DoesItFloat
Life of the Party
Here is the blood knot toothpick trick.
Splicing line
- Thread starter CRequa
- Start date
Hey guess what. I tied a surgeons loop correctly 
@Pink Nighty
@Pink Nighty
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I thought you were making a joke until, yes, I googled surgeons loop knot. That's the knot I've been using to make a big loop in my backing so I can pass the reel through the loop (loop to loop) and then change it out without any cutting of backing. Now I know the knots name.Hey guess what. I tied a surgeons loop correctly
Thread drift: @Zak mentioned he's never perfected the perfection loop. I think that's what most commercial leaders come with for the leader loop (I think). Is there an advantage of using a perfection loop knot versus the surgeons loop knot for joining lines?
Not that I'm aware of.
Personally I've never totally trusted the perfection loop, particularly with heavier mono. It just doesn't cinch up as tight as I'd prefer and I've seen many times where the knot will start to working loose. Never had one fail, it just never sits right with me is all.
I too have used the double surgeons loop for the end of my backing for many years. Super simple and has never failed me, up to and including many many albacore. The last couple of years I started using the Bimini twist instead, but for no particular reason than it's kinda fun to tie and learn a new knot.
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G_Smolt
Legend
I've lost heads/lines to saltwater loops and surgeons loops in (mono) running lines and #20/#30 backing. 50# spectra and a Bimini twist for the last decade, haven't lost a line/head.
And don't get me started on the "perfection" loop. A fool's knot in anything less than #30 mono, and shitty at best above that.
The advantages of the perfection loop are that it is quick and easy to tie, and is a compact little knot with a loop that comes out completely in line with the standing line. It should be used with caution, because it is weak AF, but it has its place, like for the 30-50 lb butt section of a leader system that you want to loop to a factory fly line loop...as long as you’ll be fishing tippet of say 15 lb or less. That symmetry is just so nice.
G_Smolt
Legend
I wish there was a "shrug" icon.
I see where you're going with this, and it IS rational...but as a buddy of mine said to me recently (quoting his mentor) - What is it about excellence that you don't like?
G_Smolt
Legend
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DoesItFloat
Life of the Party
The surgeon's loop knot is a great one for making the stopper section of a no-spin knot. Great for keeping dry flies from twisting up your leader.
Excellence of what? Surgeons loop? Bimini?
I don’t want or need a Bimini on a trout leader, and the surgeons loop comes off the butt at a cock-eyed angle, which is not a feature I look for when casting small dries to little dinner plate pockets. Perfection loop is, well, pretty much perfect for those tapered leaders. They work excellently for me in that situation.
Surgeons loops and biminis are part of my repertoire, but horses and courses and all…
In my experience, on a straight chunk o’ whatever material for a leader, like a streamer or saltwater leader, the perfection loop is definitely not what you want to use, since it is a way weaker knot than any reasonable terminal leader-to-fly knot. I also learned this the hard way.
