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Is this knot good or better?
#1
I like to use the improved Clinch knot to tie on my flies. However, some are claimimg that the Davy knot is not only as good but much quicker to tie. I will give you the latter point but am not quite sure if it is better. What if any has been your experience? 
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#2
The Davy Knot I learned has one more twist, to finish the knot, through the loop at the hook end.

When using 6x limp tippet I find the Davey knot to be a smidgen harder to tie than the clinch knot. But the Davey Knot makes a smaller knot at the eye which may or may not be significant when using a size 22 - 26 midge. I have no way of establishing whether it matters or not .... other than my opinion. My opinion and a buck and a half may get you a cup of coffee.

In thicker tippets and/or stiffer tippet, I find the Davey Knot is a little easier to tie than the Clinch knot. Part of the reason for that is that I use the Orvis Knot a lot now a days which takes several of the hand movements one uses in forming the Davey Knot.
[url "http://www.orvis.com/orvis_assets/files/index.html"]http://www.orvis.com/orvis_assets/files/index.html[/url]

I have tested the orvis knot to be stronger than either knot and still be a small knot when formed.

Lefty Kreh and Art Scheck say that the Clinch knot is one of the weakest knots one can tie. Even though I have not tested a lot of other knots from my personal testing I can believe they are correct. Having said that though. I do use either the the clinch knot a lot without problems in the mountain stream fishing I do. Especially on cold or windy days when fine tippets blow around and my hands are cold.

My testing of the Davey Knot vs the Clinch Knot indicates that it is about 6 of one half a dozen of the other for which one survives the test.

Here is the test I do (which you can do yourself) with some of my test results.

[url "http://www.westdenvertu.org/Documents/knottest.htm"]http://www.westdenvertu.org/Documents/knottest.htm[/url]
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#3
I prefer the double improved clinch knot. This is my own version unless someone else lays claim to it. Pictured is the improve clinch. For the double pass the line through eye twice then complete the knot. I have yet to have one break apart. I pre test all of the knots that I like to use in the field. 
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#4
I prefer the double improved clinch knot. This is my own version unless someone else lays claim to it. Pictured is the improve clinch. For the double pass the line through eye twice then complete the knot. I have yet to have one break apart. I pre test all of the knots that I like to use in the field. 

Sounds like the "improved double loop clinch knot" on page 16 of Harry Nilsson's book " The Little Red Fishing Knot Book.", 1997, Hazeldine Press. - Have no idea where he got it from. [crazy]

Tried that a few times on those little size 20 and smaller hooks and gave up on it. I tried it on size 12 and 14 hooks and had it slip apart a lot. But at that time it was my first year of fishing and I had serious problems with the clinch knot doing the same thing. ... Now that I don't have problems with the clinch knot maybe I need to try the improved double clinch knot again.
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#5
Well actually his double improved clinch calls for the doubling of the line when tying the knot. His double loop clinch doesn't bring the tab end back through the big loop. However, I guess that I can't take credit for what I called the double improved clinch for he calls it the improved double loop clinch. Oh well at least we got some knots on the table. As Shakespear said to be or KNOT to be or whatever.
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#6
oooppps, I mis quoted the name out of the book. I see you have the same book.
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#7
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I use a Surgeon's Loop to attach flies. A very small loop allowes the fly a little more movement. It works great when I use 6X on a 32 flie.[/size][/black][/font]
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#8
Hey there Scuffy_Fly, no I don't have that book. Found it on line and went to the page that you mentioned.
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#9
I use a Surgeon's Loop to attach flies. A very small loop allowes the fly a little more movement. It works great when I use 6X on a 32 flie.

I tried the Surgeon's loop before but it wasted a lot of tag end material. For some reason I have a hard time wasting tippet material that way. You would think it cost an arm and a leg the way I try to conserve it.

I use the nonslip mono loop knot ( Rapala Knot in the book listed aboved) It left less tag end but at first it was hard to control the loop size. I have recently learned the technique of keep the loop pretty small by pulling on different parts of the knot. Plus pulling the loop and fly up against the overhand loop before tightening. But my control is still not as precise as the anal rententive part of my brain wants.

Maybe now I need to try the surgeons loop again since I understand a little more of how to massage a knot to control its size a little.

DryRod wrote:
Hey there Scuffy_Fly, no I don't have that book. Found it on line and went to the page that you mentioned.Interesting - It is amazing the wealth of information that is on the internet. I just love it. I have learned a lot about fly fishing from combinining guided trips, internet forums, and posted information on the net.
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#10
I've never really liked the Davy Knot in mono. I'm sure it tests OK, but I don't have faith in it, and without faith ...

Sometimes I use the good old Improved Clinch Knot for tippet to fly, despite the much publicised test results. It's just so easy to tie. And I don't really care if it tests badly. (Heretic!) I always make the assumption that the effective strength of my tippet is only 50% or what the manufacturer claims, in any case, and play the fish with that in mind.

Lately, I've been using the [url "http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/guides/cg2003Sp_Uniknot/"]Uni-Knot[/url] and find it really works nicely. With a little bit of practice it is at least as easy to tie as the Improved Clinch, and seems to be at least as reliable.


For streamers, I like the [url "http://flyfisherman.com/skills/jb4knots/"]Non-Slip Loop Knot[/url] that I picked up from Dave Whitlock.
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#11
I may be misunderstanding here.. but seems to me it would be a lot easier to bring the tag end thru the big loop a second time rather then the eye of the hook a second time (hopefully Im not reading the diagrams wrong.. lol)...

MacFly
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