knots slipping or breaking

[fishfinder]

I use the clinch knot to tie on my streamers. The streamers are heavily weighted, the hook is either a size 2 or 4 (4xlong) straight eye and the tippet material is orvis super strong 3x. I have lost 5 streamers this year with this method. The knot seems to slip or break and it happens when casting and when fighting a fish. This is very frustrating. A friend suggested putting the tippet through the eye twice before tying the clinch knot but that doesn't work because I lost two streamers today. I fished the same way last year and I don't remember having this problem. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what knot or knots to try? Thank you in advance. fishfinder

[Smoked Trout]

Try using larger tippet. I use 0X when I fish streamers and rarely lose flies. The thicker diameter tippet will also help you turn over heavy coneheads and beadheads.

Regards,

[Troutfitter]

Make sure that your tippet is fresh. Monofilament tippet will go bad and should e replaced yearly.

Also as Smoked Trout mentions.... use heavier tippet in higher water. 1x or 2x is a much better choice until the river returns to a low and clear level.

The strongest knot is the Palomar... look it up and practice it. It very simple.

It can be found illustrated at this link:

http://www.fish4fun.com/palomarknot.htm

[treehooker]

It does sound more like a problem with your tippet than with the knot itself.
Here's another knot you could try as well for streamers which will let them swim more realistically. This one will slip down onto your eye, though, sometimes, and negate the effect.

http://www.killroys.com/knots/duncan.htm

[Todd K]

Do you use an improved clinch knot or just a clinch? Not that this is the answer to all, but it is better to use the improved clinch knot.

[lar42]

The knot that treehooker mentions is a Duncan's Loop. He's right that it will slip down to the eye but that is by design. When the fish strikes it pulls the knot tight down to the eye. After releasing the fish, simply grasp the knot and pull. This will move the knot back up the tippet and your streamer is free to swim again. :wink: 8)

[Todd K]

The Ducan is easy to tie as well.

[Farmy Joe]

The palomar knot is great for bigger diameter lines, but I've found that they fail me when I fish finer tippets like 5x down.

The clinch is good in a pinch, but I prefer to use a much stronger knot called the pitzen. Here's what I'm talking about:
http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/image-noeud2/pitzen1.jpg

http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/image-noeud2/pitzen2.jpg

http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/image-noeud2/pitzen3.jpg

http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/image-noeud2/pitzen4.jpg

http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/image-noeud2/pitzen5.jpg

http://www.pechetruite.com/Noeuds/image-noeud2/pitzen6.jpg

[The Patriot]

Personally, I only use a clinch, and I really haven't had that many problems, and that includes stripers and steelhead.

Then again, I don't fish streamers all that often and when I do, I don't catch that many fish...... :oops: :? :roll:


:wink: :P :lol:

[pvansch1]

The key I find to any knot tied with mono is to wet the the knot and tighten it slowly, the quick jerk or pulling quickly causes friction and heat. Drawing tight slowly allows the knot to form properly and it keeps the damaging heat down.
Pete

[lar42]

Hey Farmy Joe,

Will that knot stay tight and keep the loop so the streamer swims around like the Duncan Loop? Or do you have to slide it down to the eye? I'm gonna try that knot. I've been looking for a new one to test. :)

[Farmy Joe]

Hey Farmy Joe,

Will that knot stay tight and keep the loop so the streamer swims around like the Duncan Loop? Or do you have to slide it down to the eye? I'm gonna try that knot. I've been looking for a new one to test. :)

It slides all the way down to the hook eye just like in the picture :wink: . It's also the strongest knot I've ever used on small diameter lines.

[Housy Dave]

I would say pay attention to the number of turns on the cinch knot. With heavier line, less turns are needed. For your 3X, four or five turns should hold the knot. If you make too many turns, you generate lots of heat (due to friction) when you tighten the knot. This will weaken mono. There's really no reason you should be breaking fish off with 3x.

I have used the orvis super strong and was not impressed. Every time I knotted it, it would kink up near the fly. If you are fishing subsurface, maybe consider a quality flurocarbon line like Frog Hair.

[fishfinder]

Thanks for all of the input. I will try all of the suggestions over the next couple of weeks and post the results. fishfinder.