Knot problem

[lastchance]

I've been fishing tricos with a 7x tippet and I've had my knot, tippet to fly, slip 2 or 3 times this year. Is there a better knot than a Clinch to use with smaller tippet?
Thanks,
Bruce

[kbproctor]

Are you using the clinch or the modified clinch? I use both, but must admit the clinch more when I am being lazy. I have had the clinch slip on me a few times. The modified clinch has never slipped on me.

[Bucky]

I have had about the same experience as kbprocter. The modified clinch very rarely slips on me. It only seems to slip when I don't wet the line when tightening the knot.

[Holden Caulfield]

Orvis, Pitzen, and Nonslip Monoloop won't slip and are much stronger than the clinch or improved clinch - they are among the strongest knots for 3x and smaller. Just google them and you will find instructions. The Pitzen and Orvis are both tight to the eye and the Nonslip Monoloop creates an open loop.

Please note that all three are easy to tie consistently on stream, the trick is in learning how to hold the fly and tippet, which is often not communicated well through diagrams or even videos when they are demonstrated with flyline or rope. If you can't figure it out, let us know and we can provide some help.

[Scruffy Fly]

Any not is not worth a darn if you cannot tie it reliably and repeatable. For the longest time I used to have troubles with both clinch and improved clinch slipping. Then finally I got it. I don't bother with improved clinch any more.

When I am not lazy I do the Orvis Knot for attaching the fly. I use the Orvis Tippet knot for leader to tippet and tippet-to-tippet connections. See this page:
http://www.orvis.com/orvis_assets/files/index.html - doing my own relative knot testing (tug of war between two knots tied to hooks of the sizes I use with the tippet sizes I use)

The Orvis Knot may be troublesome for you to tie in 7x material. But I think Holden can point you to some videos that should explain what he is saying about manipulating the knot with your fingers.

Many people expound how nice the Davey Knot works. But this is a knot I cannot tie reliably at all. Like the Orvis Knot it makes a very small knot ball on the hook, which seems a good thing on very small hooks. Here is the Davey Knot: http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/Davy-knot.htm

But I bet an overhand loop will work great and would be simple to do. It is a surgeon’s loop with only one pass through the 'hole' instead of two. Surgeon's loop.

Of course you need to wet all knots before cinching them down tight.

Whatever knot you decide to do it is best to sit in front of the TV and tie a good number of them so that you get to know how to do the knot and get some muscle memory stuff going. If you try to learn it on the water while being anxious to get fishing you are dooming yourself to disappointment.

[Gadams]

I use the clinch,(not improved). 5 turns on 5X and larger, 7 turns on 6X and smaller. Make sure you lubricate the knot with saliva, and tighten it completely, first holding the tag end while tightening, and then hold the fly and pull to be sure the knot is tight. I never have knots tied in this manner come loose, and when i have a break off, 90% of the time it breaks where the tippet is tied to the leader.
I have had "improved" clinch knots slip. I believe that the tag end of the tippet passed back through the knot sometimes prevents the knot from tightening completely.

[rickie]

I use the improved clinch knot for tippet to fly connections. You have to make sure that you wrap the tag end through the tag and not the running line or else it will slip.

[Bamboozle]

I use the clinch,(not improved). 5 turns on 5X and larger, 7 turns on 6X and smaller. Make sure you lubricate the knot with saliva, and tighten it completely, first holding the tag end while tightening, and then hold the fly and pull to be sure the knot is tight. I never have knots tied in this manner come loose, and when i have a break off, 90% of the time it breaks where the tippet is tied to the leader.

1+

The only knot I use when fly fishing for trout is the REGULAR clinch because I'm lazy, I can tie it in the dark or after a few beers and I have no problems with it down to 8X. I have no idea how many turns I make and I don't worry about it but that's me. I also never bother holding the tag end when drawing the knot because I don't do it when tying a blood knot which is essentially two clinch knots back to back. I'm not saying my method is better than anyone elses, I'm just lazier than most and it's what works for me.

I always lubricate my knots and draw slowly until the knot is tight, then I give it a slightly stronger pull. A clinch knot is a "jamb" knot and I feel if it is not tight enough or jambed, it will slip. Knowing the limits of your tippet brand by tying some knots and pulling and yanking is also a good idea.

Speaking of brands, I use fluorocarbon exclusively and Seaguar Grand Max 99% of the time. I can't say for sure if it holds knots better than most brands but I love the stuff! It is UNBELIEVABLY strong for its diameter. I have horsed more than a few surprise fish over 20" from brush piles on 7X with the stuff. If you saw how much pressure I put on these fish you would NEVER believe I was fishing 7X. As a result Seaguar is all I use despite the price.

[hairwing]

I vote for the simple clinch with some spit. I do tie all my flies to the tippet with the aide of a pair of hemostats which I feel gives me some extra hold on the bend of the hook to seat the knot.
When the knot is drawn tight I give it a little tug before clipping the tag.
The improved clinch never improved the knot for me.

[BSwan]

Try this:

http://www.orvis.com/knotcard

Click on the Orvis knot on the right end of the bar. I also like the Orvis tippet knot in lieu of a bloodknot which I don't tie that well.