The non-slip mono loop crushed the Homer Rhode in this loop knot test, breaking at 100.13 percent of line strength against the Homer Rhode's 68.14 percent. In this How 2 Tuesday I tie both loop knots, which give your lure or fly more action, step by step and break them head to head, and the winner is not close.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
It is no contest. The non-slip mono loop broke at 100.13 percent of line strength while the Homer Rhode broke at 68.14 percent. The non-slip mono loop is the clear winner, holding essentially the full strength of the line where the Homer Rhode gives up almost a third of it.
Start with an overhand knot about six or eight inches down from the end of the line. Pass the tag end through the eye of the hook, fly, or lure, then back through that overhand and bring it close to the eye. Wrap the tag around the standing line three times, pass it back through the overhand, snug it with the tag first, then pull it down with just the standing line.
About six or seven inches down, tie an overhand. Pass the tag end through the eye of the hook, then back through that overhand and snug it up to the eye. With the leftover line, tie a second overhand around the standing line, and tighten it where you want the loop to sit, since that sets your loop size.
A loop knot lets your lure or fly move more freely at the eye, giving it more action. That added movement can make a fly or lure look more alive in the water. Both the Homer Rhode and the non-slip mono loop are built to give you that open loop at the connection.
For pure breaking strength, the non-slip mono loop is the better choice at 100.13 percent versus the Homer Rhode's 68.14 percent. The Homer Rhode is easy to tie and easy to control loop size with, but when strength is the priority, this test makes the non-slip mono loop the obvious pick.
In this tie I wrapped the tag end around the standing line three times before passing it back through the overhand. Three wraps produced a knot that broke at 100.13 percent, essentially the full rated strength of the line.
Both of these are loop knots I have used to get more action out of a lure or fly, so I wanted a straight answer on which one actually holds. I tied them both and broke them on the same tester. I break down what happened in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps I walk through in this How 2 Tuesday, with the full demonstration in the episode.
I unpack each of these in the episode. Press play in the player above.
The non-slip mono loop held 100.13 percent, essentially the full strength of the line, while the Homer Rhode gave up nearly a third at 68.14 percent. That is a wide margin for two loop knots, and it makes the choice easy when strength matters. I explain where the Homer Rhode still fits in the episode, so press play in the player above.
When breaking strength is the priority, the non-slip mono loop is the clear winner here, holding essentially all of your line's strength.
The Homer Rhode is still simple to tie and easy to size, but this test is about as lopsided as they come. You can compare both of these against every knot I have tested in the free knot guide. 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.
Homer Rhode loop knot · non-slip mono loop · loop knot · lure action · fly fishing · knot strength test · 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 or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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