GET WELL KNOTTED !
says Steve Adams
— by using lines & knots with
the maximum wet-knot strength —

INTRODUCTION
Of course you can't go fishing without tying some sort of knot in your line, even a Knotless or No-Knot knot! And equally you can't go fishing without wetting your line and knots, so the wet-knot strength of your line and the knots that you use are absolutely critical.

Like most things in life, fishing lines and knots always involve an element of compromise, unfortunately. I don't know about you, but I prefer to select my fishing lines and knots based on some hard facts, and, working where I do, in a pukka textile tesing laboratory, I'm able to combine practical fishing evaluations with proper scientific tests of wet-knot Breaking Strength (B.S.).

PUKKA TESTING EQUIPMENT
The equipment that we/I use for testing wet-knot-BS is exactly the same as for testing dry, unknotted line with the obvious differences that the line is conditioned in high humidity over-night before being tested. Also, in this case, one of the jaws of the machine is replaced by hooks over which the knot in the line can be looped.

For those of you who are interested in the technicalities, the machines that we use are called tensile tensiometers; we have four machines from different manufacturers, including one of the best-known, Instron. The are all connected to a bunch of computers and printers etc., called a LIMS, laboratory Information Management System, and you will have already guessed that this equipment is seriosuly expensive.

WHAT KNOTS
Now, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by telling you what knots are best for monofilament lines .. for two reasons .... (1) you probably know them already, and (2) most lure anglers these days used braided main lines, and these require particular non-strangling knots for maximum wet-knot strength.

The Palomar Knot

Fortunately, one of the best knots is really easy to tie .. it's the Palomar. It's not the very best, but it's pretty good, especially if you remember to do what it essential with every knot, and that's to wet it thoroughly before pulling it tight.

The No-Knot or Knotless Knot

With as good a wet-knot strength as you're ever likely to get, this knot is my personal favourite, although it's a bit of a sod to tie, much more fiddly than the Palomar, but stronger.

The Grinner Knot

Intermediate between the Knotless knot and the Palomar in terms of wet knot strength and ease of tying, is the classic Grinner knot. It's also my knot of choice for fusion lines which are themselves, intermediate between braid and monofil, but closer to braids in most of their characteristics.

SUMMARY
I guess that what you really want to know is which knot is the easiest to tie, and is strong-enough to use all the time .. well, the answer is easy .. use the Palomar and you won't go far wrong.

Anyway, knowledge and facts are strengths, so enjoy your fishing & our fishing tackle hints & tips .. and get knotted .. with the right knots !

Steve Adams

EDITORIAL NOTE: Thanks, Steve, for a very interesting and informative article.
If readers need any more help,
just e-mail me,
Brian Barwell, Deputy Editor,
at:-

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