I don't tie the Palomar anymore. I've been using the San Diego Jam knot with no issues.

Tried the Palomar once...hated it...too finicky.

Knot I use for all my terminal connections is the MK

When I was using straight braid I tied Palomar. Now that I've gone to fluoro leaders on everything, I almost always use the trilene knot. Easy to tie, and with heaver line (30-40lb) I just use 3 wraps.

If I don't use a Palomar, I go with the San Diego Jam. If the bait is expensive and/or heavy, I may tie a Double San Diego Jam. Braid to mono/fluoro, I use an Alberto.

Palomar for braid. San Diego Jam for everything else

I tie a palomar on everything. Lost a lure last week on flouro (I run mostly braid on everything). Don’t think my knot was the weak spot though…think it had something to do with getting tangled in another rod on my backswing prior that that cast.

Improved clinch.

I use the uni and the double uni. Think I may switch to the alberto for line/leader though as the double uni sometimes hangs up in my rod guides.

If I can't tie a palomar knot then I'm tying a double uni knot.

I use 3 knots:

1. Palomar for braid

2. Lefty's Loop for almost everything else

3. Improved Clinch for texas rigs (so the weight can be pegged)

Palomar for braid and SDJ or double SDJ for clear line. Never felt the need to add leaders to the equation.

On 4/15/2026 at 4:29 PM, BrianMDTX said:

Ouch! 🤣

Haha. No offense meant. First knot I learned and it’s burned into my muscle memory. Young people always ask me what knot it is.

Ummm the fishing fool looks like half a uni. What am I missing?

5 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Haha. No offense meant. First knot I learned and it’s burned into my muscle memory. Young people always ask me what knot it is.

None taken! Just made me feel as old as I am lol.

I use palomar or double Uni for braid, but all of my mono/fluoro is with a San Diego Jam. Very easy to tie and the least prone to "burning" that I have found.

I feel like knots are trends. I use the Palomar for most everything. About 12-13 years ago when I started taking fishing seriously, it was Palomar or Alberto knot that everyone swore by. Pitzen seems to be the new hotness, might try it for 6 and 12 lb Fluoro to see what its all about.

On 4/20/2026 at 4:03 PM, Kev-mo said:

Ummm the fishing fool looks like half a uni. What am I missing?

It’s a uni knot with an extra wrap around the eyelet. That extra wrap makes a huge difference in knot strength.

Palomar for braid

SDJ for everything else (compliments of WRB)

FG for main to leader

No such thing as the lure being too big for the Palomar - you just adjust the loop size accordingly. I’ve tied fully dressed out A-rigs with the Palomar. That said, I’ve been moving more and more toward the SDJ lately with my own stuff.

Palomer if it fits; SD jam with heavy flouro; FG for leaders, or the lefty kreh leader knot. I do tie a loop knot also called lefty kreh but often have to look that one up.

On 4/16/2026 at 1:40 PM, Smirak said:

I tie a palomar on everything. Lost a lure last week on flouro (I run mostly braid on everything). Don’t think my knot was the weak spot though…think it had something to do with getting tangled in another rod on my backswing prior that that cast.

Palomar isn’t good with flouro, being a harder line it cuts into itself weakening the knot. A clinch style knot is better with flouro. Until I learned that I broke off a ton using palomar with flouro or hybrid lines.

Now I use improved clinch for everything but straight braid, that gets the palomar. But I think I’m going to try that no slip loop not for some table hook baits.

My theory is that the best knot is the one you can tie proper every time. I've tried a bunch of them and can tie a lot of them well but the 2 I always settle back to ( depending on the application ) for line to lure are the Palomar and the Trilene...... and the occasional improved clinch if I have reduced myself to a bug whip for stream slimers.

Braid - Palomar

Leader - Alberto

Flouro - Fish-N-Fool

Hate to be the bad guy here but unless you retie the Palomar knot often with flourocarbon " which I did " it ends up cutting itself and you end up with unwanted break-offs.

This is with 8# line so can't speak of heavier flouro.

Improved clench always

On 4/22/2026 at 4:20 PM, michaelb said:

Palomer if it fits; SD jam with heavy flouro; FG for leaders, or the lefty kreh leader knot. I do tie a loop knot also called lefty kreh but often have to look that one up.

The Lefty Kreh leader knot is all I use for braid-to-leader knots. It’s simple and strong. And takes 30 seconds to tie.