Clinch or Palomar

[dasofas]

Any opinion on tippet to fly? I have always used a clinch knot, but they tend to look a little bulky and seem to stiffen the tippet. Also, when using tandems, are you going through the eye of the first fly for the dropper.

 

[jayL]

I use both. If the fly has lots of hackles, or if I am working with limited remaining tippet, I use a clinch. If I'm fishing a streamer or nymph that can easily be pulled through the palomar loop without binding fibers down, I'll use that. It's stronger, and fails less.

The tips and tricks forum has a thread on tandem combos. It discusses knots. Eye to eye, such as you mentioned, is a popular option.

 

[JasonS]

I use the clinch on all nymphs and dries. I have enough problem threading tippet through the eye of small flies to tie the clinch that I can't imagine looping the tippet and trying to put twice as much line through the eye. For streamers and wets I'll use a non-slip mono loop knot. Regarding your statement about the clinch making the tippet stiffer, I don't really find this happening when I tie it. How do you tie the clinch knot? Are you holding the line and twisting/spinning the fly or holding the fly and wrapping the line? If you are doing the former then you are probably twisting the line, which might result in making it seem stiffer. That would be my guess, could be wrong though.

 

[dasofas]

I am holding the fly and wrapping the tippet around itself, I will try spinng the fly, thanks.

 

[JasonS]

dasofas wrote:
I am holding the fly and wrapping the tippet around itself, I will try spinng the fly, thanks.

No, you don't want to be spinning the fly, that will cause your line to twist. I thought maybe you were doing it that way, twisting you line, thus possibly stiffening it. I guess that isn't the problem, however.

 

[dasofas]

You know, maybe I have always been making a big mistake. I usually just buy a 5x tapered leader and tie my fly directly to that. Then, when I use up a foot or two of the leader I tie on more tippet. I have been reading a lot on here lately about using a shorter 3X leader and tying on 2' sections of 4x and 5x to get a 5x setup. I think maybe I am not realizing it, but I am down to a bigger diameter and out of the tippet area when I am having a little stiffness. At least if I set up a leader as described I would know where the heck I am on the leader.

 

[jayL]

Holding both pieces of line and spinning the fly is correct.

I have even read tips that claim that twisting the fly, rather than wrapping the lines around each other makes for a stronger knot.

 

[dasofas]

Thanks Jay, I am going to try a palomar this weekend.

 

[tomgamber]

How do you twist the fly?

I tie mine like this with the hook held still.

 

[dasofas]

I usually do not twist the fly, I simply put my index finger in the loop above the eye, wrap 4 or five times and back down through.

 

[JasonS]

jayL wrote:
Holding both pieces of line and spinning the fly is correct.

I have even read tips that claim that twisting the fly, rather than wrapping the lines around each other makes for a stronger knot.

That's how I used to do it, hold the lines and spin the fly. A while back a very knowledgable fly fisherman, who I trust, saw me doing it that way and told me that was not the correct way, that the line will twist. I'm not sure which way is actually better. I will also say that most times I tie the improved clinch, so I rarely have the knot break/pull out. If I lose a fly, it's because the tippet broke and not a weak knot.

 

[tomgamber]

oh...I think I get it now...they were talking about the speedy clinch knot ,or something like that , one time in here but I never saw how.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

There's a better option. Scroll down to the Davy knot in this link.

With a bit of practice, you can tie this knot with very little tag end, if any, to trim.

 

[jayL]

I pass the line through the eye of the hook and either put my finger through the loop and rotate, or i roll the two pieces of tippet in my fingers like you would a nasty booger, for lack of a better way to put it.

I guess there is a chance it could twist the tippet, but I cannot see how, assuming you hold both pieces of line firmly.

 

[tomgamber]

Yeah, Alby likes that Davy knot...I found the speedy clinch..its not an improved clinch but I can see it being speedy. I'll probably stick with the regular improved clinch I posted above but here is the fast one.

http://tatteredfly.com/blog/speed-clinch

 

[mrchunk]

I tie the clinch/improved clinch for dries and nymphs. I do a variation on the speed clinch. I clip my forceps to the bend in the hook and spin the forceps 3 times then complete the knot. I've done this for years and haven't had many issues with the knots. Could probably count them on one hand.

I'll vary between a loop and clinch for streamers depending on my mood.

As for nymphing, I go back and forth between eye to eye and bend to eye. I really don't see much difference in production between the 2. Occasionally I'll use the czech method. This is probably my most productive setup but is a b!tch to set up and maintain.