I can tie the improved clinch or berkley knot in very little time (Never timed myself). I don’t see what the problem is with it.
Thread the fly and holding the standing line and tag end in both hands between your thumb and finger. Roll the lines in the same direction and the fly spins. After some practice you can control the amount of twists very easily. Loop the tag, wet, and tighten. The longest part of the tie was threading the eye of the hook. Very easy to tie with frozen fingers and the berkely is 100% when tied correctly. Whats not to like?
Try it with my eyes and you’ll understand. It’s not that I can’t do it. I’ve been using it for years in spin fishing. It’s just with small tippet I can tie the double surgeons loop much faster and easier. I can’t catch fish unless the fly is in the water. Anything that speeds up the tying is what i’m going to use. Besides we have two sides to the loop being better for fly action.
I don’t consider the Trilene Knot…believe that is it’s real name …the same as the improved and/or regular clinch knot…it is much stronger…in my experience
It is a 100% knot when tied correctly. And it is very similar to the clinch knot. They both need a few twists to complete and the roll trick does it quick easily and without taking your hands off the line. I can tie the knots in the dark if need be. Just need to thread the tippet through the eye first.
I use fluorocarbon and a triple surgeons knot and have no breakage problems at all. Are you breaking the knot by using light tippet and setting the hook too hard?
For nymphs and streamers I’m now mostly fishing with flourocarbon tippets.
I’m finding, however my triple surgeon’s knot often breaks. I went to
the web to make sure I was tying the knots correctly, but I’m still having
a lot of easy breaks.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Randy58
It could be you’re not seating the knot correctly. When you have all the overhand knots looped, the tag ends, and standing ends, ALL need to be pulled evenly. If you don’t, the knot won’t seat properly. Once you snug up the knot evenly, grasp one of the tag ends, and the opposing standing end, and pull tightly. Repeat that on the other tag end. This will completely seat the knot. The finished knot should look even, and smooth. If not, it’s not done correctly. FWIW, the more overhand knots you put in a surgeons knot, the harder it is to seat correctly.
I do use a SURGEON’s LOOP when connecting fly to tippet ( a trick I learned from Jack Dennis) Like I said I can get more movement out of the fly, plus I am able to use a heavier tippet (like 6X on a #30)
I have got this down to where the loop is very tiny, I do feel if the loop is too big, the knot will form a wake or something in front of the fly and effect catch rate.
When I make my own leaders I use the recommended blood/barrel knot except the last section which I will add flourcarbon. Then I use a DOUBLE Surgeon’s knot. I have never used or needed more thand two passes through the loop EXCEPT if I am connecting for ex: 6X to 4X, then I loop three, but for 5X to 6X twice.
Can you describe the size of the surgeon’s loop in respect to the size of a fly. I tried it with 5x and a size 14 nymph. The loop was 1/3 the lenght of the fly. Is that too big.