Knitting fishing knots is a whole science, if not art. Learning this is not so easy, but if you start from the very beginning and pay enough attention to your studies, this science is quite possible to comprehend. But first of all, we will understand what fishing units are and where they are used.
Why are fishing knots needed
The fishing nodes are directly related to the sea, since most of them were borrowed by fishermen from the sailors. Not a single fishing tackle is complete without knots. They lock the floats, tie hooks, lures, boat anchors and the boats themselves.
But why can’t you use a regular node for this? The fact is that with a certain load, any nodes lose their properties, even sea and fishing ones. Over time, the structure weakens, which leads to the slipping of the cord or fishing line and its gradual untying. That's just what happens for all nodes in different ways. Fishing knots are able to withstand high loads for a long time. They are strong and reliable, although somewhat difficult to manufacture. They say that the more complex the knot, the stronger it is.
We’ll talk about one of the most common and popular nodes - consider a clinch. His big name already speaks for itself - in translation from English it means "capture". Therefore, another name is often found - a gripping unit.
What is a clinch and what is it used for
The clinch fishing knot is the most popular among fishermen around the world. It is used for tying:
- hooks;
- lure;
- jig heads;
- wobblers;
- swivels;
- carbines;
- flies and others
But why is the clinch node so good? The fact is that, in addition to universality, it has a very high strength (about 95%), which most other nodes are unlikely to boast of. Clinch-node can withstand up to 10 kilograms per gap, of course, if it allows fishing line or cord.
Of course, he also has drawbacks - not all of its varieties are suitable for braided fishing line, as well as fishing line with a cross section of more than 0.4 mm.
Varieties of clinch-type fishing unit
Clinch has several varieties:
- simple (single) for a hook, swivel or bait;
- simple lock;
- improved;
- hardened;
- double.
How to knit a clinch knot
To begin, consider how to knit a simple knot for attaching a hook to an eye. We take a piece of fishing line, skip one end of it into the ear of the hook and return it back, folding the fishing line in half. Holding the hook with one hand, wrap the fishing line at the same end, making 4-5 turns around it. Next, we extend the working end into a loop formed near the hook ring itself. After that, it is necessary to moisten our structure with water and tighten the clinch-node, stretching the ends of the fishing line to the sides. Cut the working end, leaving 1-1.5 mm.
Locking clinch
The locking units are used to limit the amplitude of movement of the sliding float on the fishing line. They are usually knitted not from monofilament fishing line, but from a thin braid or ordinary woolen thread.
The locking clinch-knit knits like usual for tying a hook. A piece of braid or thread is folded in half and laid on the main line so that it is in the middle. Holding the top of the thread and fishing line with your hand, wrap them around 4-5 times, then return it to the beginning and pass it into the loop formed by the top of the thread folded in half. Wet the knot with saliva or water, then carefully tighten it. Be sure to trim the ends, leaving 1.5-2 mm.
Improved clinch knot
This node is an improved version of the simple. It is quite popular due to its high reliability. Its strength is about 97%. These nodes often tie boat anchors.
The knitting process of such a knot is simple - it is a double repetition of a simple clinch. Now in more detail. The working end of a line of fishing line is passed through the hook ring, we return it back and wrap the other end with 4-5 turns. Next, thread the end into a loop near the ear of the hook, but do not tighten, but repeat the process, wrapping the fishing line again. After 5-6 turns, we return the edge of the fishing line to the loop located near the ear of the hook and, after wetting the knot, carefully tighten it. We cut off the remains of the fishing line, not forgetting to leave 1-1.5 mm.
This knot has only one drawback - it is not recommended to use it for braided fishing line.
Hardened clinch
A reinforced clinch is used to fix hooks when it is likely that a high load will be applied to the joint. Recommended for fluorocarbon yarn and braided fishing line. It has a strength of about 95%.
We bend a piece of fishing line in half and skip the top into the eye of the hook. After pulling the fishing line, we fold it back so that we have an formed loop on the main thread. Wrap this “tail” 5-7 times with the working end and stretch it through the loop. We wet the resulting knot with water and slowly tighten it by pulling the hook and the end of the fishing line in different directions. Trim the end, leaving 1-1.5 mm.
Double clinch
The double clinch-knot is also designed for tying hooks, carbines and various baits, which can be subjected to heavy loads. It is a little harder, but stronger. In addition, a double clinch knot can be knitted both from monofilament yarn and from braided fishing line. It does not stretch at all and does not lose its density.
We extend the working edge of the fishing line through the ear of the hook and thread it again so that we get a double loop. We wrap the fishing line with a working edge 5-6 times, after which we pass it through our double loop. We wet our knot with water and tighten it, stretching at the ends. Trim the remaining fishing line, leaving 1-1.5 mm.
Tying a fishing knot the first time may not work, especially if you train on a fishing line. Therefore, the first training is recommended to be carried out on an ordinary lace. It is much more elastic than fishing line, and it is not difficult to untie it.