Finnish Loop Knot

[Wildfisher]

Anyone tried this?  Oliver Edwards recommends this very  simple knot for attaching streamers. Apparently it does not restrict the action of the lure when tied to a heavy tippet. I think the trolling guys sometimes use a loop called the Rapala knot  to improve the action of their lures.

It could (k)not be easier.   :roll:  

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Make an overhand knot in the tippet, pass it through the hook eye and make another overhand knot on the tag end.

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Pull the knot on the tag tight then pass it through the first knot. You can at this stage roll the first knot up and down the tippet  to alter the size of the final loop. The knot on the tag end must be through the first (open) knot as it will act as a stop when it's all pulled tight.

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Pull it up tight and trim as required. It's very obvious what is required when you see it.

Simple, strong and minimum restriction of movement.

[scotty9]

Never tried it but if you use a perfection loop knot instead you don't need to tie two knots :lol:  As always, it's what you find easiest and have most confidence in.

[Teither]

Anyone tried this?  Oliver Edwards recommends this very  simple knot for attaching streamers. Apparently it does not restrict the action of the lure when tied to a heavy tippet. I think the trolling guys sometimes use a loop called the Rapala knot  to improve the action of their lures.

[

Yes. I quite often use the Finnish, or more frequently the Rapala, knot for any kind of biggish salmon fly and for streamers. I can't say whether they are more effective, in a fishing sense, than other knots but they are very secure.
Re the Perfection Loop, Scott, I've enough trouble tying that knot small enough without a hook on, never mind with a bloody great fly or whatever ! 

T

[Wildfisher]

I've enough trouble tying that knot small enough without a hook on, never mind with a bloody great fly or whatever

Me too, it's not a knot if including a hook I'd want to tie with cold hands either.

I don't think this Finnish knot would be much good for thin nylon though.  I'd be using at least 10 to 15lb. Any thinner you might as well use a standard knot as movement restriction would not be much of an issue or any kind of loop required.

[scotty9]

Am I missing something about the perfection loop? It's so easy, make the loops any size you want and there is no problem tying it. You could tie a very small loop with a very big fly. Do you guys mean getting the actual size of the knot to bed down small? Simple... pop the hook around your forceps and pull the tippet, it'll bed down tight and small. If you want to try it, tie a perfection loop in the typical way the only difference being you pop the hook on the tag end of the loop you make in front of the first standing loop. Then carry on tying the knot as your would normally.

Fred - would you ever need to generate more movement in a fly using a loop if you were fishing thin tippet?!   Thick tippet is a given for these situations!

Horses for courses as I said though.

Edit: added a wee bit to tying instruction

[Wildfisher]

I just did a knot comparison test using 6lb nylon. One end Finnish knot with  hook, took 30 seconds to tie, other end perfection loop with hook, took ¾  of an hour and a lot of cursing.

But as Hendrix said  in the song 51st Anniversary "that was the good side baby, here comes the bad"

I did it twice and the Finnish knot broke both times.   I'd try it again with stronger nylon, but I  think I'm probably too old now to have enough time complete  another  2 Perfection Loops that include hooks.

I'll try The Rapala knot later to see if it's any better – my advice based on the above would be to forget  about the Finnish Knot no matter what that old bloke from Yorkshire says.  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

Here's the Rapala knot which is similar to the Finnish knot in the way the loop is formed, but looks more secure and is still easy to tie.

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[Wildfisher]

I just tried tying a 3" streamer into a perfection loop. I can't do it without the final loop being 3" or greater, nor can I imagine doing this at the waterside on a cold day, so obviously I don't have the technique.

Scott, any chance of a step  by step similar to the above to show how it's done please?   It would be really useful to members to be able to tie this quickly because it is a very strong knot.

[River Chatter]

I sometimes use a knot similar to the Rapala knot when tying on bonefish flies, which are usually tied on quite large hooks.  The guides often use this knot too so it's either fashion or a good knot.  My other knot for bigger hooks is the uni knot.  I'm not really convinced that the loop make any real difference, but it seems pretty strong. 

[Wildfisher]

I'm not really convinced that the loop make any real difference

Neither am I John and that's  the point of this thread.    I like  to get opinions and ideas, but being an engineer I require them to be  useful and above all practical. That's what attracted me to this Finnish knot, you can learn it  in 2 seconds and tie it wearing a blindfold. It's just a shame it appears to be crap.  :lol: