Like the title says, how willing are you to try a new knot?

 

A personality flaw of mine is to fall into a "rut" and reluctantly deviate from my SOP. I'm working to break out of this self imposed prison this season. New lines, new knots, and new technique equals uncharted territory. I'm actually finding it fun to blaze a new trail. Perfect execution of knot tying is critical and I'm practicing almost nightly to develop muscle memory.

 

The flip side of the coin is simple. If it aint broke, don't fix it. The KISS principal also plays a role. Why bother when what you use works and you have confidence with it?

 

To those points, how willing or reluctant are you to try a new knot?

I'm in a pretty good rut myself as I've been tying the Palomar knot for 50 years.

Braid to leader I've only ever used the Alberto.

If it ain't broke I don't try to fix it. 😃

I use 3 knots and thats it. I've yet to have a break at my knot and I can tie each of them well and quickly. Why try something new when I wont gain anything?

 

SDJ - FC/CoPoly/Mono

Palomar - Braid

FG - Connection Knot

 

I have been using the same knots for a while.

Because they are easy to tie, (night or day)

so that works for me.  

Additionally, they all have a good beat and are easy to dance to.

#americanbandstand

 

SDJ/Pitzen - FC bait connection

Single uni knot - Braid/mono bait connection

Uni to Uni for any and all leader connections.

Blood knot to connect main line to reel backing.

 

I am considering trying the might knot.

A-Jay

 

13 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I am considering trying the might knot.

12 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Alternatively, you could try the could knot.....

 

 

I use a standard clinch knot, not even improved clinch. 20-30 lb stripers don’t break it with 10-12 lb mono. Sooooo , not very willing 😂 

I'll try about anything if I think it will be better.  But it better actually be better for me to keep using it.  The double pitzen is one.  Never heard of it until a year ago.  Its a better knot than a palomar for everywhere I'd tie a palomar and I can tie it more reliably.  It was a no brainer to swap to it.  Same when I swapped from a double uni to an alberto for braid to leader.  Easier, faster, demonstrably stronger.

How Willing Are You To Try A New Knot.....??

 

0% 😉

 

Palomar on everything even the leader!

 

 

Yeah, sure.  I'll try anything once.  

 

However, I sat in my garage a few years back with a bunch of line and some heavy weights and ran a tournament where I tied two different knots onto each side of a length of line and lifted heavy weights with them to see which one gave first.  At the end of the tournament, I decided that the Fish N Fool was the best for braid, the Berkley Braid Knot was the best for Fluorocarbon (weird, but whatever), and I didn't test mono because I don't use it much.  I also concluded that the FG knot was the best for fluoro to braid leaders.  I tried every knot I could find on the internet.  Now, I'm not saying that I've tried them all, but that test did leave me satisfied with the knots I have now.  

 

So to get me to try a new knot, it has to be one I haven't tried before and one that comes highly recommended.  Also, it can't be too complicated.  Because if I'm honest, I use the Fish N Fool most often for fluoro, just because it was almost as strong in my test as the Berkley Braid Knot and it's a lot easier for me to tie.

I'm willing to try it, not willing to change it. 

 

Example, I tied the fish-n-fool and it was a great knot used it a couple of times but I never committed it to muscle memory and after going a short while without fishing, it was back to my old regular knots. 10,000 hours to perfect a skill right? Well it might not be hours but I'd wager to say I've tied at about half that many palomars and trilene knots. 

My belief is knot tying is a part of fishing and learning new knots is good.

Since Fluorocarbon became popular more knots have been developed trying to resolve the poor knot strength. Several knots have been renamed, same knot different name.

I learned the Palomar knot long before it had the current name, it was called the Indian knot back in the 50’s for example. The Perfection loop knot back in the 60’s was the Mexican knot, the San Diego Jam knot was the Long Ranger knot etc.

Off shore big game fishing the Bimini Twist double line knot was essential to learn. 

Try learning new knots you may find a knot superior to your current favorite.

Whatever knot you choose learn to tie it correctly and under Fishing conditions.

Tom

Always willing to learn.  One thing that has disappointed me about rodbuilding is how little curiosity their generally is, and how stuck in old beliefs so many builders are.  I find knots fascinating, and am always trying suggestions I see here and elsewhere.  

 

 

Changing for the sake of change is a risk - the grass on the other side of the fence isn't always greener.

 

A Palomar Knot has never failed me, why should I change?

2 hours ago, Bankc said:

Yeah, sure.  I'll try anything once.  

 

However, I sat in my garage a few years back with a bunch of line and some heavy weights and ran a tournament where I tied two different knots onto each side of a length of line and lifted heavy weights with them to see which one gave first.  At the end of the tournament, I decided that the Fish N Fool was the best for braid, the Berkley Braid Knot was the best for Fluorocarbon (weird, but whatever), and I didn't test mono because I don't use it much.  I also concluded that the FG knot was the best for fluoro to braid leaders.  I tried every knot I could find on the internet.  Now, I'm not saying that I've tried them all, but that test did leave me satisfied with the knots I have now.  

 

So to get me to try a new knot, it has to be one I haven't tried before and one that comes highly recommended.  Also, it can't be too complicated.  Because if I'm honest, I use the Fish N Fool most often for fluoro, just because it was almost as strong in my test as the Berkley Braid Knot and it's a lot easier for me to tie.

This result was recently borne out in BFHQ (tyler berger) testing.  The alberto was close to the FG for a leader knot relative to how much easier it is to tie for most.

31 minutes ago, Catt said:

Changing for the sake of change is a risk - the grass on the other side of the fence isn't always greener.

Sometimes it is and we'll never know unless we try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.......

7 minutes ago, Crow Horse said:

Sometimes it is and we'll never know unless we try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.......

 

I ain't willing to bet a double digit bass on a chance when I have a sure thing in my hand.

I would never have tried the Lefty Kreh knot (leader knot) if I was averse to trying new knots. Especially as it appears so simple that it must be weak or too big. It’s easy, and it’s not too big. 
 

It can be rather safe to continue with the “tried and true” and never try a new knot. But you might find it’s better than your current knot. 

Knot a chance.

15 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Knot a chance.

this.....

Uni for everything. Don't use leaders. Never a problem

I have no issue trying new to me knots, thing is I always go back to what I started with.

Is it really much different than trying out a new line you've never used before?

2 hours ago, Crow Horse said:

Sometimes it is and we'll never know unless we try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.......

 

But if someone who's been using the same knot for decades isn't having knot failures there is nothing to gain.   

 

The most important part of any knot is tying it correctly.   A sloppy knot is no good, even if it has a fancy name.   

52 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

I would never have tried the Lefty Kreh knot (leader knot) if I was averse to trying new knots. Especially as it appears so simple that it must be weak or too big. It’s easy, and it’s not too big. 
 

It can be rather safe to continue with the “tried and true” and never try a new knot. But you might find it’s better than your current knot. 

The Lefty Kreh leader knot is called the Seaguar knot.👍

Tom