Which Knot
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Popper and Topwater Fishing
Forum Description: If you're into a bit of action on top, this is the forum for you
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=99083
Printed Date: 05 Jun 2026 at 12:54pm
Topic: Which Knot
Posted By: Kevin.S
Subject: Which Knot
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 4:53pm
| After reading several threads on this subject I'm almost afraid to ask this, but here goes. Due to the arrival of a new (to me) stickbait rod it's time to dust off my lures and get out on the water and throw them around a bit. As it is currently set up the leader (100lb Mono) is attached to a swivel, which connects to the stickbait with a split ring. I'm not really very happy with uni knots in line this thick, I don't really seem to be able to get them to look very neat. Is there a better knot to use? |
Replies:
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 5:07pm
Uni knots in 100 pound line= No problem...should look good........use plenty of spit and form the uni up the line.....pull it up a bit tight to form knot up the line(use your thumb and finger to stop the knot sliding down as per pic) but not so tight that its hard to slip down.......then more spit........i can tie unis in 200 pound line that way without any probs..........I use 5 turn for light ...4 turn for medium and 3 turn for 200+......so imho 4 turn for 100...you are right to fuss over the knot.....make sure you are happy with its form.....practise and you will be happy .....you can hold the knot between thumb and finger and pull end of line with other hand and that can help it form too(ie you trap the knot)......make sure it looks good before you pull down and then it will sure up even more when you do your final pull...so to speak personally i prefer a Nt 1/0 swivel connected to a 9 or 10mm split ring.  pull knot up slowly with spit....so you dont burn the line.  There is a big gap on this split ring(so needs changing and the thimble is not necessary) swivel has smooth surface.  When tied properly the uni is a bloody good knot..hasnt failed me yet..Just re-tie after any good fish...Hope this is of some help  ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Kevin.S
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 6:18pm
| Thanks, I think I'm trying to put too many turns on -will try to tie it further up and slide down as well. |
Posted By: alan syme
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 9:26pm
|
Hi Kevin, Good advice from laidbackdood. All the best! |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2014 at 9:35pm
|
Carl of Epic Charters uses a 4 turn uniknot too Kevin. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 1:08am
Hope it works for you.....a good thing to practise, when its blowing outside and the All Blacks arent playing!.....let us know how it goes This is one knot you should learn to tie blindfolded even.......Many a time used this....fishing off the bricks at night for me(no light/by feel).......Never really tied anything else.
 ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Kevin.S wrote:Posted By: Eastender
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 7:46am
| I use a trilene knot for leaders smaller than 80lb, and an improved clinch knot with knot sleeve for heavier leaders (four turns). I find these knots simple and quick to tie, and am happy with the strength. |
Posted By: mozz
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 8:52am
| I don't like the idea of a uni on one of those lumo thimbles. Under extreme pressure the mono will slice through it and pull down really hard on itself, burning the line as it slides. |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 4:38pm
Really? I have been using them for years for jigging and have never had a failure...............anyone else had the above happen?.............By extreme pressure ...what drag you talking? or are you talking game fishing? ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 8:21pm
Mozz is correct, they can and do break those plastic thimbles or distort them, if using thimbles i use crimps -------------  www.kavemantackle.co.nz
|
Posted By: Mr Plastic
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 8:34pm
|
Yep even the jigstar grommets will cut through a uni under load. Bad with those square edges on them. The uni allways wants to slip up tighter. Uni on a solid ring is good however and an easy knot to tie super quickly. I use it to tie most hook and swivel connections. The TN knot is harder to tie but man its strong! Check it out on utube. ------------- Synit Prototype bender |
Posted By: Mr Plastic
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 9:03pm
|
www.anglers-secrets.com/lines-and-knots/ Sorry this is the link ------------- Synit Prototype bender |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2014 at 10:11pm
|
Do you guys ever use crimps rather than a knot? Would crimps be too temperamental on 100lb with not enough room for error? ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 7:01am
as above smudge, i use crimps quite often but wouldnt do so to attach to a popper. The main problem with a uni is that they keep on pulling tighter and if any imperfection in wire that you are tying too(ie not round, too small wire,burr in wire) can and will break the uni from the inside. ------------- www.kavemantackle.co.nz
|
Posted By: Mr Plastic
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 7:39am
|
Game crimping is seriously strong connection and ive never had one break. Never used it for topwater but have had great success on jigs. Just make sure you get the correct size for your leader. Very reliable, if they land huge marlin with them so im sure they can handle anything else. ------------- Synit Prototype bender |
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 2:53pm
Here's the way I crimp them -
 had one fail once when I'd landed maybe 20 kingis without changing the crimp , bit lazy but it was a hot bite . Thats a 1.0 mm crimp with 130 lb Prosele leader .
No doubt someone will tell me I've got it all wrong
 |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 3:38pm
|
Rory, no right and wrong way, some are just better than others personally i wouldnt trust that on kingfish but that is me. I would use knot sleeve and go around popper ring twice and then crimp(make sure leader does not cross over itself) and no need for knot at tag end, just burn the end of mono to make a lump. ------------- www.kavemantackle.co.nz
|
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 3:48pm
| Having landed quite a few hundred kingfish on it Im' happy with it . I believe it was Mogi who showed me that method ,still what would he know ? Didn't take long for someone to knock it . Really don't know why I bothered. |
Posted By: Fenien
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 4:30pm
| Been using a nail knot to a solid ring,then adding a split ring so I can change lures quickly.Have found this knot tightens up neatly even when using up to 250lb leader when GT fishing.Never had it fail yet. |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 5:20pm
|
Sorry poster....this is a bit off topic but So either knot sleeve or some plastic tubing would be good for a uni for jigging right?...........I wouldnt want to tie a uni bare to an owner 9mm solid ring...thats for sure. How about a chain knot in mono? I would have thought the stretch of mono would act like a bungi cord quite nicely? ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 5:36pm
| jansik knot anyone ? |
Posted By: SNOWKIWI
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 7:37pm
|
Jansik knot strength is getting close to 100% if my memory serves me correctly, but difficult to use on thicker lines, otherwise, a real good knot, easy to tie if what you are tying it to has large holes in it!!! ------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow">  It is to be observed that 'angling' is the name given to fishing, by people who can't fish. |
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 8:59pm
|
Am going to ,hopefully , give it shot on fri and try using two loops , two raps ,ties and packs down tidy .Tried testing the knot with 130 lb prosele and have been pulling 15kg drag and the knot looks good . A lot easier to tie with two rather than three raps as well . |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 9:07pm
|
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgIn0saI5mA" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgIn0saI5mA check out the jansik on knot wars ------------- www.kavemantackle.co.nz
|
Posted By: alan syme
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 9:21pm
|
if you really want full confidence in your connection with what ever style/knot you use. a good way is to test using the actual leader and set up you plan to use and pull on them until they break: destruction testing with hanging scales. repeat lots and test v different knots/connections. you will then find something that works for you and you know is strong. not everyone's cup of tea and it is time consuming but a really useful bad weather activity. |
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 9:21pm
| That's pretty cool , knot wars , don't know that it would stop me using the jansik but I'll have a go at tying that other knot for sure . |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2014 at 9:26pm
|
I like that idea Alan, being an extremely bad tier of knots (at least initially) I decided to do that. What I learned was that a spider hitch was a knot that would either work really well or not at all. I reckon by doing a similar test helped me to understand that sometimes less is more. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 3:12am
|
And the winner is the eye crosser!.....will use this for topwater in the future. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24bzPEgfcWw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgIn0saI5mA In the above vid he states at the beginning that the eye crosser is good for braid and then at the end he says its not! so basically you can put the line through the eye twice and then do a 3 turn uni and its pretty much the same as the eye crosser knot right?........seems bloody strong to me. I tried tying the above and the palomar in 130 pound and found the palomar difficult to tie......the eye crosser (3 turn uni as above) was easy to tie................Anyone tried this one? the jansik ends with the tag down .....the eye crosser ends with tag up......so to me its a 3 turn uni with the line through twice(fancy name eye crosser
)------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Elpescador
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 8:45am
so the jansik is a uni passed thru the eye twice ,looks like mr jansik has re invented the wheel 
|
Posted By: Kevin.S
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 9:39am
| Wow, and I thought this was a simple question -how wrong can you be? Anyway, a uni with four turns looks OK to me for now, and I like the idea of melting the tag end as well. Probably not necessary, but can't do any harm either and it looks nice and neat. |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 4:45pm
Not needed mate...I wouldnt heat/ball it right down .....in case there is any movement of the knot.......just cut to 5 to 10 mm tag and chew it/flatten with bite
.......In fact i used to form unis up the line(tight and well formed) and left a loop........then i used to cast poppers/sticks(tag end 20mm at least),,,,,,this leaves the lure to move freely and on the strike......the uni slides down and locks up......the knot needs to be tight and finished or it might well slide down from casting/moving bait.------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: crazyfisho
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2014 at 12:00pm
Nice and Clean connection Legacy - might have to try this one
|
Posted By: Titahi
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2014 at 3:20pm
|
I have to agree with Kev, the knot after a crimp is redundant, unless you dont crimpt the sleeve properly? ------------- "I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for" |
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2014 at 3:32pm
|
[QUOTE=Titahi]I have to agree with Kev, the knot after a crimp is redundant, unless you dont crimpt the sleeve properly
Exactly , these things happen , over the years I 've had various knots fail and probably 99% of the time I'd think it was my mistake , I know one game fishing skipper who does melt his tag ends , landed a strippy and found he hadn't crimped the crimp and the tag end being melted saved him . Whether you melt the tag or tie a thumb knot doesnt really matter to me just different ways to do things for the same result .
Anyway , I tried using the Jansik knot on Friday , was nice and quick to tie , didn't bust any off on it but didn't really hook a heap of fish either . Jigging and top water .
|
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2014 at 4:22am
|
I know this is an old thread....Think i have found the perfect solution.....metal thimble and crimp......Cant go wrong.....for jigging anyway. ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2014 at 12:57pm
|
I 'm practicing the TM knot for future stickbait use , just having problems with the half hitches !, think it was Kaveman who mentioned this knot ?, but it sure looks like the mysterious knot that Konishi showed Luke and Aniesh at Yeehaa. |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2014 at 1:05pm
|
Rory....the TN knot is basically an AG chain knot, only difference i can see is 2x around ring and then before doing half hitches is to send tag end around leader and then under both loops on ring before completing half hitches. Not a knot to tie on a pitching boat ------------- www.kavemantackle.co.nz
|
Posted By: Legacy
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2014 at 1:53pm
|
I have a method for tying the AG knot to make sure the half hitches go alternate ways ,after half a dozen attempts at the TM knot only once has it looked right ! The way the knot bites though once you take the tag end under the two turns I really like . |
Posted By: sid fishus
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2014 at 6:00pm
|
I find it really works best when you connect the fish to the hook to the lure to the trace to the braid to the rod n reel and into my tummy. ------------- I always tell the truth about things that never happened |
Posted By: sid fishus
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2014 at 6:07pm
|
Or let it go, ------------- I always tell the truth about things that never happened |
Posted By: sid fishus
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2014 at 6:07pm
Go on ask me anything.  ------------- I always tell the truth about things that never happened |
Posted By: 1Daz
Date Posted: 01 Jul 2015 at 9:33pm
|
Any one use the rapala knot with their stickbaits? ------------- Go the Warriors! |