What knot is the strongest for minijig

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What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Tony6469 »

Hey every one I have been losing some trout not sure if it’s my knot. Was wondering what knot you guys use for minijig and clips?
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by camobass »

San Diego knot, no clips. Always wet your line (spit) before you sinch. Check your line and knot every so often and especially after hookup. Retie as needed

Make sure your drag isn’t too tight, can’t horse fish in, especially with 2-4lb test
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Gotfish? »

1st, make sure it is the knot failing. A failed knot will (usually) have a curly tail at the end due to the knot slipping. If the line doesn't have a curly tail and is roughened at the end, then abrasion did it in. A clean break with no abrasion could indicate bad line.

Any of the top 20 knots at https://www.knotsforfishing.com/knot-strength-chart/ will work well for mono or fluorocarbon.

With all knots, it is important that they be tightened down correctly. For example, the Palomar knot is very good but it is easy for the line to cross itself or catch on the hook shank.

Personally, I mostly use the Fish N Fool knot. My opinion is that knots will fatigue with enough casts and fish caught and the knots that run the line thru the eye twice fatigue less. Or it could be they are just less critical to tighten correctly. And Camo is right that the knot should be moistened before tightening, this helps it tighten fully and correctly so it doesn't slip under load.

Note that old fishing line is weaker. Usual recommendation is to replace every year. I don't do it that often but I can attest that it does get weak after a few years. Sunlight (UV) is especially damaging.

Check the drag on your reel too. It needs to be nice and smooth with no jerkiness when starting to slip. If it isn't really smooth, take the drag washers out, clean them and the reel up, regrease and reassemble. New Carbontex washers would be even better although I don't know if you can get them for a trout reel. One reason a lot of fishermen prefer baitcasting equipment to spinning is that the baitcasting reels usually have smoother drags.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by professionull »

Always have used the San Diego jam knot and know it holds up to forcing fish in whether it be from a pond to the offshore game. Now there are instances where if I am fishing live bait and worried about the fish seeing a large knot I will fish a 3 turn improved uni or 2x2 knot to keep down on size. Also if I want more action out of a lure like a mini-jig or a fish trap, a perfection loop/rapala knot will help significantly with the action
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Gotfish? »

professionull wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 1:24 pm Always have used the San Diego jam knot and know it holds up to forcing fish in whether it be from a pond to the offshore game. Now there are instances where if I am fishing live bait and worried about the fish seeing a large knot I will fish a 3 turn improved uni or 2x2 knot to keep down on size. Also if I want more action out of a lure like a mini-jig or a fish trap, a perfection loop/rapala knot will help significantly with the action
If by the improved Uni you mean the Fish N Fool knot, 3 turns is lower than recommended. 5-6 is needed to ensure maximum strength. https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/fish-n-fool-knot . I don't know what a 2X2 knot is. Again, if your line has a curly tail to it, it means that it broke at the knot. San Diego Jam knot will need more than 3 turns with light line as well.

https://www.animatedknots.com/san-diego ... ch%20other.

If you have a peak hold scale, you can practice tying knots and seeing where they break. This doesn't test for fatigue but gives you a good idea if your knot choice and tying technique is good. I have done this for the more slippery superlines (e.g. Nanofil) that require special knots (more turns and/or doubled line).
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by professionull »

Gotfish? wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 4:01 pm If by the improved Uni you mean the Fish N Fool knot, 3 turns is lower than recommended. 5-6 is needed to ensure maximum strength. https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/fish-n-fool-knot . I don't know what a 2X2 knot is. Again, if your line has a curly tail to it, it means that it broke at the knot. San Diego Jam knot will need more than 3 turns with light line as well.
I think you replied to the wrong person but the improved uni is yes, the "fish n fool" knot except less wraps. Also I can't recall that I have tied less than 4-5 turns on an SDjk
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by bendopolo 44+ »

I’ve used the Improved Clinch Knot for 55 years. I’ve caught line Class Record Bonito, Halibut, Corbina, Spotfin Croaker on 2 pound test. Giant Broodstock Rainbows, and Steelhead on 6 pound test. I like it because it doesn’t use much line to tie, it’s quick, and it holds.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Gotfish? »

bendopolo 44+ wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:07 pm I’ve used the Improved Clinch Knot for 55 years. I’ve caught line Class Record Bonito, Halibut, Corbina, Spotfin Croaker on 2 pound test. Giant Broodstock Rainbows, and Steelhead on 6 pound test. I like it because it doesn’t use much line to tie, it’s quick, and it holds.
It's probably the best knot for fly fishing as it has about the strongest strength for a single loop thru the eye (important for fly fishing with small hooks) and it doesn't use a lot of line from the tippet.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Neuroshima »

bendopolo 44+ wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:07 pm I’ve used the Improved Clinch Knot for 55 years. I’ve caught line Class Record Bonito, Halibut, Corbina, Spotfin Croaker on 2 pound test. Giant Broodstock Rainbows, and Steelhead on 6 pound test. I like it because it doesn’t use much line to tie, it’s quick, and it holds.
It was one of the first knots I learned and is my go-to. I've read that the "improved" part can actually weaken the knot, so I've gone back to a just a 5-turn clinch knot and can't remember any recent failures.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Neuroshima »

Gotfish? wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:43 pm
bendopolo 44+ wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:07 pm I’ve used the Improved Clinch Knot for 55 years. I’ve caught line Class Record Bonito, Halibut, Corbina, Spotfin Croaker on 2 pound test. Giant Broodstock Rainbows, and Steelhead on 6 pound test. I like it because it doesn’t use much line to tie, it’s quick, and it holds.
It's probably the best knot for fly fishing as it has about the strongest strength for a single loop thru the eye (important for fly fishing with small hooks) and it doesn't use a lot of line from the tippet.
Davy knot is the smallest, and it seems strong when I've tied it and pulled with my hands, but I haven't taken the chance on an actual fish. Maybe if I'm pan- or trout-fishing.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Gotfish? »

Neuroshima wrote: Thu Apr 04, 2024 8:31 am
Gotfish? wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:43 pm
bendopolo 44+ wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:07 pm I’ve used the Improved Clinch Knot for 55 years. I’ve caught line Class Record Bonito, Halibut, Corbina, Spotfin Croaker on 2 pound test. Giant Broodstock Rainbows, and Steelhead on 6 pound test. I like it because it doesn’t use much line to tie, it’s quick, and it holds.
It's probably the best knot for fly fishing as it has about the strongest strength for a single loop thru the eye (important for fly fishing with small hooks) and it doesn't use a lot of line from the tippet.
Davy knot is the smallest, and it seems strong when I've tied it and pulled with my hands, but I haven't taken the chance on an actual fish. Maybe if I'm pan- or trout-fishing.
It looks like about the quickest to tie and takes up the least amount of line so that is good. Not quite as strong as the top 10 knots in the Knot War list though. https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/davy-knot
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by camobass »

Honestly just learn the San Diego knot. It’s proven and is fished in million dollar tournaments. Very hard to make mistakes in tying it unlike a “simple” knot like the palomar, which if you inspect closely, more times than not, it’s tied wrong where the double line crosses.

The most important thing is learn the knot you want to tie and master it. Tie it with your eyes closed, in the dark. You really only need a few knots unless you are offshore big game fishing.

I recommend these knots for terminal tackle and lures
San Diego knot
Double San Diego knot
Palomar
Rapala knot.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Gotfish? »

In the Fred Hall show (now Bart Hall) contests, the Double San Diego usually won. I think the line used was 60 lb Izoline mono. Runner up was usually the Double Uni Knot (Uni Knot with doubled line). Some of the other knots might work slightly better with lighter line and would certainly be quicker to tie and consume less line.

In a hot tuna bite, many of us will use the Palomar knot to a live bait hook just to get a bait back out into the water as fast as possible, even though we sometimes mess up and get the line crossed.

If you tie a good knot and the line breaks, it will usually be where the line has frayed rubbing against the fish or something else. That is one reason a circle hook is popular for tuna fishing, it hooks in the corner of the jaw and doesn't rub against the tuna's jaw and fail for that reason. They are also less likely to pull out of hooked fish. Downside is that they don't hook as many fish.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by professionull »

camobass wrote: Thu Apr 04, 2024 6:42 pm Honestly just learn the San Diego knot. It’s proven and is fished in million dollar tournaments. Very hard to make mistakes in tying it unlike a “simple” knot like the palomar, which if you inspect closely, more times than not, it’s tied wrong where the double line crosses.

The most important thing is learn the knot you want to tie and master it. Tie it with your eyes closed, in the dark. You really only need a few knots unless you are offshore big game fishing.

I recommend these knots for terminal tackle and lures
San Diego knot
Double San Diego knot
Palomar
Rapala knot.
What's your take on the Rapala knot vs the Perfection loop?
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by camobass »

Both are great. Perfection loop is the Baja staple. We used to tie knots on long hauls and snap them on the igfa scale for fun. Never compared those two.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by twin22s »

old line will break way easier than fresh line, replace mono often, once it starts to lose its transparency and springiness its no good. most knots, even good ones are still weaken the line to 85-75% of what it would be without a knot in it, but will still be around the rating on the spool. SD Jam knot is my go-to for line to lure/hook, test your drag with a lure tied on and secured to something, then walk backwards with the rod bent as if fighting a fish, the drag should give and the line shouldn't break, if it does you've got it too tight. use thin hook with light line and dont set very hard, it doesn't take much to set a thin hook. most times i break off are due to fishes teeth or the line rubbing a rock or dock post... just pay attention to all the details and you should have more success in the future.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Seaway »

Palomar... Keep it simple..
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by camobass »

Seaway wrote: Mon May 20, 2024 8:07 am Palomar... Keep it simple..
Agree in keeping it simple but closely inspect your palomar. Especially with light line. The two lines can cross in the eyelet, comprising the entire knot and it will break…not always but if you hook a bigger fish that max’s out your line rating etc., chances of it failing are very high to guaranteed. It’s a great knot for heavier line like chunk fishing tuna on 80lb for example.

Everyone here has great advice. As mentioned above, the best in my opinion is how you tie the knot. Taking care, wet line etc. get your technique down, be confident in your knot and you’re good. If you ever question your knot, have some curly line above it after pulling it tight or have a loop that doesn’t seat with the others etc. just re tie it. You never know when a fish of a lifetime is next.
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by Huluman »

For attaching a mini jig when fishing, the improved clinch knot is often considered one of the best choices. It's strong, reliable, and easy to tie, making it perfect for securing small lures like mini jigs. Plus, it maintains a high level of strength, crucial for ensuring your line doesn't break when you hook a fish.


Fish N Fool knot is also another option
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Re: What knot is the strongest for minijig

Post by MistrRocko »

Drag when fishing for trout should be set such that you never come close to a knot's breaking point. If a decent trout isn't taking a little drag almost constantly, your drag is either set wrong or your reel has poor drag. You should also retie after every bite. The best knot is the one you can tie quickly in poor conditions consistently perfectly and there are plenty of great knots that are very easy to tie.

For mono 4lb and under, I recommend the improved clinch. If you're using true 2-3lb test (JDM lines) I recommend just a clinch knot.

For fluorocarbon, I recommend the uni knot. Palomar and SD Jam will do just fine as well.

For braid (yes, braid works fine for trout if you're using premium soft/small diameter line and not USDM rope) I recommend a uni knot with an extra loop around the eyelet which I have just learned is now called the "fishnfool" knot. Double palomar is also good.

I use the recommended knots season after season on everything from 2lb to 80lb and can pretty confidently say I lose 0-2 fish a year due to bad knots. My preferred knots aren't the strongest ones out there, and they don't need to be. My reels have drag for a reason. And I'd rather retie a knot 5 times in the wind than lose a fish once. I'm a big fan of the uni over the palomar because it's easy to tie on all lures, easier to see when I've tied a bad knot and it's a heck of a lot easier to bite a uni knot to cut the line than a palomar if you hate your teeth like me.
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