The strongest way to connect solid wire to fluorocarbon is a double haywire twist into a swivel, then a uni knot from the swivel to your fluoro. The fastest way is an Albright knot tied straight from the wire to the line, but it tests noticeably weaker. On this How 2 Tuesday I broke and tested both connections on 20 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro so you can decide when to trade strength for speed. This is an audio episode, so I walk you through every number and every choice as we go.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The strongest connection in my test was the double haywire twist setup: a haywire twist to the hook, a haywire twist to a swivel, and then a uni knot from the swivel to the fluorocarbon. The uni knot to the swivel broke at 14.87 pounds on 20 pound fluoro, about 74 percent, which beat the alternative. If raw strength is what you want, go wire to a swivel, then knot to the line.
In my test, yes. The Albright knot tied directly from the wire to the 20 pound fluoro broke at about 55 percent, roughly 11.08 pounds, while the haywire-twist-to-swivel with a uni knot held to about 74 percent. The Albright is a real, usable connection, but the numbers showed it was clearly the weaker of the two.
Because it is faster, and there are absolutely times that speed matters. The Albright lets you tie wire straight to your line without digging a swivel out of the tackle box, so you skip a step. When you need to re-rig quickly and you are not pushing the tackle to its limit, the Albright is a fine, fast choice. Test results just tell you it is not the strongest option.
A uni knot. The uni knot consistently tests as one of the strongest knots, so that is what I tied from the swivel to the 20 pound fluorocarbon. You could substitute another strong line-to-terminal knot you trust, but I chose the uni knot specifically because it holds up so well in testing.
I tested solid wire connected to 20 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro two ways. The haywire twist to a swivel with a uni knot broke at 14.87 pounds, about 74 percent. The Albright knot tied wire-to-line broke at about 55 percent, roughly 11.08 pounds. Same line, two connections, and the difference in strength was significant.
I wanted to settle this with numbers instead of opinions, so I tied solid wire to 20 pound Daiwa J-Fluoro two different ways and pulled them both to failure. One was the Albright knot, tied straight from the wire to the line. The other was a haywire twist to a swivel, then a uni knot from the swivel down to the fluoro. Same line, same conditions, head to head. Press play in the player above to hear which one let go first.
The strongest connection is not always the right one. If the bite is on and you just broke off, an Albright knot gets you back in the water faster because you skip the swivel entirely. I would not put it on the line when I am chasing the strongest possible system, but for quick work it is a fine trade. I talk through exactly when I reach for each one in the player above.
If you want the absolute strongest connection, go double haywire twist into a swivel, then a uni knot to your fluoro. If you want the absolute fastest, tie an Albright. Both have a place in my kit.
And if you have another knot you trust for joining fluorocarbon to solid wire, put it in the comments and I will break it and test it too. Test does not lie. Press play in the player above.
haywire twist · Albright knot · uni knot · solid wire · Daiwa J-Fluoro · fluorocarbon · swivel · knot strength testing · 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, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill at a time, from knots and rigging to gear and tactics, in short focused episodes you can use right away.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.