J&A Burbank wrote:
Welcome back Wes sounds like a really nice trip. Do you know of anywhere
that shows the "barrel" knot you spoke of?
Hi Jim,
A barrel knot is a basic flyfishing leader building knot. There should be an online reference somewhere that someone can supply.
While at Sugar Creek Ranch (Callahan, California), we had a little get together for flyfisher Joe Cooper who was celebrating his 88th birthday. (Joe has been 'retired' from the auto business since age 45, and has logged every one of nearly 14,000 fish he has caught on a fly he has tied. He now lives in a small rental house in Callahan, and has 'lifetime' privileges to fish Sugar Creek Ranch).
Anyway, the discussion got around to fly fishing knots, and we all agreed that barrel knots were the devil's doing! They are fussy to tie, prone to failure, etc. etc.
A fishing guide friend once showed me what is called a double uni knot, which I feel is much easier to tie and much more dependable. I have only had a couple of these knots fail in over six years of fishing. Try looking for a uni or double uni knot (two uni knots going opposite directions). If I get the time, I will search around the net for an illustration of these. They are called grinner knots in the UK. I also think they go by another name in U.S. flyfishing circles.
Wes Bend, Oregon
