All fishing knots are NOT created equal. Most individuals always believe that as long as their fishing knot would not unravel or break under pressure, then it was a keeper knot. However, that theory would be completely changed after taking their time to test knots against one another. And people would be shocked when they watch fishing lines and knots break at significantly different tensions even while using the same line.
More focus could be placed on testing to test breaking strength by connecting two mono-filament lines with different diameters together. And this knot is yet another reminder that the popularity of a knot does not necessarily mean that it’s the strongest one.
To finalize the knots, I researched line to line connections and pulled the most popular knots that seemed to have the most positive recommendations in fishing forums and comment strings for connecting mono to mono.
Then, I did some preliminary tests and narrowed the field down to just 4 knots & and I also made room for my all-time favorite knot that I have used and loved for many years before I switched over to braid for my main line & details and results below:’
The line to line fishing knot
The Line-to-Line Knot Contest Starting Bracket.
I’m a huge advocate of using braid as the mainline instead of mono for artificial lure anglers due to its more impressive strength and durability & twist allows for longer casts given its much smaller diameter while also having knots that are significantly stronger than knots with mono of the same listed line strength (click here to see our braid to leader knot contest).
Mono-filament to Leader Knot Contest
This line to line knot contest consists of head to head bouts of two knots that are tied onto the same strand of line, which is then pulled until one of them (the weaker of the two) breaks.
All knots in this contest were used to connect a strand of 10 lb Berkley Trilene (XL Smooth Casting) to a strand of 30 lb Berkley Trilene (Big Game), and the same scale was used to measure the estimated breaking strength of each losing knot.
Each bout consisted of 4 match-ups with only the top 3 breaking strengths used to evaluate the typical breaking range.
Here are the knots used in this contest:
1. Surgeons Knot
2. Albright Knot
3. Double Uni Knot
4. The Salt Strong Knot
Note: A chart of the match-ups with breaking ranges is shown below.
1. The Surgeons Knot
The surgeon’s knot has impressed me for both mono to mono and braid to mono connections in these contests. It’s extremely easy and quick to tie, and its breaking strength is awe-inspiring.
Pros:
Quick to tie
Easy to tie in all conditions
Strong breaking strength
Cons:
Leader line must be pre-cut and not have anything tied to it
Tough for long leaders because a leader must be passed through a loop three times
It’s bulky with tag end pointing out (not weedless)
2. The Albright Knot
The Albright Knot is extremely popular in fishing forums. It’s relatively easy to tie, and it leaves a minimal and slim finished product. It likely is the big driver of its popularity since it will allow the knot to run through rod guides compared to most others easily.
Pros
Slim knot for casting through guides
Fairly easy to tie
Good strength
Cons
It unraveled in 2 tests (not useful)
Not as easy to tie as the other options
Not as active as other options
3. Double Uni Knot
The Double Uni Knot is probably the most popular of all fishing lines to line knots. It is easy to tie, durable, and can be used on any line (and even direct to hooks/lures).
Pros
Easy to tie
Can do it all not
Suitable for all line types/sizes
Cons
Not the strongest option
Can be tough to ties on heavy lines
Large range of breaking strengths
4. The Salt Strong Knot
This is a line to line connection that I have used for ~20 years but have never known the name of it (if it has one). This knot is essential for a unique combination of two different knots (Perfection Loop and Orvis knot) that can be used on fishing lines with extremely different diameters.
Pros
Easy to tie
Very strong
Excellent for lines of very different diameters
Cons
Not suitable for casting through guides
Takes a bit longer to tie compared to surgeons knot
Requires knowledge of two knots
Mono to Mono Knot Contest Results
The results of this contest were surprising & I certainly didn’t expect the two least popular knots (Surgeons and the no-namer) to be in the finals.
As shown in the contest bracket below, the Albright knot turned out to have the worst breaking strength (6 to 8 lbs) with the Double Uni knot placing in 3rd with a breaking range of 7 to 12 lbs & which was the most inconsistent of them all.
And the two lesser-used knots had significantly better results& both had the same range of 13 to 15 lbs with the slight edge going to the three turn Surgeons knot since it won 2 out of 3 in the final round.
Bottom Line:
Given how close the Surgeons and the Salt Strong knot ended up being in the final face-off, they both can undoubtedly be great options to use.
When in a rush, the Surgeons knot is the winner since it’s speedy to tie and very strong. However, the Salt Strong Knot is a bit slimmer, about the same strength. And it is much more versatile since it can be used for leaders of all lengths. And it can be tied to a leader that already has a lure/hook attached to it.
If you are not yet using either of these fishing lines and knots, then I highly recommend giving them both a try and choose the one that fits your needs best.
