specialty knots.....

[surfingmarmot]

The Linda Mar monster still haunts me...

Should we call you Ishmael or Ahab? Maybe it was your White Sea Bass! 

[surfingmarmot]

Dan Blanton has agreed to host Bill Nash's knot site. The late Bill Nash is no longer with us but he was a great fisher, the supreme geek of knots, and generous to all. I personally fished with him several times in his boat--mostly in the ocean after WSB, Rockfish, and Lings with fly rods out of  Santa Cruz in Monterey Bay. A nicer and more generous guy I've never met. I hope his knowledge helps many others. It is fly casting oriented, but the knots are the same and there are many. I have his book and took a course on knots (given through SJ Flycasters) from him a decade ago--I've never learned more about knots from any one person--ever. Bill tested every knot with different materials (fluorocarbon, regular Copolymer Nylon, braid, etc.) and, believe it or not, all materials don't have the same breaking strength with different knots--the difference will surprise you. Did you know the Clinch knot reduces Nylon Copolymer (traditional monofilament line) nylon to 65% breaking strength? Even worse with fluorocarbon.  Did you know that most knots in Fuorocarbon isare10-15% less strong than with traditional Nylon Copolymer? I didn't either and the difference matters. Bill did the homework so we don't have to. Fluorcarbon is more invisible but there is no free lunch. And that knowledge might help you keep fish. His book is a gem and I refer to it often.

Here is Dan's testament to Bill:
"The late Bill Nash was one of the most loved and respected West Coast fly fishers with decades of hard core experience in all aspects of fly-fishing.  He was particularly well known for his expertise in knots and rigging and earned the handle "Mr. Knots".  Because of popular demand and with permission from his family, I am proud to host Bill's website - a wealth of fly-fishing information.  Read Bill's pages by clicking on the link above."

http://www.danblanton.com/billnash/

[pgangler]

I do two variations on popular knots:

For the improved clinch, I insert my finger in the loop, then twirl it around 7 times to make the twists.   It's faster, and then, you've got a bigger first twist to run the tag end through.   It consumes a little more line, but that's not much of a problem for saltwater rigs (bigger issue for flyline tippets).   With practice, I can tie that in about 15 seconds.   You just have to make sure to keep the hook out of the way.

On the blood knot - I tie it like a dropper loop.  Start with the two lines overlapped, and the tag ends held between ring and little finger on each hand.   Then twirl the two mainlines, just like a dropper loop - run the two tags into the separated twist, and tighten.  MUCH faster for me than tying a conventional blood knot.     

FWIW.
Ron

[UglyDuck]

Cool Post. I always seem to forget how to tie them all so this is a good spot to refresh the memory. I've learned to tie a few knots that I use pretty much all the time but they're not practical for all situations.

[TBONE]

hey mooch thanks for the videos on knot tying very helpful have a good one...

[SteveS]

If i've got light line, then i use a figure 8 (old climbing knot) for live bait rigs-- with heavier line i don't use it as it leaves too big of a profile.  Loses very little of the line strength

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CnYmY_B938

[FishFarmer]

I had trouble finding this, so thought I'd pass it on.

If you want a two hook setup for bait fish, slide your leader line through the eye of what will be your sliding hook (snout of bait), and leave about the right length for your main hook (tail of bait) on the other side to tie later. Cut a generous length (12"-18") of 10-15# test and tie this snood knot (below) on top of what will be your sliding hook and leader. If the line for the snood is too short it's a pita to tie.

http://www.marinews.com/Snood-327.php

Ben

[Jim I.]

The captain of the Freedom, a charter boat out of San Pedro, told me last year that the way to connect fluoro to mono was with a surgeon's knot.  It's very simple and easy to tie, like an overhand knot but twice through.  It's worked good for me.  Just Google "surgeon's knot".

[Great Bass 2]

mono to fluoro leader I use a seaguar knot http://www.netknots.com/html/seaguar_knot.html

[yellowdog]

I might have overlooked it, but don't think I saw anyone suggest the Red Phillips Knot....

http://www.thehulltruth.com/dockside-chat/185164-red-phillips-knot.html

I use for connecting flouro leaders to braid and never have had one fail. Pretty easy to tie.

[LilRiverMan]

Almost any knot you want, with most having animations. Lots of other knots too besides fishing knots

http://www.netknots.com/html/fishing_knots.html

[norcal99999]

generally if you need to tie any knot in particular you can search youy tube for most of your needs. this page is very helpfull but i am looking for a halibut slip not.

[Garety]

Ive dont some research and tests over the years.

and knots I've found are best are
 
Leader to lure/line/swive

double San diego jam (knot 100% knot strenghth)- strongest knot this has won at the fred hall show knot competion for the last 5 years, yet a pain to tie and a little big.
Uni 95% knot strength-easy/fast
palomar 95 % knot strength- easier/faster if you can double line through hook eye, and tiny

spectra to mono
Bob sands knot +95% (cross between 18 twist blood with spectra/uni with mono) and it casts really good and is stronger then uni/palomar but not san diego.

mono to fluro
double surgeons knot/seagar (topologically the same, just different approaches)

dropper
original Dropper loops(just tested it over kiwi droper )

[Mooch]

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,33813.0.html