Line Cut at Knot

[Big Bad Wulff]

MAny times flourocarbon will cut right thru monofilament. Try to use like-materials with leader and tippet.

[bonefishwhisperer]

I get this problem myself...once I came to the conclusion it was from carrying bug spray in my pouch..another was bad line as it broke wherever you pulled...some breaks were from the friction of cinching the knot down..I always look for the milky color or distresssed color at the knot even after moistening the line...the hardest one to pinpoint was hard to believe...it was a big spool of 10lb flouro and I kept breaking off fish after fish...the problem was a super small "nick" in the plastic spool itself which would put the micro cut on the line on every revolution of the tippet spool...I have never blamed the knots themselves..I have straightened hooks on bones with 8lb tippet so I know its not the knots themselves

[TomTrout]

Slough,

I have to ask. After the knot breaks is the tip of your tippet curly or straight?

If it is curly your knot is slipping. Don't pull on the tag to tighten a clinch knot I moisten the knot and pull the standing line of the knot slowly but steadily until the knot is tight don't stop once you start to tighten. Even moistened if you stop the heat buildup will set the tippet (from Lefty). I use the improved clinch only on thicker material 0x-4x a regular clinch 5x-9x. I've never heard of a Sliding Surgeons Knot cold you post an example?

I don't know what material you use but I remember the old Dai Riki material before they came out with the Velvet was one of the few that was recommended that you did not moisten before tightening the knot. I dated myself with that one.

If you tippet is straight you may be starting your forward cast to soon and be actually snapping your fly off. You may be "cracking the whip". I do this after fishing graphite then picking up a bamboo rod.

As others have said it could be bad or old material. Or bad spools. I find the one thing that will cause tippet to go bad real fast is to have it in an outside your vest holder where sunlight can hit it at all times especially if your vest is in the car all season. I no longer use tippet spool holders unless they fit a vest pocket.

Tom

[J Castwell]

I'm really confused,,, that is EXACTLY where it should break! At the fly should be the weakest point. You rather lose the tippet, maybe the whole leader? You can't improve on this.

[bonefishwhisperer]

actually I would have to agree with that...maybe you need to just step up the tippet... in my experiences with break offs there always been a reason and it has never been from the tippet being too small but damaged line...maybe it was just bad luck that day...good luck

[slough foot]

I appreciate all the input on this. My break-offs have been with 6x tippet. I have discovered that I didn't moisten the knot sufficiently and sometimes have seen line curl when breaking. After fixing that, I do think I was overtightening the tag end before tightening by pulling on the fly and tippet line. The remaining fix I'll go for is to more carefully checking my tippet for small nicks.

[Doug Adams]

Here is a link to the best knot I have found for tippet to fly.

www.flyanglersonline.com/begin/knots2/weaversknot2.php

Doug

[Flyandtie1]

Since were naming knots we use to tie on flies,

I use the Uni knot and its excellent.