For heavy shock tippet loop knots, the non-slip mono loop and the perfection loop both outpulled the double figure 8 in my test, but every one of them broke well above a typical class tippet. This is the second half of Bob Johnson's question, this time on 60 and 80 pound knots for tarpon flies. I could not reliably break 60 and 80 on my scale, so in this How 2 Tuesday I tested 40 and 50 pound J-Fluoro instead.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
In my test the non-slip mono loop performed the best overall, with the perfection loop surprisingly close behind, and the double figure 8 the weakest of the three. At 40 pound the non-slip mono loop broke at 40.05, the perfection loop at 35.26, and the double figure 8 at 30.88. That said, every one of these broke far above a normal class tippet, so the difference may not decide your knot.
Bob asked about 60 and 80 pound, but I cannot reliably break those on my scale, and pulling that hard sends the scale flying off the table. So I used 40 and 50 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro to get readings I could trust while still answering the heavy-leader question. The relative comparison between the three knots still holds.
A shock tippet, sometimes called a bite tippet, is a heavier piece of leader tied right to the fly to protect your lighter class tippet from a fish's rough mouth or sharp teeth. For tarpon, that heavy bite section is essential. The IGFA allows up to 12 inches of shock tippet for fly world records, and you would not land many tarpon without one.
Because with a shock tippet everything broke at roughly 30 pounds or more, far above a 10, 15, or 20 pound class leader. So I may choose my knot on other factors. I like the double figure 8 because it hangs perfectly straight and does not make the fly swim funny, while the perfection loop's right-angle tag end collects grass. Handling can matter more than the last pound of strength here.
The 50 pound non-slip mono loop broke at 38.4, lighter than the rest, which can happen depending on how a given knot seats. When one sample breaks light while the others break heavy, I am inclined to throw that reading out. Testing several samples keeps a single oddball from misleading you.
Controlling the controllable. When you tie and pull your knots at home with the exact line you will fish, you know your rigging is strong before you ever launch. That puts you at a real advantage, sometimes 20, 30, even 50 percent, on the water. It is how you give yourself the best chance at the fish of a lifetime.
I walk through each step in the episode. Press play in the player above.
Bob's follow-up asked about 60 and 80 pound knots, and I will be honest, I cannot reliably break those on my scale, and when I try, the whole thing rockets off the table. So I tied the non-slip mono loop, the perfection loop, and the double figure 8 in 40 and 50 pound J-Fluoro to get numbers I could actually trust. I explain the gear limitation and why the comparison still holds in the episode, so press play in the player above.
If you are newer to fly fishing for tarpon, a shock tippet is a heavier piece of leader right at the fly that protects your light class tippet from a tarpon's rough mouth. The IGFA allows 12 inches for fly world records if you are chasing one. Without that bite section, you simply would not land many tarpon. I break down how the leader is built in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here is the twist, with a shock tippet, the lowest any of these broke was around 30 pounds, far above a 10, 15, or 20 pound class leader. So strength is not really the deciding factor. I like the double figure 8 because it hangs perfectly straight, even though it tested weakest, while the perfection loop's right-angle tag end picks up grass. I explain how I actually choose in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Everything I do here comes back to controlling the controllable. When you test your knots at home with the exact line you will fish, you already know your rigging is strong before you launch. That is a 20, 30, sometimes 50 percent advantage before the first cast. It is the difference between hoping and knowing when the fish of a lifetime eats. I make the case for it in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The morning after this one, what stays with me is that all three heavy knots broke well above a normal class tippet, so I can pick on feel and handling, not just the scale. The non-slip mono loop led, the perfection loop was surprisingly close, and the double figure 8 was weakest.
If you tie tarpon leaders, pull your own knots in the exact leader you fish and let the results, plus how each knot hangs, guide your choice. Thanks to Bob Johnson for both halves of this question. 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 · Bob Johnson · non-slip mono loop · perfection loop knot · double figure 8 loop knot · Daiwa J-Fluoro fluorocarbon · shock tippet · bite tippet · IGFA · tarpon flies · 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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