All About the Trilene Knot

Hi all, Warren here from Toit Fishing. Today, we’re diving into the Trilene Knot. Let’s start with an interesting story about my friend Howard. He once tried to secure a heavy load on his milk crate with a flimsy strap. Naturally, the strap snapped, spilling everything onto the ground. Much like Howard’s underestimation of the strap’s strength, this knot too will fall short if used in the wrong situations.

The Trilene Knot was developed by professional anglers Jimmy Houston and Ricky Green in the late 1970s, a time when disco was at its peak. This knot emerged from their experimentation during promotional events for Trilene, a brand of fishing line developed by Berkley. Although both men initially wanted to name the knot after themselves, Trilene ended up stamping its own brand on it.

Origins and Evolution

The Trilene Knot is another example of a knot that has been firmly established in the fishing world for some time. It’s a derivative of the Clinch Knot and, like the Clinch Knot, it was designed before the big braid push in the early 90s. This knot aimed to solve the problem of the tag end either slipping, being rattled apart, or being contained within any part of the knot.

The Good and the Bad

Let’s first appreciate the good aspects of the Trilene Knot. Basing a knot on the Clinch Knot is always a solid move. Any experienced fisherman can tie some form of a Clinch Knot, so if you want to make a knot with your company brand in it, you’re halfway there. The main benefit, particularly for freshwater bass or fly fishermen, is the direction of the tag exit point, which should eliminate a lot of weed issues.

Expert Recommendations and Knots’ Limitations

According to the Berkley website and their YouTube video, this knot is recommended for monofilament and fluorocarbon lines, with a standard recommendation of 4 to 5 turns. Fishing legends Lefty Kreh and Mark Sosin, authors of ‘Practical Fishing Knots,’ recommend the knot for lines up to 12lb. Therefore, my first point is to follow these experts’ advice; they know the knot inside out.

The Principle of Twisting

Now, let’s talk about a major knot principle that hasn’t been addressed yet: twisting. When you twist something, it naturally wants to untwist back to being straight. This principle matters a lot in the context of knot tying.

Unlike the Toit Knot, Clinch Knot, and Improved Clinch Knot, which allow the knot to freely untwist and cinch down, the Trilene Knot and one variant of the Improved Clinch Knot with an anti-clockwise tuck do not allow free unwinding. This design flaw results in the wraps nearer the standing end doing all the work. By putting the tag under the wrap on the hook eye or swivel, it prevents the knot from seating correctly and can fail on thicker lines.

Practical Tips and Observations

When tightening the Trilene Knot, it’s easy for the tag to slip around the back of the hook eye and wedge itself under the wrap. Always check that the tag end exits correctly. Additionally, if you use this knot on braid, it will likely fail, pulling itself apart. Therefore, it’s crucial to use it for monofilament or fluorocarbon lines only.

The tag end length is essential for this knot. If the tag end is too short, excessive pulling by the fish or the monofilament stretching can lead to the knot failing. The most significant drawback is that when you start tightening this knot, the tag end stops moving first because the pressure is exerted on the double wrap around the hook eye. This anomaly makes it hard to properly tighten the knot, especially with thicker lines.

Again, always lubricate your knot well to allow it to slide and tighten correctly.

Conclusion

Just like Howard underestimating the strap strength and it snapping, the Trilene Knot will fall short if you use it in the wrong situations. While the Trilene Knot has its benefits, particularly for light monofilament and fluorocarbon lines, it’s not foolproof. I’d rate it an 8.5 out of 10. Keep your teabags stocked and the kettle ready because there’s more fishing wisdom to come.

Thanks for reading, and I’d love to hear your stories about the Trilene Knot. Take care! – Wozza

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