anglers the option to tie a double line first, with a Bimini twist or any other knot used to create a double line, and then tie the double line to the swivel.

Why not restrict entrants to using a single line? The whole point of this challenge was to offer insight into the strongest connections you can choose — so you tie your main line directly to your terminal gear in the strongest way possible. If doubling the line gives you an edge, we want you to know.

That said, we also stipulated to anglers choosing to tie a double line to their terminal gear that we would test both the double-line knot (typically the Bimini) as well as the terminal knot, and the weaker of the two would be counted in this test.

After all, that, again, is the point: to measure the strength of your connection.

We tested lines, as in past challenges, courtesy of the International Game Fish Association, on the same Instron 5543 electromechanical tension tester that the IGFA uses to determine the strength of lines submitted with world-record applications.

Initially, via the Instron, we ran tensile tests of just the lines to determine the breaking point for the 20-pound Grand Slam mono (27.04 pounds) and the 20-pound PowerPro braid (41.45 pounds).

Then we tested each knot at the swivel and noted the mean break (over three tests of each knot), as well as the consistency of those breaks (via the standard deviation).

The mean break point was then calculated against the line’s tensile strength to show at what percentage of the line’s strength the knot broke. That figure determined the relative standing of each knot in the test.

Note that the mono was tested dry. That means that results throughout would have been slightly less had it been soaked before testing. However, what’s most important is that the results should have still been relatively the same.

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Results and Conclusions

Among 29 entries, the strongest mono knots were pretty well distributed from 100 percent down to about 72 percent, with five finishing from 72 to 75 percent, but most knots breaking in the 80s.

Previous line and knot tests in SF have confirmed that good knots in mono should entail little or no loss in strength. Here, the three winning knots broke at or very close to 100 percent.

Even knots that proved weaker weren’t dismally so; still, what would you rather have connecting your hook to that once-in-a-lifetime trophy? A knot that will give you 99 or 100 percent of the line’s strength? Or a knot that will break at 72 percent of the line’s strength?

Your fishing knot matters.

HOW TO TIE THE WINNING MONO KNOT (100%)

Joel Blessing's AG chain knot came out on top. (In fact, it broke at barely over 100 percent of the line's strength, attributable presumably to variation in the line. (I have observed this phenomenon previously, with line seeming to inexplicably slightly gain strength from knots.) The knot — which is also one of the most consistent — does take a bit of time to tie.

HOW TO TIE THE SECOND-PLACE MONO KNOT (99.26%)

It would seem that if you don’t mind giving up about a mere pound of strength, a standard five-turn uni knot as tied by Brian Helms of Sarasota, Florida, would be quicker to tie than the AG chain knot.

HOW TO TIE THE THIRD-PLACE MONO KNOT (98.71%)

This simple knot proved very effective. The entrant says he learned it "from an old fisherman from Lafayette (Louisiana)."

As shown in the table above, no braid knot managed to yield as much as 80 percent of the line’s strength. However, a knot that breaks as low as 67 percent or so in 20-pound braid still offers as much actual strength as a 100 percent mono knot. That’s because braid is so much stronger to start with; the 20-pound braid broke at more than 41 pounds, versus 27 for mono.

HOW TO TIE THE WINNING BRAID KNOT (79.08%)

Among the 30 braid knots in this challenge, the best terminal knot to connect a single main line to terminal gear was a palomar, but with a twist. Winner Todd Stephens doubled the usual loop to create two loops, which he passed through the eye of his terminal gear before tying an overhand knot in both loops and pulling his terminal gear through that. The result was a knot just shy of 80 percent of the line’s strength.

This would seem to be the best way to tie a palomar; other palomar entries, tied with the traditional single loop, fared less well.

Many variations of knots were submitted. Many would take more time to tie than the simple palomar with the doubled loop shown here — and would offer less strength.

In fact, four braid knots broke at less than 50 percent of the line strength, while six broke at more than 70 percent.

Your fishing knot matters.

HOW TO TIE THE SECOND-PLACE BRAID KNOT (74.72%)

WINNING DOUBLE-LINE KNOTS

As shown in the chart, a couple of entrants opted to tie a double-line knot — a Bimini twist in both cases — and then tied their terminal knot to the swivel with the doubled line.

The terminal knots with the doubled strand of line broke at well over 100 percent in both mono and braid. That’s because these knots had twice the surface area (with two lines). In all cases, their Bimini proved the weaker of the two (and hence was counted for their break point), but still offered excellent strength.

SOME CONCLUSIONS OF THE FISHING KNOT CHALLENGE

If your preference or conditions require a single line straight to terminal gear, a variety of knots should give you more than 90 percent strength in mono, and more than 70 percent in braid.

A number of entrants tied the ever-popular uni knot. With braid, the results were pretty much all over the place, from a couple breaking at more than 70 percent, to others registered in the 60s, the 50s and — the weakest of all braid knots tested — at just 31 percent. (This means that the angler has effectively reduced his 41-pound test to merely 13-pound line. That’s a pretty huge handicap.)

The strongest uni-knot, tied by Byron Stout of Naples, Florida, and shown above, registered a respectable 74.4 percent, but used a rather complex finishing with what the entrant calls BBTIKS (Byron’s Burly Twirly Improved Knotting System); Todd Stephens’ winning palomar would certainly be quicker to tie and came out stronger in our test.

Nearly as strong in our testing (73.14 percent) was the basic five-turn uni tied by Ed Scopelitis of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and shown above. Yet for whatever reason, a five-turn uni tied by another entrant broke at just 31.07 percent.

In mono also, the uni varied greatly, with mean break points for the six uni entries of 87, 85, 83, 82, 75 and 73 percent.

HARD TO BEAT A BIMINI

By far the most reliable approach to getting the highest knot strength seemed to require tying a Bimini twist to create a double line. Then, in fact, which terminal knot you end up using becomes almost irrelevant. A well-tied Bimini is still one of the best knots you can choose.

In mono, the Biminis offered a 100 percent knot, as good as the winning single-line terminal knot. But braid in particular benefited from this strategy.

One entrant tied a Bimini in braid that broke at about 87 percent — a good bit stronger than the best single-line braid knot (about 79 percent).

This seems to point to one pretty straightforward conclusion: Whether tying directly to your terminal gear or using a leader, you’re likely to get the greatest knot strength by starting with a well-tied Bimini twist, giving yourself a double-line loop to work with.

A NICE PAYOFF

The post Winning Knots from Sport Fishing’s Third Reader Knot Challenge appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

One of the hottest topics among saltwater anglers these days is the FG knot. It’s a favorite among the most hardcore nearshore anglers who toss huge poppers all day for monster giant trevally — some of the world’s toughest fishing, a situation where your best knot or mine probably wouldn’t survive for long. They have a knot connecting their braid to heavy mono or fluoro leader that can go all day — in and out of the guides and straining under max drags with heavy tackle. It’s the FG knot.

Like any knot: easy to tie when you know how.

Trying to follow instructions via illustrations is nearly impossible and even FG knot videos have been tough — until now! Working with the IGFA’s Adrian Gray, Sport Fishing presents the exclusive, revolutionary Adrian Gray Simplified FG Knot. Watch the video: There’s little reason any longer not to tie the FG! With a little practice, you can do it as quickly and effortlessly as does Gray, and you won’t find a better knot for casting or jigging with braid.

— Doug Olander, Sport Fishing Editor-in-Chief

The post FG Knot Made Easy appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Consider: Here you have your fishing line, spooled up on your reel. Here you have your leader. (In most saltwater angling, a leader is called for.) But somehow you have to get the two connected.

That’s the situation we posed to seven pros: Main line to leader — how do you make the connection?

Since these guys make their living by helping anglers land the fish they hook, weak connections won’t cut it. Here are the 7 best fishing knots used by seven full-time fishing skippers from around the United States and abroad.

Bimini Twist

CAPT. DAVE KOSTYO, Miami, Florida

Dave Kostyo charters his 28-foot Whitewater, Knot Nancy, in the Miami area, targeting tarpon, sailfish, dolphin and kingfish in particular. The longtime skipper favors light tackle when possible and has racked up many tournament wins over the years.

Do you tie a double line? Always, with both mono and braid

What type and strength line, mostly? Both mono (12- to 30-pound) and braid

Preferred double-line knot? Bimini twist

Why? As long as it’s tied properly, the Bimini has never failed me. I’ve tried spider hitches and have had them break once too often on decent fish. I also like what I call the shock-absorber effect of the Bimini. (To see that, with mono, leave the tag end a bit longer than usual, and then pull on both main line and double line, and watch the tag end twist slightly.)

Tying strategy? With heavier mono (20-plus pound), 20 twists; with lighter mono, 22 to 25 twists; with all braid, 30 twists. Before “walking” the line down tightly over the knot, I make three or four loose twists. To finish: half hitch on each leg then four half hitches around both legs. Finally, I leave a loop and wrap the tag end around both legs (back toward the main line) and through the loop four times. When pulled tight, this locks the half hitches in place. With braid, I double the number of half hitches on both legs, and double the number of wraps on the inside knot.

Connection to leader? I connect double line to leader with a four-turn uni-knot with the leader (around the double line) and a five-turn clinch knot with the double line (around the leader). I prefer this to a straight double uni, since the finished knot is more tapered and passes through the rod guides more easily.

Here is a video of the author tying a Bimini twist.

Improved Albright

CAPT. ANDY MEZIROW, Seward, Alaska

As longtime owner and lead skipper of the Seward-based Crackerjack Charters, one of Alaska’s premier day-trip and multiday charter operations, Andy Mezirow has guided anglers to more than 30 IGFA world records aboard his fast 46-foot custom sport-fisher.

Do you tie a double line? Yes, other than for offshore trolling

What type and strength line, mostly? Braid (50- to 80-pound)

Preferred double-line knot? Bimini twist

Why? This knot has never failed me, and it serves as a way to attach either a swivel or mono top shot.

Tying strategy? I like to lock my Biminis down with a uni-knot after securing each leg with a half hitch.

Connection to leader? I used an improved Albright to connect to a leader.

Double Cat’s Paw

CAPT. BRAD PHILIPPS, Ixtapa, Guatemala

Anyone who has released more than 25,000 billfish, as has Brad Philipps, has to know his knots. Philipps, with Guatemalan Billfishing Adventures, fishes the sailfish-rich waters off Ixtapa — where his wife, Cindy, runs the Billfish Inn — from his 40-foot convertible, Decisive.

Do you tie a double line? Yes

What type and strength line, mostly? Mono (25-pound)

Preferred knot? Bimini twist

Why? Easy to tie and strongest double-line knot

Tying strategy? I use 40 twists.

Connection to leader? We always use a double cat’s-paw loop-to-loop connection to connect to the Dacron loop on a wind-on top shot. Some just go through the loop once, for a single cat’s paw, but I’ve seen that fail, so we go through twice for the double.

Bristol

CAPT. ANTHONY MENDILLO JR., Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Anthony Mendillo‘s Keen M charters run three boats out of Enrique Lima’s Marina in Isla Mujeres. For about 20 years off the Yucatan, Mendillo has been putting anglers on some of the world’s fastest sailfish bites, and he boasts a number of tournament wins.

Do you tie a double line? Yes

What type and strength line, mostly? Mono (20- to 30-pound)

Preferred double-line knot? Bimini twist

Why? It’s our proven bread-and-butter knot.

Tying strategy? We form the double line with 27 twists, making it about 18 inches long — a convenient length; longer doubles are harder to tie and serve no benefit for us. We finish with the usual half hitch around each leg, then two half hitches around both legs, followed by a double half hitch around both.

Connection to leader? With 20- and 30-pound mono (our usual sailfish trolling rigs), we tie to the leader with a Yucatan or “no-name” (Bristol) knot with seven turns. When using braided lines for jigging, we tie to the leader using a Huffnagle knot.

Double Uni

CAPT. CHRIS MYERS, Titusville, Florida

Capt. Chris Myers has been a full-time flats-fishing guide specializing in sight-casting the inshore saltwater lagoons of east central Florida for more than 20 years. He fishes a 16-foot Hewes flats skiff, poling anglers to bull redfish tailing in the clear shallows. Myers also offers seminars at tackle and fly shops and fishing shows.

Do you tie a double line? No. I used to but no longer tie any double lines.

What type and strength line, mostly? 10-pound braid

Preferred knot, single line to leader? Double uni

Why? I used to always tie a double line in mono with either a spider hitch or a Bimini. Since I’ve stopped tying the double line, I’ve had far fewer issues with the line breaking at the double-line knot. I’ve tried other knots, and none proved as strong as the double uni.

Tying strategy? I fold over the braid so I am tying on two pieces (but not forming a tied loop). I use eight wraps (eight times through the loop) on the braid side and four wraps with the 20-pound fluoro leader. With heavier braid and leader, I use same number of wraps on the braid side but three or four wraps on the leader side. A trick I employ is holding the uni loop open with my middle fingers as I tie; then, I can pass the tag ends through the loop rapidly.

Here is a video of Myers tying the double uni-knot described.

Three-Turn Surgeon’s

CAPT. JOHN RAGUSO, Long Island, New York

John Raguso has been connecting anglers to game fish offshore of Long Island for decades. He offers trips for tuna, sharks, canyon fishing (overnight), mahi and light-tackle action on his twin-outboard Phoenix, MarCeeJay. Raguso loves to teach anglers his tricks at his Long Island Fishing School, and is a widely published book and magazine author (including contributions to SF.)

Do you tie a double line? Yes

What type and strength line, mostly? Braid (80 to 100 pound)

Preferred knot? Three-turn surgeon’s knot

Why? After a lot of trial and error, this seems to be the easiest to tie, doesn’t slip or bind over itself, and is super strong. I can tie it in seconds.

Tying strategy? I keep the double line short — 12 inches or less. If you’re nervous about the knot slipping, put a drop of Super Glue on it, and it will never come out.

Connection to leader? I connect the double line to a mono leader with a 12- to 15-turn Bristol. I follow that with six to eight half hitches to lock the knot. (This knot also eliminates having a single strand of braid versus a single strand of mono; braid always seems to win the battle of the resulting shear point.)

FG Knot

CAPT. DAMON OLSEN, Cairns, Australia

Perhaps no skipper in the world is harder on his knots than Damon Olsen with Nomad Sportfishing Adventures. The big Stella spinners with 100-pound braid with which Olsen equips his 80-foot aluminum cat mothership, Odyssey, are used to cast very large, very heavy poppers hour after hour, so the knots connecting braid to long mono leaders whip through the guides all day, plus have to handle huge giant trevally and other beasts of the reef, like the massive Maori wrasse shown here. Olsen knows his knots. He also knows his northern Australia fishing, directing the premier multiday-trip operation up and down the Great Barrier Reef, and recently venturing as far as New Guinea.

Do you tie a double line? No (not for casting lures)

What type and strength line, mostly? Braid (50-pound and up)

Preferred knot, single line to leader? FG knot

Why? It’s the best knot ever invented for casting — I love it. It holds up for a long day of banging through rod guides.

Tying strategy? I use 15 to 20 crisscrosses back up the knot for maximum strength, then three half hitches at the top, over the braid and mono. The knot must be tightened during tying with a really good pull after the first half-hitch wrap over braid and mono.

The FG knot isn’t easily illustrated step by step; however, this video show exactly how to tie the FG knot with perfect clarity.

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