How to tie the 16-20 knot (Pitzen). The easiest and fastest way. 

Awesome Walter! Appreciate you watching!

The Pitzen never fails me, John. I gave up the clinch long ago, as well. Glad the video helped! Tight lines!

Very informative on the pitzen knot thank you!

Glad it helps, David!

I’ve always used the trilene knot to tie hooks, flies, lures, etc. Even with fluorocarbon I’ve never had failure at the knot. I will say I do not trust the clinch nor the triple surgeons knot. I’ll definitely give this knot a try.

I have been tying the clinch knot for 55 years and just came across this 16/20 (Pitzen) knot and tested at my desk here with 4 lb mono and WOW WOW WOW! What a difference in strength! So my question is... Will this knot tied this way also excel with a 100% fluorocarbon tippet from 4x - 6x? I have been using RIO Powerflex Plus and want to use fluorocarbon with a knot I can trust. I hear that fluorocarbon is tricky for some knots. Thanks in advance!!

Glad it helped Mike. Appreciate you watching and commenting!

Appreciate it, Mr BlueSky! And yes on the Davy!

Glad you like it, Ronald. Good luck out there!

It’s a great knot Pat….Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

Glad the video helped, Bill!

Munch appreciated John! Cheers!

Glad it was helpful, Robin. Thanks so much. Appreciate you watching.

Thanks so much, Layton. Appreciate you watching and tight lines to you.

Wow-what a summer! Glad the knot worked for you. Appreciate you watching and continued success to you.

Give it a shot, Jerome. The Pitzen is a stronger knot, especially on lighter tippet and mono.

Glad it helped, Bobby. Appreciate you watching. Tight lines!

Appreciate it, Ted. That’s a great tip to know. Tight lines and thanks for watching.

Glad I could help, Jimmy!

Right on, Jon. The Davy is a good one and I use it. Practice makes perfect!

Glad it helped, Brian. It’s an awesome knot to have in your tool bag. Tight lines and thanks for watching!

Glad it’s helpful, Bob. Appreciate you watching!

Glad it helps, George. Tight lines to you.

Thank you, Nick!

It is a good one for sure, Pete. Thanks for watching and tight lines!

Appreciate it Brian! You can use 3 or 4 twists. It works on all diameters. There really isn’t any need to put more than 4.

Thanks T K! Good luck with it, mate! It's a great knot. Cheers.

Been using this knot for a year now Cory...very reliable...no more clinch knots on thin tippets for me...thanks for your advice a while back

@Tjk186 glad it’s been working for you, TK. Hope the season has been good to you. Cheers!

Glad it was helpful, CJ. Thanks so much for watching and tight lines to you!

Everyone carries forceps to get the hook out.

Appreciate it, Tom. I think you are going to like this knot. It's a good one. Tight lines.

Glad it helps, Gavin. I’m not a big fan of the clinch, especially when using thin tippet. Thanks so much for watching!

@@OldDominionTroutBum It has definitely helped A LOT. I actually found your video by searching “easiest way to tie 16/20 knot” (after first discovering the 16/20 knot via youtube after a disastrous day of failed clinch knots and lost fish here in NZ fishing on the Tongiriro river for fish typically quite a bit larger than I normally catch). But just as you have said it just seemed too fiddly to tie in most videos, let alone trying to do it standing in the wind with cold wet hands. It is definitely super easy and quick once you use your method and have done it a few times. I have been back to the same fishery twice since and have been amazed at how much more pressure I can now put on fish (and how few of them now get away!) using the very same tippet material . I’m almost annoyed with myself for not getting onto this sooner, as it is now way quicker and less fiddly for me to tie than any clinch knot, and way stronger. So again, I really appreciate you taking the time to put this up!

Glad this is helpful and glad you are back from your hiatus, Jason! That’s a great question…. I love the Davy for it’s simplicity and quickness. Also, when used with smaller size bugs, the knot is very small. And the big one is that you use less tippet when tying one. When you learn to tie it correctly, you can control the tag end to where you barely have to clip any excess off after you tie it. Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

Great for anytime, Jon!

@@OldDominionTroutBum yeah man ty Cory

Glad it’s helpful. Tight lines to you.

Thanks Mike!

Glad it helped, Bill. You are correct about the placement of the main line. Whatever is the easiest way for you works best. Tight lines!

Amazon has hackle pliers with a loop through the base you can add that to your zinger on your fly vest.

Thanks so much! Glad it is helpful. I don’t have a video on the micro loop but Devin Olsen has one. Check out his way-it’s super easy. Happy Easter to you as well!

Glad it's a game changer, Mark! Good luck to you and tight lines!

Thanks Scott. Appreciate you watching!

Appreciate it, Matt!

Glad you found it, SJ! I don’t have a video on the double surgeon’s, but there are a ton out there. I use a triple surgeon’s to make a dropper loop and for adding tippet. I also like using a blood for making leaders. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.

Thanks James. Really appreciate it. I don’t have those videos but will in the near future. In the meantime I use a Cortland .22mm level braid euro nymphing line. From there approx 18ft of 18mm (4x) Pezon & Michel mono (or Sempe) to 4ft of 5x Hanak bi-color sighter to a tippet ring. You can also go straight 22ft of 18mm bi-color to a tippet ring. (I also do that sometimes) After the tippet ring, I’ll run 3-5 feet of 6x-7x. Hope this helps.

@@OldDominionTroutBum Do you use this same rig to throw dries?

@@OldDominionTroutBum What kind of rod/reel are you using?

@@smoothlarryhughes I carry an extra spool with a WF 2wt line. I’ll switch spools to throw dries if I’m just carrying my nymphing rod (it casts great). I use a T&T Contact ll 10ft 2wt and a 10ft 9in 3wt. My reel is a Ross Evolution LTX 4/5.

The Davy is a great one as well. I use that for tippet to flies.

Glad you liked it Doctor. Appreciate you watching and commenting. Tight lines to you!

Dan....makes sense and great question. Make sure the tag goes in front and the main line behind the loop. Good luck with it and thanks for watching.

@@OldDominionTroutBum Great Cory thanks for responding to your old posts! Appreciate it.

Glad you found me, Callum. Take a look at this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_LsHADwel28.html I talk about it in the video and it's also in the description. Appreciate you watching!

I appreciate you watching, Al. I am not a fan of the Orvis Knot. I just don’t think it is as strong as a triple surgeons. I’ve done a video on how I do the triple surgeons. It’s a super easy way. Also, I prefer the Davy when tying my tippet to fly. Hope this helps.

Thanks Cory on your input of the Orvis Tippet knot. I thought it was me but it just seemed to break easier than the triple surgeons knot and I guess you feel the same. I just seen videos and writings even Troutbitten loved it but not for me I guess. I will check out your version of tying the triple surgeons knot. Thanks for getting back.

Thanks for the sub and kind words! I use this for my leader/sighter connections to the tippet ring and sometimes for my bottom fly. The 16-20 is tougher on shorter lines to work with, like the dropper. So with shorter lines, I use the Davy knot. I don’t use hemostats for the surgeon, just do it by hand.

Thanks very much for the quick response! I must be doing something wrong with my Davy knot because when I'm using 5-6x flouro, the knot really has a tendency to slip, the improved Davy seems to work fine but is harder to use with light tippet. I've actually had to go back to the clinch knot to out of frustration. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated ! Thanks again.

@rjf make sure that your Davy tag end sticks out at a 90 degree angle. That’s when you know it has been properly seated. Tighlinevideo does a great how to RU-vid video on it.

Sometimes I use it to tie on a streamer, but normally I use a Davy to tie to my fly. With practice you can get the tag shorter, but it is one of those knots that you need to use a little more line.

I haven't used it for that, Fred. But if you can make the knot on the hook-it should certainly work. Appreciate you watching.

Appreciate you watching. I use the Pitzen to attach my micro leader to my euro line. It is super strong, especially in smaller diameters (6x, 7x) I do use the Davy to tie my tippet to my fly. The Davy is a super easy, strong knot that you can tie lightening fast. I do believe it is as strong or stronger than the clinch. It uses very little tippet and has a really small profile. The reason I use the Pitzen up top and the Davy down below is if I am going to have a break at the knot I want it to be at the fly and not up at the attachment to the leader. Hope this helps.

@@OldDominionTroutBum Thanks. Very helpful.

​@@OldDominionTroutBum Cory, do you use the Davy knot when tying tippet to the tippet ring? Or the pitzen? Or does it really matter in your opinion? I use the pitzen for the sighter material to the tippet ring. Thank you and enjoy the week.

@@justaman3333 I like using the Pitzen for tying tippet to the ring. I use the Davy for tying my flies.

@@OldDominionTroutBum Thank you.

It’s a great knot, Berks. Let me know how it works for you. Good luck!

@@OldDominionTroutBum will do!, if it holds a big Tully rainbow I'm in!

Appreciate it. Thanks for watching!

Thank you Sung!

Dave, I love the single Davy knot. You can control the length of the tag easily and it is super strong and easy to tie. I use this to attach all my flies. Hope this helps.

@@OldDominionTroutBum It helps a TON and thank you. This is the second time in a week the single Davy has been suggested. If only one person suggested it, I'd be skeptical lol. I'm on it and thanks for all your awesome content and advice

@@decoydavesmith happy to help, Dave. Tight lines to you.

It's a great knot for flies, however, I use a davy knot. I really like it for the fly connection.

Shawn, you can control the tag end somewhat but not like a Davy. The Davy is my go to for tying tippet to fly when using a 2-fly rig because I can control the amount I use. I have never had it fail on me. I use the 16-20 to my tippet ring, euro line and for single flies.

Glad it helps, James.

Haha-you are right, Berks. Appreciate you watching!

Stephen, I would just suggest playing around with the lengths/loop sizes so you can make it smaller. You can definitely make the tag shorter.

George, if you add any weight anywhere other than the end of the tippet, it will create sag and actually hurt the drift. Your drift will actually start “pulling” back toward you. A good tuck and the weight of your bugs is all you need. Hope this helps.

@OldDominionTroutBum I think we may have a different understanding of leadersink, it is a fullers earth mix basically rubbing this on the line helps remove any grease from handling the line and helps sink the line faster 😉. I have not seen leadersink as a recommendation for cleaning euro nymphing traces but I am only a beginner.

@@georgebrocklehurst397 Ah-I got it George. I misunderstood you…There are weighted “leader sink” tips. I haven’t seen the need to put something like that on-Fluorocarbon sinks quick.

Most definitely, Freddy. It is stronger than both the clinch or the Davy. Appreciate you watching and tight lines.

This is perfect then I learned a new knot while looking for a knot that would be good with fluorocarbon tippet. Now, hopefully I'll put the two to good use tomorrow morning. Appreciate you and thanks for replying and your channel!

Thanks, Chris!

Jack, I like to use a loop to loop for backing to fly line. I make the loop in my backing large enough to slip my reel through. That way it is easy to switch out lines. You can use a simple double or triple surgeons loop in the backing.

Sometimes I'll use it when jigging streamers, but 99% of the time I use a Davy knot to my fly.

JP, not one hundred percent sure of your question. Do you mean how do I keep the point end the correct length?

@@OldDominionTroutBum No, I mean how do you minimize tippet waste? For example, you're changing flies on the stream, and you don't want to lose an inch or two of tippet with every fly change, or you won't change flies as often. It's one of my criteria for a good tippet-to-fly knot, I guess. I can minimize the waste by hand-tying the 16/20 with my fingers, but it can be very hard to tie in lighter tippet. A hemostat makes it easier, but it seems the trade-off is you end up losing a lot more tippet. That's why I ask.

Got it…I use a Davy knot to tie on my flies. You can easily control the amount used. With practice you can almost get it to where you barely have to clip any off after you finish the knot. Hope this helps.

Nolan, I’m not a big fan of the clinch knot when using light tippet. It just slips too much for me. I think you will like the 16-20. It’s super strong.

Maybe your tippet rings are poor quality and have sharp edges - I had this problem until I changed to Stroft or Varivas rings which are polished smooth.

A clinch knot is only rated at 65% of straight line strength ( Lefty Kreh / Mark Sosin Knot Book).

Thanks Jason. I don’t use the Orvis knot, but I believe both are very close in strength. I really think it comes down to what you are most efficient at and most comfortable with.

I'm a big fan of the Orvis knot

It's rated 95% of straight line strength. It can be pulled away from the hook eye to create a loop that slides tight when you hook up a fish.

You want it to sit behind the loop as you are looking at it. Hope this helps. Tight lines.

@@OldDominionTroutBum cheers. This knot is a game changer. I have been practicing it a bunch.

I have tied the Jack. Great knot-but I do prefer the 16-20. Appreciate you watching.

Great knot but that is a different video.

Thanks, SH! It is similar-the Eugene knot is doubled. Appreciate you watching!

Agreed Steve. Thanks for watching!

Haha. Yes, it is a little more forgiving.