Knot Issues

Stevie-B

Stevie-B

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
414
I'm looking for some suggestions here. Lately, I have been tying knots that are extremely weak. I have been tying these for years and all of a sudden I can't tie one to save my life. I wet the knot before pullling tight and I snug up the tag end. I am at a loss and getting frustrated. Any help?

Steve
 
Did you just buy new tippet?
 
Jack,

Yes and no. I did buy new tippet but it holds fine. Its seems to be the stuff that is a few months old. If I may ask, why would new tippet be an issue?
 
P.S.

I see the most issues with my "bicycle" loop knot the most. If I tie a different knot, double surgeons, no problems.
 
I was thinking you got a bad spool. Sometimes what is in the stores has been travelling from shelf to shelf for years. It might be deteriorating. Even if of recent manufacture, it may have just been defectively made. If the knots are breaking at the fly, and you aren't tying differently, logic says it is likely the tippet material. Another possibility if the breaks are at the fly is corrosion of the hook eye.
 
Bicycle loop knot? I've never heard of that one! Not that I'm an expert or anything...

What do the breaks look like? Curly ques? Clean breaks? Are the knots broken at the eye of the hook?
 
My guess would be the tippet as well.

I have had this happen to me before.
I bought the new dia riki that came out a couple years ago and it held better than any other tippet I tried at the time. Well, the hot months of the year came and the knots slipped right out; about 4-5 times before one would hold. (talk about frustrating during a hatch -- tie on 18" of new tippet, try 4 clinches - each time loosing 2 inches of tippet because of pig tails, and then having to retie on a new 18" piece)

My only suggestion would be to try some at home -- definately away from the stream: as to not rush to want to get on the water faster. At home, take your time and see what's going on/wrong.
 
Pad,

I've heard it called a bicycle because once you learn how to tie it you don't forget it, like riding a bike. It may be a perfection loop but I have never researched it that far.

The breaks are clean at the loop, not at the eye of the hook. It may be a bad spool of tippet. Thanks for the info thus far.
 
Stevie-B,

Is it fluro or mono? If it is fluro the knot strength is half of what the pound test is for the tippet. Guys at my local fly shop tested the knot strength of fluro and have found it to be half of what it is rated for.
 
JustFish,

At the risk of opening a can of worms about tippet manufacturers, it's Rio tippet.
 
Stevie-B,

Nothing wrong with Rio. Is it flurocarbon or monofiliament?
 
JustFish,
Sorry. I ment to include mono but was interupted while posting.
 
I use Rio all the time and have never had a problem with it breaking (except from me getting into trees, rrr). Perhaps you just picked up a bad or old spool that got thrown into the mix? Maybe you could take it back to the place you got it and ask for an exchange? It seems many fly shops are pretty good about that kinda thing.
 
It also sounds to me like a bad spool. It happened to me once with a band new spool of fluorocarbon and ironically, it was my very first spool of fluorocarbon. Of course at first I thought it was the knot i was using (which probably contributed to the problem), then I thought fluorocarbon was junk, but as it turned out it was just that one spool that was junk.

For regular mono, I mostly just buy Orvis Super Strong now, and haven't had a problem yet with it, but it can happen with any brand.
 
Could it be that half the spool is bad? I have beenn using it for awhile and at first it worked fine. Only recently have I started to have issues. Also, is there a shelf life for tippet? Could it be that the spool is degrading?
 
Steve, I think it possible that part of the spool is bad and also that it has degraded. I think a good spool of tippet can last for years, but a lot depends upon how it was stored. I think that sunshine and chemical contact could cause problems.

Run your fingers along a length of it. Is it smooth or rough? If rough, something is wrong. Take a foot or so and hold both ends tight and pull. Can you snap it easily?

At the cost of a spool of tippet, go buy another in the same size and test it with the same knot.
 
Stevie-B wrote:
Could it be that half the spool is bad? I have beenn using it for awhile and at first it worked fine. Only recently have I started to have issues. Also, is there a shelf life for tippet? Could it be that the spool is degrading?
Click to expand...

It's possible that the spool was exposed to heat or sunlight causing it to degrade. So when you first got it, it was OK. Then after the exposure it's gone south.
 
The only thing other than whats been posted that I can think of is if you've been using bug spray. Especially with deet. It will ruin your line before the end of the day.
And dont forget that ultra-violet rays from those types of light, not just the sun, will deteriorate your line.
 
Just a quick update. I made it out the other day and did not have any problems with my knots so it must of been something I was doing or not doing as may be the case. Image that. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I will definately keep them all in mind.

Steve
 
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