Sheesh Sean, compared with your arsenal of knots, it looks like I might flunk my knots merit badge ;-)
I regularly use only two terminal knots: an improved clinch to attach flies to tippet and perfection loops to attach tippet to leader and leader to butt section. I use a turl and a Duncan loop only very occasionally. I use the same formula as you do for the number of turns on the clinch knot. I use blood knots in tying leaders, nail knots to attach butt section and backing to my fly line and a spool knot (I think that's what it's called) to attach the backing to my reel. So did you catch any very large fish on that local lake? Kent Lufkin >I was out on a local lake today, and was thinking about knots. I was >tying on a fly with the expectation of getting into some VERY large fish >with light tippet, so the idea of good, high-percentage knots just >naturally came to mind. > >My question in many-fold: Just how many knots does a good >flyfisherperson really need to know? I regularly use improved clinch, >duncan loop, orvis, blood, surgeons, and less often a nail knot. That's >just six knots that cover almost ALL of my fishing endeavors. On those >terminal knots we use most often (Improved Clinch, Duncan Loop, Orvis >Perfect) how many wraps do you fellow fisherpersons use? Does it change >with tippet size? FWIW, I tend to go tippet size plus 1 on the Improved >Clinch and Orvis Perfect (5x would be 6 wraps, 4x would be 5 wraps, >etc., etc. and never less than 3 and never more than 6 wraps) while my >Duncan loops are 4-5 depending on leader thickness (4 wraps on steelhead >tippets, and 5 on trout). Surgeons are ALWAYS 3, though I've heard of >folks going to 4 wraps. > >Hoping for a spirited thread (pun intended!) on this one, as this might >be of some use to the newer members who can benefit from the wealth of >knowledge of our more seasoned vets. > >Sean
