I experimented with numerous knots last year and finally landed on the Uni Knot. Since then I use it for everything except drop shots where a Palomar works better. From heavy frog fishing on braid to ultralight panfishing I've not found anything that works better. 

 

Any other Uni Knot fans?

Nope.  The double pitzen is stronger with the double eye pass through and faster for me to tie.  Only downside is more wasted line so I don’t do it on braid to leader rods, but that is only 2 rods and I’m rarely retying them.  

My first braid was power pro. In the mini manual there was two knots, the uni an other I cant remember right now. Since then, never change the unit knot.  

I use a uni knot variation, the fishin' fool knot, it's the only knot I use for braid.

Pass the line through the eye twice and then tie the uni. It becomes the fish n fool knot. Much stronger than uni. I tie the double pitzen, never a failure.

And it still was 50 years ago when it was called Duncan loop.

 

When you get to big leaders,  double uni is very restricting through rod guides. Single bend braid also cuts through the mono.  

I use improved allbright for all braid to leader,  been rolling them and shooting fly rod snake guides as long as I've used Duncan loop to tie on flies. 

Only knot i use for fluoro

Been using it for for something like 60 years.  Run the line twice through the eye if I feel I need more strength.

 

EDIT:  Going to try the Double Pitzen Knot.  looks faster and easier to tie than the Uni Knot.  Only possible disadvantage I see is that it wastes more line.

I use the double uni for leaders.

I think most of the knots have at one time been deemed in someone's testing "The strongest knot in the world."  For me, they all are strong enough.  If I need more strength I'll go up  a little in leader strength.  My favorite for lures is the improved cinch knot.  Easy to tie, reliable.  For leader to braid I like the improved Alberto, improved with a double half hitch of the tag end set tightly against the knot.  Never unravels, plenty strong, reliable.  Double uni works fine on rods with normal guides, but I find it a little large to cleanly go through my size 4 micros.

 

It is my opinion that most knot failures occur because knots are not set tightly enough when tied.

I have settled on the Red Phillips knot  for small dia braid to FC

Yes Sir, on my flip and jig rigs it’s a Palomar but everything else is a Uni. 

If you can tie a solid Uni, it's all you really need. It's good to know a few knots, but a uni is really universal. 

I use a Uni knot for everything 

I use the uni, the doubled uni, the fish-n-fool , and the uni to uni for most everything. It’s earned my trust from years of consistent strength. 

For my 8# nanofil I use doubled over fishinfool, knot holds to 12#.

Good topic.  Curious on knot recommendations for when I tie 50lb Power Pro braid to a 50lb fluoro leader on a Falcon Marsh Peacock rod with an Abu Garcia STX bait caster with 8.1:1 gear ratio and 25lb drag?  Fishing trip to the Amazon in October and fishing for peacock bass for a week.  Need a good strong knot that’ll be strong but not impede casting through the guides.  

@Phillyfanatic The FG is worth the time and frustration to learn imo, it's the strongest and most guide friendly. The Alberto is a fairly close second and easier to learn.

21 hours ago, 33oldtimer said:

Any other Uni Knot fans?

 

Yessiree. Uni to uni my main braid to leader knot,

and I use uni for hooks often along with a snell, 

palomar, etc. No problems. Easy to tie on the water,

strong.

I don’t like the uni knot and find it hard to tie; you have to loop back twice and then wrap inside. I do use it to tie my main line to the backing but thats on a bench. The sd jam is easier and i use that or the palomer depending on the setup. 

I use the Trilene knot for all lure/hook knots unless I need a loop, then I tie the Kreh Loop knot. I use the uni to uni for tying the mainline to the backer. Occasionally I'll tie a palomar knot just to stay in practice of it. I will tie the improved clinch if my hands are cold, or it's dark and I'm having a hard time.

On 5/29/2025 at 7:08 PM, casts_by_fly said:

Nope.  The double pitzen is stronger with the double eye pass through and faster for me to tie.  Only downside is more wasted line so I don’t do it on braid to leader rods, but that is only 2 rods and I’m rarely retying them.  

You would think, but BassHQ (I think) did the most comprehensive knot and line test Ive ever seen.  The uni essentially matched and even beat the Pitzen a couple times and the SDJ beat it every time.   

Just now, GetFishorDieTryin said:

You would think, but BassHQ (I think) did the most comprehensive knot and line test Ive ever seen.  The uni essentially matched and even beat the Pitzen a couple times and the SDJ beat it every time.   

I’m pretty sure I watched that one and I do remember the SDJ being a little better, but I think the DP was second best.  I’d have to rewatch it.  either way though, I can tie the DP in about 4 seconds and in the dark.  I’ve never tied it and had it fail because it cinched down wrong or curled the mainline.  I can’t complain about that and have no reason to swap.

1 minute ago, casts_by_fly said:

I’m pretty sure I watched that one and I do remember the SDJ being a little better, but I think the DP was second best.  I’d have to rewatch it.  either way though, I can tie the DP in about 4 seconds and in the dark.  I’ve never tied it and had it fail because it cinched down wrong or curled the mainline.  I can’t complain about that and have no reason to swap.

The reason I remember it, was because I expected the DP and other double bend knots to dominate.  

After the second week of June to the end of October most of my fishing is done in the dark.  A sub 5 second DP is impressive during the day, tying it blind in 4sec is world class.  I can tie it in the dark, but it takes me 6 or 7 seconds to make sure the bend is the right length and start wrapping down.  

I use the palomar for basically everything no matter the line.

 

but I have a version of the uni knot my dad taught me as a kid that we called the nail knot. It works with anything. And I doubt I’ll ever forget it. If for some reason it’s dark or the winds blowing something causing me to not be able to tie a palomar fast. I can go right back to that knot and tie it fast.