# uni to uni for leaders



## LowTideFly (Apr 8, 2016)

I use them just bc they’re quicker


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Any small, strong connection will work for leader making. I'd say use what ever works for you... In my case it's the Slim Beauty for mono to mono (0r fluoro) connections. For braid to mono it's a uni to uni (but with nine turns of the braid - after it's been doubled...) and only six or seven for the mono...


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)




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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

crboggs said:


>


I dont get it, nail to nail?


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

The tie fast tool is pretty versatile. Very handy on the water IMHO.


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## Floridaho (Mar 7, 2018)

MSG said:


> I was wondering why no one uses the uni to uni for leaders - I find it a lot easier to tie than blood knots and not much bigger- is there a reason not to use them? Thanks


I have used a Uni-to-Uni knot successfully for 35 years. I find it to be quicker and easier to tie than a Blood knot, especially when my hands and fingers are cold. No special tools required, I can successfully join two tippet sizes that are dissimilar in size, and it seems to hold just fine. Friends of mine were taught this knot by Charlie Brooks in the West Yellowstone area in the early 80's. He told them he used it for tying on flies, joining sections of leader, connecting the leader butt to the fly line (instead of a nail knot), connecting backing to fly line, and backing to spool. He said it was the only knot he used. Its not the only knot that I use but it is my go-to knot for leaders and tippet sections.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I only use an improved blood knot anymore for small trout stuff back out west. Down here I have been using uni to uni for a long time.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

I am a fan of the Albright knot for tapered leader connections. Also a decent bit quicker to tie than a Blood knot. Anything over 40lb and I usually use the Blood knot.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

I've been tying blood knots, but not for any particular reason. I imagine uni to uni might be stronger than a blood, and better with different diameter line, but maybe a slightly bulkier knot overall? It's actually been quite a while since I've tied one, but I used to use them all the time.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Floridaho said:


> No special tools required


Sure. But some of us wear progressive lenses when we're sitting comfortably at the tying table and then put on single vision shades as soon as we step on the deck of a skiff or put on waders. Throw in a little wind, boat movement, and a sense of urgency to be ready and the tool can be a good thing on a boat.


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## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

Either works for most scenarios. I learned the uni-uni before I learned the blood knot and I used to prefer it until I got better at tying blood knots and saw that I like the shape and size of them better than the uni. They're (bloods) now easier for me to tie as well being that I've used them more. Knot wars ran them against each other and they tied in breaking strength so there's that...


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## MSG (Jan 11, 2010)

I've been mostly tying blood knots, but the uni to uni is much easier and more reliable for me. I don't find the size difference to be a killer - so I think I'll start using the uni to uni, rather than struggling with the blood knot. Thanks guys.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

I do uni-to-uni a lot. I find it easier to tie and stronger than the blood knot. The size difference is not significant enough to be an issue.

In fact, because I'm not very good at tying a consistent Bimini, Huffnagle, or Slim Beaty I use a uni-knot in tarpon leaders.

On my 12wt I have a 60# butt section where I tie a double overhand knot and cinch it down like the beginning of a Slim Beauty. But then, I thread the class tippet through the "bowl" of the double overhand and tie the uni knot around the butt section. Then I fully cinch down the double overhand and finally I cinch down the uni knot in my class tippet. I do the same going from class to bite tippet too.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> I do uni-to-uni a lot. I find it easier to tie and stronger than the blood knot. The size difference is not significant enough to be an issue.
> 
> In fact, because I'm not very good at tying a consistent Bimini, Huffnagle, or Slim Beaty I use a uni-knot in tarpon leaders.
> 
> On my 12wt I have a 60# butt section where I tie a double overhand knot and cinch it down like the beginning of a Slim Beauty. But then, I thread the class tippet through the "bowl" of the double overhand and tie the uni knot around the butt section. Then I fully cinch down the double overhand and finally I cinch down the uni knot in my class tippet. I do the same going from class to bite tippet too.


This is an interesting method -- I might give it a shot for my tarpon bite tippet. Does it stay fairly straight after tying?


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

To me the biggest advantage of a uni to uni over an improved blood knot is that uni to uni is still a very good knot when the two lines are quite a bit different in diameter. The blood not so much.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

bryson said:


> This is an interesting method -- I might give it a shot for my tarpon bite tippet. Does it stay fairly straight after tying?


Yes it does.

The reason is that you're basically using the double-overhand as a stopper-knot for your uni and the uni is tied around the heavier weight butt & bite sections. There's not really a spot for the uni to get kinked and get out of line.

That being said, I use Hard Mason or Rio Hard in 20# for the class tippet. If you pull hard on it you can straighten out any kinks pretty easily.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Uni- uni is good for braid to mono but the blood knot is stronger with mono - mono


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## O’io (Mar 13, 2018)

I have never lost a fish with a uni to uni because the knot failed when tied correctly. Braid to fluro, braid to mono, mono to mono, month to fluro, etc. you just have to tie the right amount of passes on each side, and that depends on he diameter of the line.


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## Flats Broke (Feb 7, 2017)

permitchaser said:


> Uni- uni is good for braid to mono but the blood knot is stronger with mono - mono


I beg to differ as does every knot strength test I've ever seen in fishing magazine articles. Uni to uni is stronger than a blood knot in making mono to mono connections, provided you do six loops on each side of the unis. If you doubt this, take two pieces of mono, thread one piece through a smooth stainless ring and do the same with the other. Now tie two ends together using the uni to uni method and tie the other two ends together using a blood knot. You have now created a closed loop. Next place the rings equidistant from the connections on the loop, grab the two rings with pliers and pull them apart. The blood knot will break before the unis every time. I've seen this test done many times and have yet to see the uni to uni connection fail before the blood knot.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I use nail to nail at home. I use a blood knot on the water. uni to uni is bigger. Blood wont slip on tarpon.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

Over the years, I have switched back and forth between the blood and uni-uni knot. I am currently using the uni-uni knot but never have had a problem with either. I will more likely have a problem at the tippet end where the mono gets roughed up from teeth, gill plates and oysters.


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