On this How 2 Tuesday I tie and test the San Diego jam knot, a fast, versatile line to hook knot that bass fishermen and saltwater anglers both rely on. Plenty of people asked me to put it on the bench, so I finally did. I show how to tie it with the pinch and seven wraps, then I test three of them in identical 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro. They broke at 12.83, 13.08, and 12.92 pounds, an average of 86.28 percent of the line strength.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
Run your line through the hook eye and pull plenty of line through. Pinch the standing line with your index finger and thumb to hold a small loop, then wrap the tag end back down over both the standing line and the hook shank seven times. Pass the tag through the loop near the hook eye, then through the loop you pinched at the top. Wet the knot and pull it down snug, drawing the tag a little to seat it. That is the San Diego jam.
In my test it was strong. I tied three San Diego jam knots in 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro and pulled each one to failure. They broke at 12.83, 13.08, and 12.92 pounds for an average of 12.94 pounds, which is 86.28 percent of the line strength. For a single line connection knot that ties fast, holding above 86 percent is a solid, dependable result.
It is a versatile line to hook or line to lure knot used in both freshwater and saltwater. A lot of bass fishermen rely on it, and it works for plenty of saltwater applications too. People asked me again and again to tie it and test it, which is exactly why it landed on How 2 Tuesday. It is popular because it is strong for its simplicity and quick to tie once you learn the pinch.
Pinching a small loop at the top with your index finger and thumb is the trick that makes the knot fast. It holds the loop open so you know exactly where to pass the tag end at the finish. If you do not pinch it, you end up hunting for that loop every time, which slows you down on the water. Leaving that pinched loop is what lets you tie the San Diego jam quickly and consistently.
I tie it with seven wraps. After pinching the standing line, I wrap the tag end back down over the doubled section seven times, counting them off, before passing the tag through the lower loop and then the pinched loop. Seven wraps gave me that 86.28 percent average in 15 pound fluorocarbon, a strong and repeatable result for this style of knot.
I tested all three San Diego jam knots in the exact same line, 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro fluorocarbon. Using identical line on every knot is what makes the breaking strength numbers trustworthy, so the 86.28 percent average reflects the knot itself rather than differences in the line.
This is the San Diego jam, and a lot of people asked me to tie it and test it. That is the whole engine behind this part of How 2 Tuesday. You can always reach me at podcast at saltwaterexperience dot com or by text, and that is where these knot requests come from. The San Diego jam gets used across freshwater and saltwater, and plenty of bass fishermen swear by it, so it was time to put it on the bench. I explain where the request came from in the episode.
The tie itself is quick once you learn one trick. You run the line through the eye, pinch a small loop at the top with your index finger and thumb, then wrap the tag back down seven times. You pass the tag through the lower loop and then through the pinched loop, wet it, and seat it. The pinch is the key, because it keeps that finish loop open so you are not hunting for it every time. I walk through it slowly in the audio.
Then I tested it. I tied all three in the exact same 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro and pulled them to failure. They broke at 12.83, 13.08, and 12.92 pounds, an average of 12.94 pounds, which is 86.28 percent knot strength. That is a strong, consistent number for a single line knot that ties this fast. I lay out what that result means for your fishing in the episode.
For me, a knot earns a spot when it is fast, repeatable, and strong enough to trust on a good fish. The San Diego jam checks those boxes at 86 percent, and it crosses over from bass to saltwater, which makes it worth learning even if you already have a go to. I talk about where I would reach for it in the audio, and I want your knot suggestions for the next test.
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 is a lifelong saltwater fishing guide, tournament angler, and the host of the Tom Rowland Podcast. He spent decades guiding in the Florida Keys and has fished from the Keys to the Seychelles, and he created How 2 Tuesday to break down one practical fishing skill at a time. From knots and casting to gear and tactics, he tests what actually works on the water so anglers can fish with more confidence.
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