On this How 2 Tuesday I put the San Diego jam knot head to head against the three tag knot, the Jamie Caldwell knot, in a back to back break test. The San Diego jam is a single line with seven turns, while the three tag is a doubled line with only three turns. I tied both in identical 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro. The San Diego jam averaged 86.28 percent of line strength and the three tag averaged 85.31 percent, an incredibly close finish.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
In my back to back test they were almost a tie. I tied both in identical 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro. The San Diego jam broke at an average of 12.94 pounds, which is 86.28 percent of the line strength, and the three tag knot, also called the Jamie Caldwell knot, broke at an average of 12.78 pounds, which is 85.31 percent. That is incredibly close, with the San Diego jam holding a razor thin edge.
They are similar knots with one main difference. The San Diego jam is tied with a single line going through and seven turns around, then back through the hole to pull it down snug. The three tag knot is a doubled line with only three turns and the same finish through the hole that you pinch. The trade is single strand and more wraps versus doubled line and fewer wraps.
Yes. My friend Jamie Caldwell showed me the three tag knot, so I call it the Jamie Caldwell knot as well. It is the doubled line, three turn knot that I put head to head against the single strand San Diego jam in this episode.
It can. We have seen in other tests that doubling the line increases knot strength, which is why I expected the doubled three tag knot to beat the single strand San Diego jam. In this case it was almost a tie, 85.31 percent for the three tag against 86.28 percent for the San Diego jam, so the doubling did not give the edge I anticipated.
In this comparison the San Diego jam broke at an average of 12.94 pounds in 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro, which is 86.28 percent of the line strength. That made it the slightly stronger knot in this head to head, though by a margin small enough that either knot is a dependable choice.
I tied both knots in exactly the same line, 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro, and ran them in a back to back test. Using identical line on both is what makes the comparison fair, so the 86.28 percent versus 85.31 percent result reflects the knots themselves rather than any difference in the line.
This week on How 2 Tuesday it is the San Diego jam versus the three tag knot, the Jamie Caldwell knot. Over the last couple of weeks I tied the well requested San Diego jam, and then my friend Jamie Caldwell showed me the three tag knot, a close cousin with just a little difference. Naturally I had to run them back to back and find out which one wins. I set up the matchup in the episode.
The two are similar with one key difference. The San Diego jam is a single line through the eye, seven turns around, then back through the hole to pull it snug. The three tag knot is a doubled line, only three turns, with the same finish through the hole you pinch. Single strand and more wraps against doubled line and fewer wraps. I explain why that difference matters in the audio.
I tied both in the exact same 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro and pulled them back to back. The San Diego jam averaged 12.94 pounds, or 86.28 percent, and the three tag Jamie Caldwell knot averaged 12.78 pounds, or 85.31 percent. Incredibly close. In this case it was almost a tie, with the San Diego jam holding the thinnest edge. I read out the numbers in the episode.
Here is what made me think. We have seen doubling the line increase knot strength before, so I expected the doubled three tag knot to pull ahead. Instead the two came out almost even. That is the kind of result that only shows up when you actually test, and it is why I keep tying and pulling these knots. I talk through what I take from it in the audio, and I want your next suggestion.
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.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.