Walter & Group............
-----Original Message-----
From: David [mailto:dlambert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 1:17 PM
To: Gordon Hill
Subject: new bimini tie?
Gordy:
You mentioned awhile back that you'd come up with a new way to tie a
bimini so that it maintains its integrity after a fight. Care to share
that bit of info?
David
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David...
You bet. (I thought I'd sent out this info a while back but perhaps some of the Group didn't receive it.)
The weak spot after a long battle is the stress riser produced by the tightness of the turns where the single strand class tippet enters the knot. It usually fails right at that spot upon testing the leader assembly after a long battle (say over an hour on a big tarpon or billfish). When leaders are tested right after tying, it doesn't usually break there. In fact, when well tied and immediately tested, the class tippet breaks elsewhere.
The trick which solved the problem was simply to make the first set of turns as we usually do but with 23 turns rather than the customary 20. Upon winding back over that, I, now, make the first 3 or 4 turns with little tension. As I complete the windings I make them progressively tighter until the tightest turn is the last one. Then I make my usual half hitch around each arm of the double line loop, one more half hitch around both, then a 4X finish knot.
By tying it that way, the knot is sort of, "spring loaded" and the stress riser minimized.
I don't use the Bimini Twist on leaders for salt water fly fishing except for big game....not for bonefish, permit, small tarpon, stripers or little tunny, etc.
Gordy