Tapered leader without tippet?

[sagefisher]

I always start each day with a new tapered mono leader. I think of it as cheap insurance against loosing a nice fish.

I also always use tippet, to be exact, Rio Fluoroflex Plus fluorocarbon tippet, even on a new leader. Every guide I have fish with the past two years has also started using fluorocarbon tippet, even when fishing dries. The use of the fluorocarbon decreases the chance of the fish seeing the tippet.

I use the Cinch Tie Knot Tyer tool to tie an Improved Surgeons knot to tie my tippet to my leader. It is quick and easy to use. As you can see down below, there are a number of knots you can tie with this tool, but I carry it with me all the time just to tie what I call the Triple Improved Surgeons knot. I twist the loop three times to strengthen then knot rather than the suggested two times.

The Cinch Tie Knot Tyer will tie the follow knots with ease:

Rapala Knot
Clinch Knot
Nail Knot
Trilene Knot
Double Clinch Knot
Grip Knot
Hook Snell
Hook Snell by Hand
Improved Clinch Knots
Improved Surgeons Knot
Spider Hitch
Blood Snell Knot
Bobber Knot 1
Bobber Knot 2

Check it out at the below website. Orvis and Cabela's sell a version of the Cinch Knot Tyer.


http://www.cinchtie.com/Cinch_tie_knot_tyer.htm

Larry ---sagefisher---

[BelAirSteve]

Byron,

I would like to echo most of what Buddy says, and add some of my own commentary.

Byron,

While I diagree that a surgeons knot is stronger than a blood knot, it is easier to tie and will work just fine.

However, learning to tie good knots, and certainly knowing the more popular ones well, is part of the sport and something you should spend some time on. You can find information all over the web about different knots.

I was in the same boat with you as I learned those knots, but Buddy is right...you really need to know how to tie them. I bought a bunch of butt material and tippets to build my own smallmouth leaders, and after building my first one (Harry Murray's recipe) I had the knots down pretty good.

If you are going to be fishing mainly warmwater, you will need a good loop knot. Either what they call the 'non slip' or the 'Rapala' knot are good. Most topwater flies, clousers, and any fly you want to move freely will benefit from being tied on with a loop knot. This is especially true with tippets above around four pound test.

Again, very true. The 'Rapala' knot is what I use when I spin fish from time to time, and it gives flies great action.

[ironbyron]

Thanks guys for all the great advice. I think I should indeed just learn to tie the knots instead of finding ways around them.

Byron

[Jeremy]

Byron,

For a newby, don't let the knots get you frustrated. Pick a couple of knots for a stated purpose and then use them until you're dissatisfied...no sweat.

You don't "have " to do the Blood knot. A nice and suitable/acceptable choice is a Double Uni knot..if you want it to approximate the Blood. Google it and you'll find it's easy and strong.

Another simple and strong knot is a Triple Surgeons....really simple and strong.

Keep it uncomplicated. Lots of choices.

Jeremy.

[CoachBob]

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/
is currently selling Reddington and Scientific Anglers 9 foot tapered leaders in 0x and 2x for 75 cents each.
These work great for bass without a tippet and with a tippet for anything.

[BobC]

Byron,

For a newby, don't let the knots get you frustrated. Pick a couple of knots for a stated purpose and then use them until you're dissatisfied...no sweat.

You don't "have " to do the Blood knot. A nice and suitable/acceptable choice is a Double Uni knot..if you want it to approximate the Blood. Google it and you'll find it's easy and strong.

Another simple and strong knot is a Triple Surgeons....really simple and strong.

Keep it uncomplicated. Lots of choices.

Jeremy.

I would agree with Jeremy. You only need to know a handfull to get started. Attaching lines, loops, and attaching flies dry and wet. For some reason I have a devil of a time with the blood knot, so I use either the triple surgeons, or better yet so far the figure eight knot for tippet to leader. When properly tied I have not had a failure with either, but I prefer the figure 8 as I think it goes thru the guides better and has less of a profile. Master a few and build your arsenal of knots from there. Have fun!

[Bear742]

I would use the Uni-Uni for tippet. There is also the Nail-Nail if you have a gadget for tying it.

But wait. An interesting article in F&S gives top billing to the J Knot. In their tests it broke at 67% of the line test while the Surgeon's came in at 63%. The J is not much harder to tie than the Surgeon's.

[new2thefly]

I agree with everything said before but feel I need to add this. Learn to tie just a few 'basic' knots to use when fishing and get out there. During the days you can't get out use 'big' line and practice tying other knots. There are tons of places (like here) that have 'How-to' sections that show you how to tie different knots. But if you haven't had a problem with your set-up why change. I do what works for me, just because it's not the textbook way to do something doesn't mean it won't work.

I'm also cheap and buy spools of different weight line and tie my own leaders. I just bought a spool of 6# test (700 yards) for $2.89. If I make 6 foot leaders with a loop at one end that means I'll get about 350 leaders out of this spool. Cost, about 1 cent each. Time to make less than a minute. And if I need to add tippet to the end in the field I use a Surgeon's knot. I've never had this set-up fail at the knot.

[BobC]

Thanks for the reply. I should fess up that I am tortured by trying to tie the bloodknot. I just successfully tied one, or at least I hope it was a success. I'm sure there's got to be an easy way to do this. Maybe as time goes by I'll get better at it. I looked at mine under a magnifying glass and it "looks" good. Only time will tell.

Byron

Don't be afraid to try another knot. The figure 8 works well for me to attach tippet line, just be careful to wet and draw the knot well so it doesn't slip, and a the good old reliable surgeons works as well. I like the thinner profile of the figure 8. Buddy's suggestion sounds good as well to prolong leader life.

[jrgocards]

I HIGHLY recommend the Davy knot to tie your flies to the tippet. Fast, easy and it holds better than any other I've tried. I can tie a new fly on in seconds with the Davy knot.

JR