In the battle of the beginner knots, the Palomar edges out the clinch knot, breaking at 91.36 percent against the clinch knot at 89 percent. These are the two knots most of us learned the very first time we went fishing, so I put them head to head and broke them to see which one actually holds better. On this How 2 Tuesday I walk you through tying each one, the lubrication step that protects your knot strength, and the final test numbers. This is an audio episode, so listen along as I tie and test.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
In my test the Palomar won, breaking at 91.36 percent versus 89 percent for the clinch knot. That is only about a two and a third percent difference, so both are solid beginner knots, but the Palomar's doubled-line construction gave it the measurable edge. When you are hooked to the fish of a lifetime, that small margin can matter, which is why I tested them instead of guessing.
Pass the line through the eye of the hook, switch hands to keep the loop open, then wrap the tag end five times around the standing line. Take that tag end back through the loop you formed, hold onto it for a second as you pull it tight, and cinch it down. That is the clinch knot, and in my test it broke at 89 percent.
Double the line over and pass the loop through the eye of the hook, then tie a basic overhand knot with the doubled line. Pass that loop over the hook or lure, then pull the doubled line tight so it cinches down right in front of the knot. Lubricate it before you cinch for maximum strength. In my test the Palomar broke at 91.36 percent, making it the winner.
Yes. I lubricate the knot before I cinch it down for maximum knot strength. Wetting the knot reduces the friction and heat that can weaken the line as it draws tight, so it seats cleanly and holds closer to its tested breaking strength. It is a small habit that applies to the Palomar, the clinch, and most other fishing knots.
On the Tom Rowland Podcast we have broken and tested every knot I can think of, and I put all of those results into a knot guide you can download for free at tomrowlandpodcast.com. It shows you the breaking strength of each knot so you can see which ones are strongest for different jobs instead of guessing.
The clinch knot and the Palomar are the knots most of us tied the first time we ever went fishing, which is exactly why I wanted to put them head to head. They are simple, they are everywhere, and most anglers never actually know which one holds better, so I tied both, broke both, and got the numbers. Press play in the player above to hear me tie each one step by step.
The detail that quietly decides how strong your knot really is happens right before you cinch it: lubrication. Wetting the knot keeps friction and heat from weakening the line as it draws tight, so it seats clean and holds close to its tested number. It applies to both of these knots and most others you will tie. I point out exactly when I do it in the player above.
The Palomar takes this beginner-knot battle at 91.36 percent to 89 percent, but the bigger point is that both are good knots when you tie them right and lubricate before you cinch.
We have broken and tested every knot I can think of, and I put all of those results into a free knot guide at tomrowlandpodcast.com so you can see which knot is strongest for the job in front of you. Press play in the player above.
Palomar knot · clinch knot · beginner fishing knots · knot strength testing · lubricating knots · knot guide · terminal tackle · How 2 Tuesday · Tom Rowland Podcast
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys and host of the Tom Rowland Podcast. Through years on the water I have broken and tested every fishing knot I can think of to learn which ones hold best, and I compiled that data into a free knot guide at tomrowlandpodcast.com. On the How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill at a time in short, focused episodes you can use right away.
Tom Rowland Podcast — Episode 953: The Battle of the Beginner Knots (How 2 Tuesday, with Tom Rowland)
In this episode: the battle of the beginner knots — the Palomar knot and the clinch knot going head to head, how to tie each one step by step, why it's best to lubricate the knot before you cinch it down for maximum knot strength, and the final result: 91.36% for the Palomar, 89% for the Clinch — in the exact words spoken.
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Tom Rowland: Today, it's the battle of the beginner knots. The knots that you learned how to tie on the first time you ever went fishing, chances are they might have been the Palomar knot and the clinch knot. We're going head to head right now. What's going on, everybody? It's how to Tuesday on the Tom Rowland podcast brought to you by Danco.
Tom Rowland: Gonna pass the line through the eye of the hook. Twitch hands, keep this loop open, pass the tag end five times around the standing line, three, four, five. And then the tag end goes back through this loop. Hold on to the tag end for a second as you pull it tight and cinch it down. That's the clinch.
Tom Rowland: So I'm gonna double the line over, pass it through the eye of the hook, and then I'm going to tie your basic overhand knot. I have this loop, and I'm gonna pass this loop over the hook or your lure. And then with the doubled line, I'm gonna pull this tight, and it's gonna cinch down right in front of the knot.
Tom Rowland: It's best to lubricate the knot before you cinch it down for maximum knot strength.
Tom Rowland: So the Palomar versus the Clinch, the Palomar edges out the Clinch knot 91.36% for the Palomar, 89% for the Clinch. On the Tom Rowland Podcast brought to you by Danco, we have broken and tested every knot I can think of. I have put all of these knot results into a convenient knot guide that you can go and download for free at tomrowlandpodcast.com so that you can see which knot is the strongest.
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