The Best Knot Tyer I've Ever Seen OR Used

TIE-FAST KNOT TYER

I think that it's safe to say that we all know at least one, two or three knots that we use on a consistent basis for tying lures to our line.  Most likely they'll be one of the following: cinch, improved cinch, uni, or uni-to-uni for attaching braid to fluorocarbon line, and the easy to tie Palomar knot. On top of that, sometimes we can tie a cinch or an improved cinch knot onto a plug, crankbait or spinner and cast any of these and watch as the knot gives and our bait goes flying, splashing into the lake, never to be seen again. Or just maybe, we hook onto a really nice fish and we get him right up to the boat or shoreline and he takes one last thrash and the line appears to break or the knot loosens and our fish gets off to fight another day with our lure or bait in it's mouth. Yep, been there..... done that, and I know that you have too.  The other thing that's tough for all of us as we get older is our eyesight isn't what it used to be. Threading that 4lb or 6lb fluorocarbon line gets really hard to see if it went through the eye of the hook or missed it by "That Much", as the TV comedy character Maxwell Smart used to say on that old television comedy "Get Smart".

The other thing that gets to all of us is once summer has left us and were into the chilly mornings of fall and our hands are cold.  Yeah, tell me about how hard it is to tie that lure onto your line when your fingers and joints are numb. It can be torture and that's for sure.  Next, you're always wondering if you tied that improved cinch knot correctly and did you remember before you cinched it down to wet it with saliva real good? Did that knot weaken because you cinched it down to quickly and weakened the line?  Maybe you'll never know for sure, but if you're like me, it's probably in the back of your mind.

When you're joining braid to fluorocarbon and you tie two uni-knots together and spool that fluorocarbon onto your spinning reel and go to make that first cast, have you ever had the uni-knots catch the fluorocarbon right where it joins the braid and stop your cast?  Yeah, me too; or if that didn't happen your knot clips the eyelet on the way out at the tip of your rod and screws up your cast.  Is thats what's troubling you bunkie?  Well, hang on to your rod and reels, cause I think I've finally found the answer and a solution to your prayers......"The Tie-Fast Knot Tyer" from Sierra Stream & Mountain in Chico, California.  You can find them online, Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas or Fly-Fishing stores.  They sell for $7.99 most places and it's the bomb, I'm telling you.  This tool makes nail knots a piece of cake and you can tie them with cold hands and almost with your eyes closed.  You can join braid to mono or fluorocarbon and the resulting knots are better and easier than tying double uni-knots.  They are also much smaller too, so they won't catch on your eyelets when you're casting.  This nail knot tool is basically all I ever use, except for the Palomar knot when I'm tying a drop shot rig on.  The amazing thing about these knots are....I've never had one come loose, because the more you tighten it, the tighter it becomes, so a fish will never break this knot.  The line will break before the knot will.

I found this tool in the Fly-Fishing section of Bass Pro Shops.  Just watch the video above and ignore the fact that he's talking about fly lines in this video.  Substitute braid and mono or floro for the flyline stuff as you're watching the video.  This tool is cool and you'll use it to make nail knots to replace the uni, double- uni, cinch, improved cinch or San Diego Jam knot.  Try it Mikey, you'll like it.

Tight Lines.

Dave Roberts