What knot do you use to tie a tippet ring onto monofilament?
Improved Clinch
Is there any better option?
yes…the trilene knot …just my experience
http://www.animatedknots.com/trilene/index.php?Categ=fishing
I use the Palomar knot to tie to the main leader and the Orvis (Becker) knot to tie the tippet to the ring. These are both very strong knots. I seem to tie the Orvis knot more consistently than the improved clinch or Trilene knots.
These are two excellent knots. I use a Palomar often in saltwater applications using larger hooks. I’ve found fewer freshwater fly uses because I find it harder to finish on the small hooks (small eyes, actually). A gentleman on these boards recently offered some tippet rings for those new to them. I took him up on his kind offer and think I’ll use the Palomar with them as tailingloop suggests.
The Orvis Knot is particularly underrated IMO. I use it regularly on most freshwater flies. I can tie it a little faster than a clinch, although it’s really not much different than the clinch.
Eugene bend with forceps = speed and strength
Actually find a knot you tie well and like and stick with it.
I’m a big fan of the Palomar Knot. I use it wherever I can. I think it’s an inherently consistent knot. It gets harder to tie when you get down to the 18s though. That second pass through the eye…
The Trilene is my next choice.
I gave up on the clinch knot, even tied correctly, it’s too weak for me.
Buddy
Pitzen or Uni-knot but as okflyfisher implied, the best knot is the one you like and can tie quickly.
Didn’t know it was called the Pitzen, but the Uni-Knot or Duncan (same thing) is a knot I count on and can tie in the dark with my eyes closed after the number of years I have used it. The Davy Knot is quick and easy but is easy to miss tie and will slip a improved Davy seems to be easy, with a small knot and holds well.
A very important point. An inherently weaker knot that you can consistently tie well will often be better than a theoretically stronger knot that is tied poorly.
The Palomar knot can sometimes be tricky to tie or a tiny ring even if the double line fits through. However once I out the ring on the tapered leader it often stays there for months and the Palomar holds up well. There are several good knot choices but just as important as knot choice is learning to tie it well.
I’m with whatfly and Uncle Jesse on the Uni-Knot. Like Unc, I can tie it blindfolded with frozen fingers and it’ll be fine. Unlike others I’ve never had consistent strength with the Palomar knot, tho it is probably the most used in the bass world of fishing whence I am from. I also like the Uni-Knot since it can be cinched down to make a nice loop and tho I’ve leaned into some might strong fish over the years I’ve never had it slip down to the eye. It also makes a great backing to fly knot and can double for a nail knot in a pinch if necessary, tho it is not quite as nice as a well tied nail knot. I also use the snell knot in some applications, like making a loop on end of fly line. Double line over, do two snell knots about a 1/2" apart with 4# test mono and you have a neat loop for leader attachment. Often, if you study knots the best use similar principles, as in the snell knot being the same as the nail knot with different applications. The snell knot on a turned up eye hook can be pushed back and a couple of hunks of yarn pulled tight to hook and trimmed to make a quick down and dirty egg fly, one that has landed me many many steelhead and salmon.
Like the fly or lure you fish, confidence in your knot is very important and ability to tie it right and tight and wetting it down increase that confidence.
Uni Knot…ben using it for all my leader connections for the last 26 years…
PT/TB