Fluorocarbon knot

[Red Childress]

Click below to see Lee Tauchen's fluorocarbon knot..........


http://www.thenextbitetv.com/images/site_images/lees_leader_knot.pdf

[R Findlan]

Red,
Is this the knot you use? How long have you been making your own fluorocarbon leaders? Do you also crimp and glue yours? I've read about many leader makers performing all three steps when making leaders.

Thanks,
Reed

[ttabaleulb]

Looks like a great knot. I have been considering using fluoro on my flyrod setup that I will be using for surface baits. The titanium seems to sink them a bit causing issues with the amount of noise I can create with them.

Red,

Does Gary use wire or fluoro with his setups?

[muskie24/7]

Let me tell you this ain't as easy as it looks! I don't have much hair! and had even less when I got done trying this! LOL

Brian:eek:

[Little35]

Here is the tool I use to tie nail knots. It works well but you will have a longer tag therefore more waste.

http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=1115/101.2

[ttabaleulb]

LOL Brian, thats good to know. I have only dealt with heavy fluoro a couple of times and even struggled a bit with easy knots. Its quite a bit different than the 2lb test I normally dealt with for the trout leaders. LOL

[Red Childress]

I have not tried this knot. Jim Bortz and I were discussing this knot last week so we dug it up to give it a look.

I use a very simple knot for my flouro and I guess it is called a Double Improved Cinch knot. I can tie 80-200lb flouro with it. I do not use glue or crimps. I only melt the tag end into a mushroom by heating the tag end evenly and work it down about 1.5 inches to achieve a large ball of melted material. I then use the metal part of the lighter to "mash" the melted ball into a large mushroom, in case the knot ever slips. I have never had one slip but you really need to cinch everything down as tightly as possible. Toothyfishman uses a vice to get his stuff tight......I use my teeth because I am stupid.


When working with larger diameter flouro, I will have a long tag end so I can tie the knot and make enough wraps (4-5) and still not "hand-cuff" myself with a tag end that is too short. Yes, I waste about 4-5 inches of line when working with 200lb. test. I only go through the split ring 1 time with the 200lb because I feel there is enough material connected to the ring without worrying about a weak spot wearing over time........plus it is a pain trying to pull the tag end through a double loop scenario due to the thickness.


Gary has used both wire and flouro for his fly rigging. After he was broken off by a big fish with me 2 years ago, he beefed up his wire from 30lb to 50lb and is still using that set-up (I think). I am not sure if he is still experimenting with the flouro on his fly stuff or not.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Jay, Remember from your flyfishing experience as well that fluorocarbon is heavier than mono and will sink also, so experiment with some different thicknesses and make sure it will work for those topwater flies.

[ttabaleulb]

Thats good to know about Fluoro. I have never used it until the leader that I have on one of my baitcasters. I guess I'll tie up a few and see how they work with the surface baits. I think I am Ok with the wire and the streamers.

[Red Childress]

The knot I use is exactly the same knot that I tie with mono except for a couple less wraps due to the heavier gauge....I am not saying it is the best but it has not failed me yet.

IMO, it really does not matter which knot you use for flouro. The tricky part is getting comfortable with the knot you choose when dealing with the increased stiffness of the heavier lb. test.

Some guys like to re-invent the wheel.......

[NitroMusky]

this is the knot I chose when I started tying (same article too, in fact). I can say that it does take a couple tries to get the loops to stay in the right order (I'm using 80lb), but its really not all that difficult with about 5 minutes of practice. :)

[muskie24/7]

I wanna save money, time,and HAIR!!!! So I'm Gonna start buying the FREAKIN things. already tied! LOL...I talked to a guy from WI, he told me the trick is to use jewelers pliers. I don't know why or what for, but thats what he said!

Brian

[NitroMusky]

I will buy too, but not until my stash runs out this summer. make 'em in the winter and use 'em in the summer. if I can't fish at least I can do something fishing related.

[Red Childress]

Just make them yourself......much cheaper than 7-8 bucks a piece plus shipping.

Try other knots or the knot you use for your bass or trout rigs. Most will work it is just getting the knot snug that is the tough part.

If you are going to be at Butler, let's get together and tie up a few.....just bring the stuff.....no charge.

[cband]

One thing I do that I learned from some midwest guys is to take a board about 16" long and screw a hook into it(like one for hanging pictures). Then place your feet on the board and start your knot and work the knot somewhat snug with your hands. Place your ring, swivel, or snap on the hook and hold the other end with pliers and work the knot snug. Then you can use the round nose pliers(smooth ones) to place through the snap, swivel, or snap and work the other knot snug.

[Red Childress]

That is a great idea.....I suppose when they are mass producing the leaders, little things like that make life much easier for the manufacturer.

I have been using gloves, my back molars and Pam cooking spray to cinch down the knot on my 200lb. test leaders. I use the 200lb. for big jerkbaits/big rubber/big cranks and jigs. I had a couple of cast offs 2 years ago with 130lb. so I moved up to 200lb.

[FlyFishingCoach]

I am still experiementing too but I also don't like using wire with topwater either... so I'm experimenting with flouro.... I use the non-slip mono loop to attach the fly with either wire or florou.....so fly can move freely - it is a great knot and easy to tie that tests near 100 percent. You can put some floatant on the florou to help keep it from sinking so much.

I've been using loop to loop connections tying loops with the double or triple surgeons knot. I tie the bite tippet to the leader with an Albright.

I also use pliers (and gloves)to cinch all knots in any material over 20 lbs.!!!

Gary

[ttabaleulb]

I initially tried tying using a swivel so that I would have an easier time changing flies. However, for obvious reasons, this does not work well with the surface flies. I'd like to be able to spend some Winter time attaching leaders to my flies so that they are ready to roll. I guess for now, experimentation will have to happen on the water. Also, the attached leader makes for more difficult storage/transport.

Now that I have two full setups, I can at least separate the components. For now, I will stick with titanium for the streamers and play around with the surface fly setup. Also, I plan to stick with the 25# mono attached to the flyline and see how that goes.


Jay