When tying most any knot we are told to leave a little extra and not cut the tag end too close to the knot as pictured below. As I was tying a knot today I was wondering, have any of you had a situation where it "saved" you? I guess the only way you would know is if you always leave extra and after catching a fish you realized it was almost gone and the knot had moved or whatever.

In some situations I leave a long tag end so the weeds slide off and don't hang up on it. 

1 minute ago, ErieCan said:

In some situations I leave a long tag end so the weeds slide off and don't hang up on it. 

I'd think that is just another object sitting there capable of collecting grass or weeds

Got one 7# pike on a spinnerbait - tag looked shorter and the main-run directly above the lure was 'curly'...so it did start pulling the knot out. Retied immediately after releasing the fish to get that tag-length back.

 

This was on YZH, BTW - which is noted for good knot strenth...I've left longer tags since that incident - just because.

11 minutes ago, michael1 said:

have any of you had a situation where it "saved" you?

Yes, I've found the tag shorter than I cut it on many occasions.

 

oe

When I first started to use the Palomar, everything I read said to always leave a small piece. 
It stuck with me and still do it, but don’t really think it’s necessary with the 4 carrier original Power Pro I only use. 
 

Maybe on the slicker coated or 8 carrier braid it’s needed but I wouldn’t know. 

I cut flouro as short as I can. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Tie the knot properly and it will not slip.

If it ain't perfect, it ain't good enough.

If a knot slips it’s a bad knot! I cut tag ends anywhere from 1/16”- 1/8” no longer. 

I recall a member doing a study leaving tags ends long ( over 12”) making no difference to catch rates. Do whatever you prefer but use knots that don’t slip.

Tom

 

No. Any knot tied properly should not slip at all

I've only broken off two fish and both were because I tied the knot in a hurry and didn't cinch it down well enough.

My knots don't slip.

I trim my tag end close after cinching my knots.

I figure the tag length by placing my thumb nail on top of the knot & clipping it flush, this leaves about a 64th of a inch.

 

On Texas Rigs I pull the hook eye, the knot, & the tag end into the plastic. The tag end will help hold the plastic in place.