As part of my 'learning' for saltwater fly fishing I'm trying to perfect tying a bimini knot.
When I've been in the past I used 2 nail knots to secure the heavy (12wt) fly line to the backing but when the guides saw this they cut it off and tyed bimini knots and a loop in the fly line.
I've asked today about loops, which I'm just off to do!, but was wondering whether there was a particular technique anyone would recommend in tying bimini knots.
I twist the line 20 times, pull in tight then let the line spin around the knot. I then tye a few hitches to secure.
Also, should I use a knot cement, like loon, on the knot itself?

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Eagles may soar high....but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

If you get hold of a copy of the IGFA handbook you'll find detailed instructions for what they call the Bimini Twist. I'll try and find an old copy and post instructions later. I remember it as quite a hard knot to tie and I used one for many years for big game fishing but it's a long time since I tied one.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

This any good for you?

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thats brilliant, thanks, have added it to my favorites!
Like the cup!

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Eagles may soar high....but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

Unfortunately, the fun (!) doesn't end with the Bimini Twist: There's still the Hufnagle Knot to attend to. The very best way to learn to perform these knots is to get someone to show you in person. I was fortunate to get my tuition at one of Jack Simpson's seminars at Angling Direct (Waltham Cross). A fly on the wall would have fallen off in hysterics at the sight of about eight grown men fighting with a couple of dozen yards of 60lb nylon (it might have been fluorocarbon - it doesn;'t matter). A good laugh, with success at the end of it!

Is that knot also used for joining backing to fly line?

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Eagles may soar high....but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

Hello Elucius

Bimini is good.Use your bent knee to maintain tension on the loop as the angle makes it easier to complete the knot.There are numerous ways to lock off a bimini and the one in the video is as good as any.Another cracking way to form a double is the Australian Plait.You will find an excellent SBS on Peter Pakula website.Here you will also find the slim beauty knot which reputedly came from the Florida Tarpon guides.I can only tell you it is very useful with all types of line and bulletproof.It is not unlike the shock leader connection used by British beach casters.
If you are not too concerned about line class records etc you can simplify the leader building process considerably in various ways depending on the quarry.If you can tell me which missile with fins you are after I can maybe point you in the right direction.

Best JP

cubera

Glad you enjoyed the seminars, we are going to do quite a few more so what this space. We will also be doinf some open days on trips for 2012

Regards Peter

JCP
Many thanks for your reply...I'm going to use 12 weight lines for GTs and Tarpon..not at the same time though!

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Eagles may soar high....but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines!

JCP is spot on, unless you are chasing the moronic IFGA world class records, you don't need most of these fancy knots, particularly the bimini...I have fished for both your intended quarry.....Better not say what leaders we used for GT's lest you think that the IGFA are not the only load of morons connected with SWFF.....But to give you a clue, it consisted of just one piece of mono, or fluro carbon, and the bs on the spool was only just about keeping within 2 numbers

I regularly spend two weeks every year in the middle of May chasing the big migratory Tarpon that move through the Florida Keys, and as I have no interest in anything IGFA (As you can probably tell) my leaders range from 10 -15ft and are usually constructed of a butt of 60lb, a mid section of 50lb a tippet of 40lb and a short length of either 60 or 80lb as a bite tippet.

Knots are pretty simple as well....I put a Perfection Loop in the butt, which enables a loop to loop connection with the fly line via the loop I posted up in the other thread, and the two knots connecting the 60 and 40lb sections, are simply good old fashioned blood knots.

The only knot I use which might cause a problem, but is really pretty simple, is a Huffnagle, which is a knot designed for joining two lines of seriously differing diameters, and this I use to connect my 60 or 80lb bite tippet to the 40lb section of main leader.

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Brian G