Two years ago, when I first started tying in flies, I was introduced to the clinch knot by my father. It took me a while to really get the hang of it, but once I did, it was pretty much my go-to strong connection knot. The fly that helped solidify this for me was the Brassie Nymph . The first time I used it on the swing, I learned to use a stronger connection than the clinch, so that the fly wouldn't come off. Nowadays, you can hardly catch me without at least three or four brassies on my tippet, and this has lead me to be able to tie on flies flawlessly in any situation where there is not an opportunity to rotate the vise (e.g. when I'm fishing). My favorite connection knot for weighted flies is the clinch, but only because it's what I've always used--Andy Powers loves to use a loop connection, and I can't say that this method hasn't found its way into my flybox either; however, I've only used it on the dropper fly of two-fly rigs because, in my experience, it doesn't work that well with split shot.
I was introduced to the Slim Beauty knot by Ian Englert (he's awesome; you should check out his blog!), who has recently taught me a lot about how to fish a two-fly rig. The beauty of this knot is that it is incredibly strong, and I have yet to have a fly come off with one tied into my tippet. In fact, the only time I've ever had a fly come off on me was when I misremembered Englert's advice about how to adjust the length of your tippet--he mentioned that you may need to adjust it upward or downward depending on whether you are fishing a weighted or unweighted rig, respectively. Since I hadn't caught anything that day yet, I had my tippet at an appropriate length for an unweighted connection, but when I switched over to a weighted fly, I hadn't moved my tippet length. The best part is that the SB knot takes up less space in the fly box than the clinch! My favorite way to fish this knot is with a single dry or dropper on top, and for two-fly rigs, you can use it in conjunction with either of these knots for extra security.
A Slim Beauty Knot Side-by-Side with a Clinch Knot
To tie an SB knot, follow these steps:
1. Make a loop in the end of your tippet that passes all the way through the eye of your fly (see picture).
2. Pass the tag end through the loop between the eye and the tippet, then pull tight with even tension on both sides.
3. Now run the tag end through the loop one more time, but don't pull it all the way tight yet!
4. Slide your fly up so that it's just above your tippet connection (or nymph if you're fishing a two-fly rig).
5. Take the tag end (which is now on top of your fly) and pass it through the loop that you didn't pull fully closed in step 3. This should tighten up any slack you have left in the connection.
6. Pull on both sides until it feels even, then snip off the tag end (don't forget to retie after every trip!).
If you're fishing a two-fly rig, the rest of the process is identical to a clinch knot. If not, just put a bobber stop on your leader and hook your fly onto it with either a loop connection or a clinch knot. Either way will work fine--just make sure to retie after every trip!
I know this may not be new news to the veteran angler, but it's worth a try for any beginner or anyone who wants a backup knot. I just find it really interesting that such a strong connection can take up less space in my fly box than the clinch--bonus points if it doesn't slip!
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