Ok... a nail knot may be wonderful, but carrying an extra tool when walking
is a pain. I like knots I can tie easily without a special tool.

Uni Knot - Backing To Fly Line

Yesterday I took out one of my heavier rods and started geting it ready to
fish bigger flies for bass. Being stubborn I spooled on some backing and
then proceeded to try a unit knot. I couldn't see why it wouldn't have as a
good a hold as a nail knot. I cinched it down and noticed one thing. The
individual loops dig quickly into the fly line meaning you have to take care
to get it to slde together and make a neat knot. I little gentle probing
with a thumb nail made it come out right.

I pulled the tag end and main line of the backing up snug and then tried to
make it slip, break or pull. It held very solidy. For the flyline to
backing connection it held very very well. I was not able to break it or
make it slip before the backing started to dig painfully into my hand.

I did not tie on a leader yet, because my leaders have not yet arrived, but
I intend to try the uni knot the this as well.

One poster here said the nail knot ties smaller than a unit knot, but I
can't see how. They are similar knots as far a struture if not in how they
are tied. Does anybody know of any reason why a uni knot is bad?

Fly To Tippet. - Palomar - Uni - Modified Clinch (Trilene)

In other types of fishing I have tried the Palomar which many now seem to
take as the stadnard. I personally found the modified clinch knot (Trilene
knot) to be stronger and give me less trouble. However its a bigger knot
than a Palomar. I wonder if it could negatively affect the action of a fly
because of the concentration of the line at that point. Hmmm.... In a
recent conversation on the forums on my website one poster claimed the use a
Uni knot for attaching terminal tackle such as lures to the end of the line,
and that their independent tests indicated it was stronger than a Palomar or
a Modified Clinch knot. I don't see how with it having a single instead of
a reinforced double loop throught he eye of the bait, but I am curious.
What experimentaion have you guys done with knots at that end.

I know that some knots are different with different size lines. For
instance with 8- about 12 lb mono a trilene knot works very well for me with
seven twists. For larger size monos foru or five twists seems to work much
better.

With the very small diamter of some fly leader tippets I could imagine that
the charachteristcs might favor yet a different construction or knot type
for optimum action and strength. I can even imagine that a loop might be
best for fishing things like streamers so that they will sway wildly when
line is stripped.

--
Bob La Londe

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