Back at the tying bench, I am pulling popular Instagram knot videos and putting them to the test, because the only way to really know if a knot is good is to tie it and break it on a machine. This one, from an account called underscore_ctr_fishing, has over 1.1 million plays and is essentially a Lefty Kreh non-slip mono loop, but with a double overhand to start instead of a single. I tied it on 15-pound Daiwa J fluoro, and it broke at just 74 percent, a big fail.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
No, it lost badly. This particular Instagram knot is essentially a Lefty Kreh non-slip mono loop with one change: a double overhand at the start instead of a single. I tied it on 15-pound Daiwa J fluoro, and it broke at 11.11 pounds, which is just 74 percent of the line's strength. The original non-slip mono loop is known to be a 95 to 100 percent knot, so the viral variation actually made it significantly weaker.
That was the whole surprise. You would think adding a turn makes a knot stronger, but in this case putting the extra wrap in the overhand is not giving the knot more strength, it is taking strength away. The non-slip mono loop is already dialed in at a single overhand, and the double overhand changed how the knot seats and loads, dropping it to 74 percent. More is not always better when it comes to knots.
The non-slip mono loop, often called the Lefty Kreh loop, is one of my favorite knots for bonefish flies and any light-leader loop connection. It leaves an open loop so the fly swings freely, and it is known to test at 95 to 100 percent of the line's strength. That combination of great action and near-full strength is exactly why I reach for it so often, and why I was skeptical that an Instagram twist could improve on it.
The only way to really know is to tie it and test it on a machine. The common thread with these viral knot videos is they show you how to tie the knot and then say something vague like it is a very strong knot or a better knot than this or that one, with nothing to back it up. I control the controllable by actually testing them. That is how you become a better angler instead of trusting a caption.
I tied and tested this knot on 15-pound Daiwa J fluorocarbon. Testing on consistent line is what lets me state the result as a clean percentage: at 11.11 pounds of break on 15-pound line, this knot came in at 74 percent. Using the same kind of line across my tests is what makes it fair to compare a knot like this against the original non-slip mono loop's known 95 to 100 percent range.
I keep all of my knot test results in a free knot guide you can download at tomrowlandpodcast.com. It lets you compare breaking strengths side by side so you can see which knots are worth tying and which viral versions to skip. Testing knots on camera is fun, but the guide is where you can actually put the numbers to work before your next trip.
These knot videos rack up millions of views, and almost none of them prove anything. They show you the tie and then drop a vague line about how strong it is, with no test behind it. I control the controllable by tying the knot myself and breaking it on the machine, because that is the only way to actually know. This one looked like a clever upgrade to a knot I love, so I had to see if it held up. I walk through it in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The instinct is that more wraps mean more strength, so a double overhand should beat a single, right? Not here. The non-slip mono loop is already a 95 to 100 percent knot, and the extra overhand actually pulled it down to 74 percent. The change altered how the knot seated and loaded under tension, and it cost strength instead of adding it. That is a great reminder to test before you trust. I break down exactly what I found in the episode, so press play in the player above and follow along.
Here are the steps I walk through in this How 2 Tuesday. I cover the details in the episode, so press play in the player above and follow along.
I unpack each of these in the episode. Press play in the player above.
This viral knot got over a million views, but the machine gave it a big F. At 74 percent it is meaningfully weaker than the original non-slip mono loop it is based on.
Stick with the proven Lefty Kreh non-slip mono loop, and remember that an extra turn does not automatically mean a stronger knot. Press play in the player above for the full test.
Instagram knots · non-slip mono loop · Lefty Kreh · _ctr_fishing · Daiwa J fluorocarbon · bonefish flies · knot strength testing · Danco · Tom Rowland Podcast · 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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