While its winter I need to work on my knot skills. Esp surgeon or leader knots. Any suggestions besides practice?

Any special tool that help?

Thanks

OWL

Alberto's Knot

http://www.stripersonline.com/Pages/Articles/article_arby_albertos_knot.shtml

8-)

Knot Wars: Scroll down to Round 10 - Leader vs Surgeon

http://www.fishingclub.com/ExtraContent/ExtraContentDetail.aspx?id=132344

Uni to uni knot..no failures so far..in braid to fluro, copoly, or mono..

The Alberto's knot is the only line to leader knot that I use any more.

Uni to uni knot..no failures so far..in braid to fluro, copoly, or mono..

x2 ~ I've been using the uni-uni knot successfully since Power pro first hit the scene in the late 90's. Tried many other knots over the years but kept coming back to the uni. Knots are a big confidence thing, you need to go with what you are most comfortable with, both in tying the knot correctly and that the knot will hold.

There is nothing more final than broken line - after the cursing that is.

A-Jay

I used a Uni to Uni for years, until a friend suggested the Alberto knot.

The issue I had with the Uni connection was when the diameters were geratly different, such as 15# braid, and a 10# leader.  I would use a Spider Hitch knot to double the main line, but every once in a while, the knot would fail, with the braid slipping through the leader.  Since switching to an Alberto knot, this issue disappeared. 

I wouldn't discourage anyone from using the Uni connection, though, since many have not had any issues with it.  If you do, the Alberto is a good alternative.

While I have not yet tested the Alberto knot in the field, I have been working on tying different knots this winter, and the Alberto knot is by far the easiest knot to tie for this purpose in my opinion. The Uni to Uni is very popular but I just don't seem to have the dexterity to tie it consistently. Since both knots are used without problem by many trusted site members, come spring I will use the Alberto.

Alberto's Knot

http://www.stripersonline.com/Pages/Articles/article_arby_albertos_knot.shtml

x1 bajillion.  The greatest leader knot ever, and even easier to tie than the Uni to Uni.  RW posted a Youtube of it numerous times in the past, which I can't recommend highly enough.