On a uni knot in 15-pound fluorocarbon, four turns proved strongest at 14.1 pounds, with five at 14.45, a low six-turn outlier at 10.19, and seven at 13.61, and every uni beat last week's improved clinch. In this How 2 Tuesday I continue Knot Wars by testing how many turns make the strongest uni knot, the one knot I can use through my entire system, then compare it head-to-head with the improved clinch.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
In this 15-pound fluorocarbon test, four turns was the sweet spot at 14.1 pounds, with five turns close behind at 14.45 and seven at 13.61. Six turns came in low at 10.19, which I treat as an outlier from a knot that did not tie quite right. So more turns did not mean more strength; the differences were smaller than I expected, and four turns gave the strongest, most consistent result.
Yes, clearly. Every uni knot I tied beat every improved clinch from the previous test. The improved clinch came in under 12 pounds on 15-pound line, while the unis ran around 13 to 14.5 pounds. So one immediate takeaway is that the uni knot with any number of turns is stronger than the improved clinch with any number of turns, which is good to know if you are choosing between them.
Because you can use it through your entire system. You can tie the hook on with a uni, join leader to braid with a double uni, connect braid to mono backing with another double uni, and tie the line to the arbor with a uni. One knot, learned well, covers the whole reel. My uni knot video is the most popular thing I have ever filmed, with something like eight million views and counting, which says a lot about how useful it is.
Often, yes. The uni knot tends to slip down a little before it actually fails, so when you test it you will see it cinch and creep before the break. That is normal. Seat it firmly when you tie it, and on the scale just pull steadily to the true breaking point so your number reflects the knot's real strength rather than the initial slip.
Because knot strength can be inconsistent and any single knot can simply tie poorly. In this test six turns dropped to 10.19 pounds while the others held in the 13 to 14.5 range, so I throw that one out as a tying issue rather than proof that six turns is weak. That is exactly why you tie several and read the cluster instead of trusting one pull.
Absolutely. I encourage everyone to run their own test with their own leader material and a scale. Different brands, finishes, and pound tests can shift which turn count is strongest, so the sweet spot I found on 15-pound Daiwa fluoro may not be identical to yours. Knots are one of the controllable parts of fishing, and dialing them in the night before can be the difference between landing a fish and losing it.
Knot Wars rolls on. There are plenty of videos on how to tie knots, but very few on how to tie them to be the strongest or how to test that strength, so that is what I keep digging into. The uni knot is one I use constantly, and it is special because it can run through your entire system, from the hook to the leader-to-braid connection to the backing to the arbor. My uni knot video is the most popular thing I have ever made, probably eight million views and counting, so it is the right knot to put on the scale.
I tied a uni with four, five, six, and seven turns, all in one sitting in 15-pound Daiwa fluoro, and pulled each on the force tester. Four turns held 14.1 pounds, five held 14.45, six dropped to 10.19, and seven held 13.61. The six-turn number is an outlier; occasionally a knot just does not tie as well as you want. Read the cluster and four turns is the sweet spot, with the others slightly behind.
The real headline is the comparison with last week. Every uni beat every improved clinch, so the uni with any number of turns is stronger than the improved clinch with any number of turns. A pound of difference is the difference between catching a fish and not, between a happy customer and a disappointed one. Knots are controllable, so control the controllable, test your own line, and use the strongest knots you can. The full breakdown is in the episode above.
Watch or listen above to get the full breakdown in my own words.
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 lifelong fishing guide, tournament angler, and the host of the Tom Rowland Podcast. I spent decades guiding in the Florida Keys and competing at the highest levels of saltwater fishing, and I've fished everywhere from the Seychelles to Louisiana. How 2 Tuesday is my weekly tutorial series where I pass along the skills, gear choices, and small refinements that have made the biggest difference in my own fishing.
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