# Knot suggestions for thicker leaders



## PittsburghBass (Sep 6, 2015)

Anyone else have trouble tying knots in thicker leaders? I normally attach my lures with a palomar knot, but I'm trying to use thicker 40# fluorocarbon leader material and its super tough to get the knot to come together correctly and tightly. Is there a better knot out there for thicker lines? Right now my hands are all sliced up from pulling as hard as I can on braid/flouro, haha. Gotta be a better way!


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

I always use a uni knot with 40 lb fluoro. It's always seemed to work just fine for me.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

As an angler it is pretty much handy to be able to tie a variety of knots. Once you are comfortable with the knots you use and tie you'll probably stick with them for the rest of your life.

The terminal knot that I use for everything from trolling to jigging is called the A.G. Chain knot. For lures that have the best action when connected with a loop knot I use the Surgeons loop. For connecting my leaders to the mainline I use wind on leaders and the loop to loop connection. During a hot bite if I break off or get cut off, I use a Spider Hitch Knot on the braid and connect the leader to it using the Albright Knot. A strong connection between braid and leader material can be made using the FG Knot (Fine Grip Knot) but it takes longer to tie than the Spider/Albright connection.

http://youtu.be/ezmzjoXmtzg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=WvnVUYSfOhg

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=oohOoOOmbNk


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## PittsburghBass (Sep 6, 2015)

Thanks for the responses. I'd prefer to use the Palomar knot to tie my lure to leader when possible - it's just tough for thicker leaders. Wasn't sure if anyone else had the same issue. Looks like the Fish-N-Fool would work well. Basically a Uni Knot with an extra loop around the lure. Thoughts on that knot?


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## Dustin (Oct 3, 2012)

PittsburghBass said:


> I'd prefer to use the Palomar knot to tie my lure to leader when possible - it's just tough for thicker leaders.


I wouldn't use a Palomar knot with Fluorocarbon even if it's not thick. Fluro is brittle and is likely to break with a knot like that. 

I like to use a Reverse Clinch(San Diego Jam) knot or snell depending on the hook.
Uni is good too as WAReilly said.

Give this on a try. With something as thick as 40# you only need 3 or 4 wraps.


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## Wyknot (May 26, 2015)

I need to try that SD Jam knot some time. Here is a fairly simple way to tie directly to lure/hook. 
Hmm, the video changed if you don't see Shaw Grigsby tying a knot then do a search with his name flouro knot, it's on youtube. I will try the link again...





It depends on the lure selection but I also use a Rapala knot.

Main line to leader is double uni or bloodknot depending on material I am joining.


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## ranger250x (May 30, 2015)

I like the trilene knot for lures or hooks that don't need to have a lot of action and a simple loop knot if the lure or rig needs some action to it. Both should work for 40lbs fluro.


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

Dustin said:


> I wouldn't use a Palomar knot with Fluorocarbon even if it's not thick. Fluro is brittle and is likely to break with a knot like that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I think you should do a little reading on this statement. 

Palomar knots tied correctly is very strong knot and it's simple to tie lol 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dustin (Oct 3, 2012)

I'm with you. I never said it wasn't a good knot. I said it's not good to use with fluoro. I guess I should phrase that differently "not the strongest". It's more likely to break over other options when using fluoro. 

But what do I know, right?


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

Dustin said:


> I'm with you. I never said it wasn't a good knot. I said it's not good to use with fluoro. I guess I should phrase that differently "not the strongest". It's more likely to break over other options when using fluoro.
> 
> But what do I know, right?


Take a gander at what you are doing wrong:

http://www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2fish/story/1466761-why-your-palomar-knot-fails 

When I tie all of my knots with heavy line:

- I hook the lure on a solid surface. (so I am not fighting myself)
- I use pliers to grab the tag end and a glove to wrap my hand in the braid.

Knots are the most important part of the game of fishing.

Cheers


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## PittsburghBass (Sep 6, 2015)

If only there were one right answer to things like this, haha. Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to be fishing in Destin next week and I suppose I'll try a few knots. I might stick with the Palomar, and maybe try the Uni or Fish N Fool if I can't cinch the Palomar down enough.

Being mainly a smallmouth bass fisherman I don't use thick leaders often and I'm not used to struggling against such stiff line.


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## Fishin Mortician (Sep 15, 2015)

I have been enjoying the Davy Knot. That might be exactly what you are looking for.


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## nostradumbass (Nov 19, 2015)

I generally use the palomar for almost all my terminal tackle from 4lb to 60lb test... mono, flouro, braid... There was a study I read a ton of years ago that some line manufacturer did that proved it was the physically strongest knot when tied correctly. Tied correctly is the key, though... check your technique, I like to secure the hook to something stable and use rigging plyers to pull the tag end sometimes when tying big rigs. Get some spit in there too, make sure its lubed up! Like someone mentioned earlier, that knot can tend to "burn" back on itself if not lubed, thus creating a weak point. And as others mentioned, the uni/cinch and several variations thereof are just as strong as the palomar (if i recall the test, the palomar was 99.xx% and the uni/cince was 98.9x%, meaning that out of 1000 pulls til breakage, the line itself broke 990ish times and the knot itself broke about 10, which can be attributed to human error and thus effectively proving all the above mentioned knots are 100%)


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

I use the San Diego Jam Knot for almost everything above 40#.
80# and 100# for my big sharking stuff, never had one fail.

40# and down, a Uni or Improved Clinch.


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## lowprofile (Jan 6, 2013)

Sometimes the thickness of the metal your trying to attach to dictates which knot you can use properly. A Palomar won't cinch down on thin hooks or tiny swivels very well when using 40 lb or heavier. 

What mainline are you using? I use 50lb floro with 20lb mainline a lot and attach the flouro with just a 4-5 turn clinch knot. It's not 100% but it's over 20lbs and anything I'll be applying to it. 

Same when using 80-100lb Shock leader on my 30-40lb casting rigs. Even just a double clinch knot to the terminal gear holds with the amount of pressure I apply.


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## 82969 (Dec 22, 2015)

For all leaders with braid to mono/flouoro I use an FG knot. 





Hands down the thinnest knot without splicing, and allows me to get 100# mono connected to 30# braid through even smaller mojo guides without catching. It takes a little practice, but well worth learning.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Been using the Red Phillips knot for floro to braid. Uni knot for terminal connects up to 80#. Over that I crimp.


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