The double figure 8 and the improved Homer Rhode are two loop knots that both hang perfectly straight, which is why I reach for them on heavier tarpon leaders. On Instagram, Captain Bryson asked me whether I had ever tested the double figure 8 against the improved Homer Rhode, and I had not. So in this How 2 Tuesday I tied both with 12 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro, pulled them on my scale, and the result genuinely surprised me.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
In my test with 12 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro, the improved Homer Rhode came out stronger. The double figure 8 broke at 8.95 pounds and the improved Homer Rhode broke at 9.55 pounds. That surprised me, because I assumed two figure eights coming together would beat a figure eight paired with an overhand. It was a small difference, but on nearly identical knots one little change meant almost a pound of breaking strength.
The double figure 8 is a figure eight tied in the line, then you run the tag through the fly or hook, back through the figure eight, and tie another figure eight around the standing line. The two figure eights come together to form a clean loop knot that hangs perfectly straight. I like it for tarpon fishing because a straight-hanging knot lets the fly swim right.
A standard Homer Rhode is an overhand through the fly, back through the overhand, then an overhand around the standing line, and in my experience it is a fairly weak knot at roughly 50 to 60 percent. The improved Homer Rhode swaps in a figure eight through the fly and back through it with a single overhand instead of a second figure eight. Those come together into a loop knot that tested stronger than I expected.
I tied and tested both knots with 12 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro fluorocarbon. That is a very common leader material for me, so it makes the test relevant to how I actually fish. Testing with the exact line you plan to use on the boat is the whole point of doing this at home in a controlled setting.
No. For 12 pound I would tie a non-slip mono loop, which I believe is stronger than either of these. I tested the double figure 8 and improved Homer Rhode at 12 pound only to compare them head to head. Where these knots earn their place is on heavier leader, where I want the knot to hang perfectly straight.
Because the controlled environment lets you tie with the exact line you will fish, confirm you are tying the knot correctly, and find out how many turns is strongest. On knots this similar, one small change meant almost a pound of breaking strength. Test, test, test, and you learn which knot is truly best for your fishing before you ever leave the dock.
I walk through each step in the episode. Press play in the player above.
This whole test started on Instagram. Captain Bryson asked me whether I had ever pulled a double figure 8 against an improved Homer Rhode, and the honest answer was no. I like the double figure 8 a lot because it pulls dead straight, and I use it for tarpon. So I tied both with the same 12 pound J-Fluoro and put them on the scale to settle it. I walk through both knots and why the question is a good one in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The reason I favor these loop knots on heavier leader is that they hang perfectly straight off the fly. A knot that cocks off to one side makes the fly swim a little funny, and on a tarpon leader I do not want that. Both the double figure 8 and the improved Homer Rhode seat into a clean, straight loop, which is exactly what I am after when presentation matters. I explain how that straight hang changes the way a fly fishes in the episode, so press play in the player above.
I would have bet my own money on the double figure 8. Two figure eights coming together feel like they should beat a figure eight paired with a plain overhand. But the scale said otherwise, the improved Homer Rhode pulled stronger, and that is exactly why I test these things instead of trusting a hunch. On almost identical knots, one small change meant nearly a pound of breaking strength. I react to the surprise in real time in the episode, so press play in the player above.
You can do exactly what I did in your own garage or workroom. Tie each knot with the precise line you plan to fish, confirm you are tying it correctly, and pull each one on a good scale that holds the last reading. That controlled setup is how you find the strongest version of any knot for your line and your hands. Control the controllable and you become a better fisherman before you ever launch the boat. I lay out the testing approach in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The day after running this one, what sticks with me is how close these two knots are and how a tiny change tipped the result. The improved Homer Rhode beat the double figure 8 on 12 pound J-Fluoro, 9.55 to 8.95, and I would not have guessed that going in.
If you tie loop knots for heavier straight-hanging leaders, test your own versions on a scale before you trust them. Thanks to Captain Bryson for the suggestion, and if you have two knots you want me to pull against each other, send them my way. Press play in the player above.
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.
Tom Rowland · Captain Bryson · double figure 8 loop knot · improved Homer Rhode loop knot · Homer Rhode loop knot · non-slip mono loop · Daiwa J-Fluoro fluorocarbon · tarpon fishing · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill at a time, from knot strength and rigging to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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