Knots for Joining Lines

What is the best knot for joining lines? This is probably one of the top in the list of "most asked questions about fishing". There are at least 10 knots out there claim to be efficient in joining lines, but out of all these knots, only 2 have proven themselves to me throughout my years of fishing.

Since the first time I had to join lines many years ago, my go to knot has always been the Double Uni Knot. This knot is very easy to tie and the result is a very strong knot. However, I have realized over the years that there are very specific guidelines that need to be followed in order to ensure this knot never slips. The guidelines are as follows:

For all mono lines(or the mono side of a mono-braid connection):

50+lbs use 4-5turns
30-40lbs use 5-6 turns
20-25lbs use 7-8turns
10-15lbs use 8-10 turns
below 10lbs lines use at least 10 turns.

For braided lines I always do a fixed 20 turns.

Here's a link explaining how to tie the knot: http://www.fintalk.com/fishing-knots/double-uni.html

Another suggestion is to use a lighter to singe the tag ends of the knot rather than just simply cutting it, the melted end will prevent the knot from slipping. Here is a picture of a Double Uni Knot.



After switching exclusively to braided/PE line ~2years ago, I realized that there was a way to strengthen the knot further. Someone else probably invented this somewhere out there, but I figured it out for myself about a year ago and I call it the Improved Double Uni Knot. For this knot you begin with a standard double uni knot, with the addition of tying a 4-6 turn half-hitch knot with each tag end for added security. This is similar to the half hitch that you would tie on a bimini twist. It is important to note that this new addition of the half hitch works mainly on braided/PE lines due to the fact the the thin diameter allows for a neat finish.

So that is the first knot I use for joining lines. The second knot I use only came to my attention about 6 months ago, it is the FG knot. I have come to realize that it is just as efficient as the double uni knot which the exception that it has a much lower profile and hence works better with braid to mono connections, especially where the mono side is significantly thicker than the braided mainline, as is the case when attempting to attach shock leader.

The FG knot works on the exact same principal as the Bimini Twist, but instead of wrapping the line around itself to form a loop, you are wrapping the braid around the leader. The secret to the knot is the sheer amount of friction produced by the 20-30 wraps around the leader, which tighten even more under load, creating more friction. This results in a knot that gets stronger the tighter it is pulled, amazing stuff. And like the Bimini Twist, it is finished off with a bunch of half hitch knots. Below is a picture of a finished FG Knot.



A great instructional video of the knot can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e9XgPsWZao

There are a few scenarios when talking about joining lines, and they can be very different depending on the scenario and hence, the knots required might differ too.


Joining Mono to Mono of equal diameter

Knot to use: Uni to Uni knot, aka the Double Uni knot.

Joining Braid/PE to Mono, where Mono is the backing

Knot to use: Double Uni Knot or FG Knot

Joining Braid/PE to Mono, where Mono is used as leader or shock leader

Knot to use: FG knot is prefered, Double Uni Knot works too

Joining Braid/PE to Braid/PE

Knot to use: Improved Double Uni Knot.

Catch Report at Fishing Paradise

So I've been hitting the main pond of Fishing Paradise @ Bottle Tree Park for the past few months now and I finally got my dad to join me =). Did the usual setup with a 3 hook Apollo rig and bread for marker shooting. My dad however was using a really light setup considering the kind of fishes you can possibly catch in the pond, he was using a 4-8lbs 5' telescopic rod and a 1000 size Penn Extreme reel with 6lbs mono line. Tbh I was a little worried abt what might happen if he hooked a remotely large fish. But as the night went on, I was proven wrong and once again, my dad's skill and calmness amazed me. The first hour was quiet, small nibbles but no real takes. I was perched behind my rod, ready to pounce at the slightest twitch of the marker. To my left, my dad was kicking back relaxing in his chair, literally almost falling asleep(he does that alot when fishing).

Suddenly from the corner of my eye I see him spring upright and the reel started screaming! A loud splash from the water in front and I caught a glimpse of a Rohu leaping right out of the water and dashing to the left. I jumped to my feet and ran over next to him and watched as the Rohu peeled meter after meter of line off the tiny reel at a ridiculous pace. I started to panic and suggested that he tighten his drag but his reply was "No need la, nice and easy, let it run, it's gonna tire out very soon" And true enough, about 15 seconds later the fish slowed down to intermittent short runs and he started slowly fighting the fish in. I was amazed at how gentle he was while fighting, gingerly thumbing the spool every now and then, talking to the fish... yes he also does that alot... lol, mumbling phrases like "Oh no no, where are you going, no no come back here". After a couple of minutes of tug of war, the fish came in and we netted it. A decent sized Rohu it was.



After settling down, we rebaited our hooks with bread and cast our lines out again. I was fishing as close to the middle of the pond as possible cos I believed that's where the patin were, whereas my dad just dropped his rig a mere 5m in front of him, saying "Catfish like to play just outside the light, that's where they'll be" And he was right! Barely 5 minutes later, he was on his feet and the reel was screaming again! This time there was no splash, no ripples, and the run seemed slower but significantly stronger. The fish just kept running and running, like a 1 way ticket, charging towards the center structure of the pond and once again I started to panic and told my dad to tighten his drag. "Ayah no need la, slow and steady, just watch, I'll get him to turn around" and using slow deliberate angling of his rod, to my surprise, he actually managed to turn the fish around just before it hit the middle! No pumping, no jigging, just a little spool thumbing and the proper angle of the rod did the job. From that point, the fish started tiring out and eventually came in. It was a small-medium sized Redtail Catfish! On bread! RTCs rarely take bread, they usually go for hotdogs! As the net came up the fish thrashed around a lot and my dad did not want to stress his knees out so we just took a picture of it in the net.




What a nice fight! Landing a Redtail on 6lbs line on a 4-8lbs rod, that might just be the lightest setup ever used to land a Redtail in the pond, but I didn't ask.

The rest of the night was pretty quiet and soon it came time to pack up. We reeled up and my dad was making a few casts to clean his hooks when BAM! He hit something! The reel squealed again as the fish ripped line out. This fight was even stronger than the previous one and we both suspected a foul hook as my dad got the hit while retrieving. The runs were long and hard, with very short breaks in between, fortunately, the fish headed to the left of the pond, away from the center structures. After a few minutes, my dad confirmed that it was a foul hook, saying "Foul hook for sure la, I don't feel the head shaking and I can't turn it, must have hooked it near the tail" And once again... he was right... he always is haha. As the fish came in, it's tail broke the surface and there right at the very corner of it, was the hook. Another pull and the whole fish surfaced, it was an Alligator Gar! Well no wonder the fight was so strong, usually Gars fight like plastic bags, but things change radically when you hook one by the tail on such a light setup I suppose. Not wanting to risk getting bitten, we took a picture of it in the net before letting it go.



So with that, our fishing for the night came to an end. All in all, it was a slow day for me, but I'm glad my dad had such a great time. I don't get to fish with him as often as I'd like these days, so it was nice that on this rare occasion he got some decent fish!

Lines lines lines...

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I find choosing the right line the worse possible process on earth. It seems like every time I find a line that I like and spool a 2nd reel with it, within weeks, I either discover something I don't like about it or I discover a line that I like more... Well while I'm on the neverending quest to find the best lines out there, I thought I might as well give some thoughts on lines I've used.

So to date I have tried:

Powerpro
Tufline XP
Spiderwire Code Red
Spiderwire Invisibraid
YGK Power Hunter
YGK Ultra Castman 8x
Fireline
Sufix Performance Braid
Sufix 832
Fins PRT

Okay before I start rating the lines, I have to say that there are 2 lines that belong to a completely different category from the rest, these are the YGK Ultra Castman and the Sufix 832. Being 8x braids, they belong to a higher category of lines as compared to the rest which are all 4x braids.

Anyway on to my comments:

Powerpro


Pretty much one of the most popular braids in the market. It is reasonably good, though from time to time, you do pick a bad spool and the line snaps randomly. The good range is 10lbs and above, the lighter powerpro lines tend to be more flat than round, which is bad for spinning setups. It also has the lowest abrasion resistance I have ever seen on a braid, kiss a structure and its over.

Construction: 8/10
Casting: 7.5/10
Abrasion resistance: 5/10
Lifespan: 7/10, still decent after a few mths of extremely heavy use.
Suppleness: 7/10, decent, a little stiff out of the box, but gets better over time.
Color Retention: 5/10, color bleeds very quickly.
Price: ~SGD40 per 300yds

Tufline XP

Very similar to powerpro in almost all aspects. Slightly better abrasion resistance but the line tends to fray after awhile, which causes it to trap alot of water. It is also slightly more supple.

Construction: 8/10
Casting: 7.5/10
Abrasion resistance: 6/10
Lifespan: 6/10, frays over time.
Suppleness: 7.5/10
Color Retention: 6/10, color bleeds relatively quickly.
Price: ~SGD35 per 300yds


Spiderwire Code Red

One of my favorites still to date for a 4x braid. Does not bleed color, has a decent lifespan and does not fray over time. It casts quite well.

Construction: 8.5/10
Casting: 8/10
Abrasion resistance: 6/10
Lifespan: 8/10
Suppleness: 8/10
Color Retention: 9/10
Price: ~SGD42 per 300yds

Spiderwire Invisibraid


Decent line, very strong and solid, though I find it a little on the flat side. It is white so there is no color to bleed. My trials showed that it gets worn out rather quickly tho. It casts well.

Construction: 7.5/10
Casting: 8.5/10
Abrasion resistance: 6/10
Lifespan: 5/10
Suppleness: 8/10
Color Retention: NA, White line
Price: ~SGD48 per 300yds

YGK Power Hunter

Only comes in light ratings, like PE0.8-1.5. The color holds relatively well. It casts well, but for such a thin line, being able to feel the weaves is a little odd. This line has an impressive lifespan, it has been on my bradia for almost 9months.

Construction: 7.5/10
Casting: 8/10
Abrasion resistance: 6.5/10
Lifespan: 8/10
Suppleness: 8/10
Color Retention: 8/10
Price: ~SGD27 per 100m

YGK Ultra Castman 8x

This is my absolute favorite line period. It casts ridiculously well, its silent. The strength to diameter ratio is also amazing, with PE2 @ 33lbs and PE3 @ 47lbs. Abrasion resistance still sux tho as with most braids. The quality is excellent, very smooth and very round. The lifespan is well... I haven't had to change my line yet and there is almost no sign of fraying after 4mths of heavy use.

Construction: 9.5/10
Casting: 10/10
Abrasion resistance: 6/10
Lifespan: 9/10
Suppleness: 9/10
Color Retention: NA, white line.
Price: ~SGD100 per 300m, SGD40 per 100m

Fireline

My least favorite line, it is extremely stiff out of the box, takes a long time to break in and bleeds color like no other. The stiffness causes it to cast CRAPtastically. The strength is definitely there tho once it has been broken in. The thick coating gives it higher abrasion resistance but makes it stiff. It is also a fuse, not a braid, meaning over time it does puff up as the strands come apart. This does not affect its performance tho and if you don't mind the puffing up, it lasts quite awhile.

Construction: 6/10
Casting: 5/10
Abrasion resistance: 7/10
Lifespan: 7.5/10
Suppleness: 4/10
Color Retention: 5/10
Price: ~SGD35 per 300yds

Sufix Performance Braid

I would put this in the same category as Tufline and Powerpro, nothing special, nothing bad either.

Construction: 8/10
Casting: 7.5/10
Abrasion resistance: 6/10
Lifespan: 7/10
Suppleness: 7.5/10
Color Retention: 7/10
Price: ~SGD40 per 300yds

Sufix 832

One of my favorite lines. Extreme abrasion resistance from the gore fiber, excellent construction. Very round line. Comparable to YGK Ultra Castman except it is slightly stiffer. It is also slightly thicker than most lines, only very slightly tho. Color doesnt bleed, but it does fade over time. Performance is consistent over time tho, good lifespan.

Construction: 9/10
Casting: 8.5/10
Abrasion resistance: 9/10
Lifespan: 8/10
Suppleness: 8/10
Color Retention: 6/10
Price: ~SGD65 per 300yds

Fins PRT

Decent line, stiff out of the box but breaks it very quickly. Coating rubs off very easily tho, and you will get residue on the line layer/roller. Once broken in it is a very good line, casts well and lasts a long time.

Construction: 7.5/10
Casting: 8/10
Abrasion resistance: 6/10
Lifespan: 8/10
Suppleness: 7/10
Color Retention: 7/10
Price: ~SGD40 per 300yds