Best knots for a tapered steelhead nymph rig

I'm have been having trouble getting my double surgeons to be strong on a regular basis lately while setting up my trout nymph rigs. It seems like for every knot that's strong one, two even three will break when I test them before I get one solid. I get it lubed and pull slow but it seems like it's never certain the first time. I want to make sure that my knots on my tapered leader don't break if I hook a bigger fish and was wondering if I'm doing something wrong? Should use a triple surgeons? Or should I learn the blood knot and use that. I read that the surgeons is stronger, but with my rate of failure I want to be solid.

I don't tie tapered tippets, but the uni to uni knot is my go to for line to line connections.

have you tried putting away your bobbers
learning to cast n swing
till the tug drug kicks in?

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Originally Posted by skifishbum

have you tried putting away your bobbers
learning to cast n swing
till the tug drug kicks in?

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Yes indeed my bratha, but during the day when I gotta get down I want to catch fish then too.

well then i'd surely invest in the time it takes to learn to tie a bloodknot:rolleyes2

I use a quadruple surgeons; double surgeon is not a strong knot (around 60%). The quad forms a nice figure eight when cinched and is symmetrical compared to a triple so it lies flat and keeps the leader straighter. Fast to tie and strong too, used it to land steelhead and salmon to 25 lbs with no problems. When I have to break off a snag, the quad surgeon and the improved clinch seem to fail at about the same rate so imo the break strength is about the same (appx 90%). Its a little bulkier than a good bloodknot but it's so much easier to tie I can pretty much tie it in the dark in 30 seconds. Also, don't test a knot so hard you can break it, you are just weakening the line. Whatever knot you choose, tie a good knot with confidence and snug it up, don't "test" it. If you are using an improved clinch as your terminal knot, thats only a 90% strength knot so worrying about blood vs surgeon and whether your leader knots are a full 100% is kind of pointless. You should know the following knots: arbor, albright and nail, blood or surgeon's, improved clinch and non-slip mono loop. Albright can be substituted for the nail knot when you don't have a nail or tying tool handy (I find it easier to freehand an albright to attach a thick leader butt to the fly line but it won't slide through the guides as smoothly as a nail). A quad surgeon's can be substituted for the blood if you don't mind trading a slightly larger knot for ease of tying.

Triple surgeons is just as strong as a quad without making it more complicated. Surgeons are stronger than blood knots. Make sure your diameters are somewhat close. I spent hours on an insatron comparing knot strengths and different brands of material. And nymphing for steelhead is ghey.

Blood knot, Holmes.

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Originally Posted by snapt

Triple surgeons is just as strong as a quad without making it more complicated. Surgeons are stronger than blood knots. Make sure your diameters are somewhat close. I spent hours on an insatron comparing knot strengths and different brands of material. And nymphing for steelhead is ghey.

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I don't add the extra overhand for strength; the quad lies more straight, that's why I use it. Don't like the way a triple makes the sections jut out at a slight angle.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...psd2d72445.jpg

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Originally Posted by skifishbum

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...psd2d72445.jpg

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Ah fuck that old hippie,,,he only sees long perfect Deschutes and Salmon River Runs to swing old classic spey lines on a 16 foot glass rod.....:) Slot fishing you have to do it...go straight 16 lb Maxima with 4 feet, taper down to 12 for 4 feet. then down to 10 flouro.. adjust BOBBER (face it. not an indicator) to depth.
You should not have a problem.

EDIT-Cat gut lines with riffle hitches per current is what dictates SFB's steelhead fishing style!!!!

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Originally Posted by Lumpy

Ah fuck that old hippie,,,he only sees long perfect Deschutes and Salmon River Runs to swing old classic spey lines on a 16 foot glass rod.....:) Slot fishing you have to do it...go straight 16 lb Maxima with 4 feet, taper down to 12 for 4 feet. then down to 10 flouro.. adjust BOBBER (face it. not an indicator) to depth.
You should not have a problem.



EDIT-Cat gut lines with riffle hitches per current is what dictates SFB's steelhead fishing style!!!!

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Thanks Lumpy. Unfortunately I put in many hours and no luck on the D this season. Although I enjoyed every minute. I swing and nymph so it doesn't bother me. I am just enjoying learning more hands on approaches to working with my gear. Hoping to at some point start tying some flies too. Until then, loving fishing.