The uni knot is a versatile, easy-to-tie fishing knot, and in this How 2 Tuesday I tie it snug to the hook with no loop. You pass the line through the hook, make a loop, wrap three to five times around the inside of that loop, then pull the tag and slide the knot down to the hook before tightening on the standing line. Three uni knots tied snug in 12 pound monofilament averaged 14.88 pounds, an impressive 124% breaking strength.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
You pass the line through the hook, make a loop, then wrap three to five times around the inside of that loop. Pull the tag end to start closing it, slide the knot down to the hook, then pull the tag and the standing line to tighten. In this test I tied it snug to the hook with no loop left.
In my test the uni knot averaged a very impressive 124% breaking strength. I tied and broke three identical knots snug to the hook in 12 pound monofilament. They failed at 13.7, 16.35, and 14.6 pounds, for an average of 14.88 pounds against a 12 pound rating.
It sounds impossible, but line is often stronger than its label, and a knot that distributes load well can let you reach that true strength before the line fails away from the knot. My uni knots averaged 14.88 pounds on 12 pound rated mono, which is 124%. The line broke at its real strength, not at the knot.
For this test I tied it snug to the hook with no loop, and it averaged 124%. The uni can also be tied as a loop knot for more lure action. Tying it snug is what produced these strength numbers, so know which version you want before you tie.
I wrap three to five times around the inside of the loop. That range gives you a reliable, strong knot. For this test I stayed in that window and the knots averaged 124% breaking strength in 12 pound mono.
I used 12 pound monofilament, the exact same spool I used across these other knot tests. Keeping the line identical is the only way to compare the uni fairly against the rest of the knots in the series.
The uni is one of the most useful knots I know because it works in so many different applications. For this test I tied it snug to the hook with no loop, and I wanted real numbers on a knot I reach for constantly. The result genuinely surprised me.
Here is the sequence I use to tie the uni knot snug to the hook.
I walk through every step on camera in the episode. Press play in the player above.
This is the result that stopped me. A 124% average means the knot let the line reach and exceed its labeled strength before failing. That tells you the uni is not introducing a weak point, it is letting the true strength of the line do the work. I explain how that is even possible in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The uni is famous for its versatility, and one choice is whether to leave a loop or cinch it snug to the hook. I tied it snug for this test, and that decision matters for the strength you get. I walk through when I choose snug versus a loop in the episode. Watch the tie, and press play in the player above.
A day after this test, the uni knot moved up my list. A 124% average on a knot this easy to tie is the kind of result that changes habits.
If you only know one or two knots, make the uni one of them. It is versatile, it is simple, and in this test it was incredibly strong. Press play in the player above.
Uni knot · 12 pound monofilament · Steve Huff · breaking strength testing · knot tester · How 2 Tuesday
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 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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