06 - HORNET BEND KNOT

TYING THE HORNET BEND KNOT

I think I would describe The Hornet Knot as one of the few bend knots that can match the FG Knot and PR Bobbin Knot for maintaining 90%+ of the weaker line’s strength. Certainly, there is nothing complex in its construction, but the manner of its construction still brings a smile to my face.

After weeks of abject failure trying to join my 0.08 mm 11 lb braid line to a mono-filament line of 20 lbs and 4-5 times the diameter, I absentmindedly sat at my desk with two different coloured strings. My fingers twirled and I was surprised to find this handsome variegated creation in front of me.

Following my own advice of not getting too excited until I had tested it with actual fishing lines, I was nevertheless shocked when the results came back as they exceeded all my expectations at the first time of asking!

However, good though it is at joining thin slippery braid to thicker fluorocarbon and mono-filament lines, I had no success joining two slippery braided lines together. Until recently, I would have advised using the Double Uni Knot and making sure that you have plenty of turns each side of the join – not easy when you try to go beyond x20 each side. 

Joining braid to braid requires something a bit special. I have not found any line-to-line knots that make this claim. I can understand why! Fortunately, however, we have the Tuna Bend Knot for just such an eventuality.

But if you are already a fan of the Albright and Alberto Knots, I think you will love the Hornet Knot as it is stronger than the Albright and easier to cinch than the Alberto Knot whilst still maintaining its crossing-over design.

I think the following points are worth noting, however.

General Observations

• Both Albright Special and Alberto Knots are started by making a loop in the heavier line. This makes them ideal for connecting leaders to pre-formed loops on fly lines as well as joining two standing lines.

The configuration of The Hornet only permits the latter option

• During tests to join 12 lb Soft Ghost Fluorocarbon to my thin 10.9 lb braid, I noticed that making a tied loop out of the fluorocarbon increased the performance slightly

• Braid will always be the slippery part of any line-to-line join and the pliability of the line it is being joined to plays a large part in how many turns will be required on the braided side to establish the all-important grip

For example, whereas the braided Albright Knot held on to a respectable 9 lb b/s on the fluorocarbon line, it was close to bottom of the pile when matched to a glassy- surfaced stiff 20 lb mono-filament line

• The Hornet Knot, like some other line-to-line knots, follows the idea of both joining lines playing an active part in the knot rather than one line forming the ‘base’ around which the other is formed

• The Tuna Bend Knot, by contrast, relies on the heavier line being formed into a static loop and the lighter line being the 'wrapping agent'. For this reason, it might be suitable for use with pre-formed loops on fly lines. 

Note, also, that the Tuna Bend Knot uses a double line for wrapping which may account for its superiority in joining braid to braid

Of all the knots I have discussed, there is no doubt that this is the most handsome when used with different coloured lines - not that that really counts for anything.

In my Crocodile posting, I referred to a knot with 'supermodel' looks. This is the knot to which I was referring.

Let's see what all the fuss is about ...

(click on photos to expand)

01 Lay the lines you wish to join side by side. I have selected a black shoe lace to heighten the variegation effect when completed. Also, the BLACK lace is the thicker of the two so is being used to represent the heavier line, be it mono or fluoro, whereas the YELLOW, being thinner, will represent the braid line

02 Always begin by wrapping the heavier line around the thinner. How many turns you choose to make will be based on your own experience with cinching the line in question. I would suggest a minimum of x5 turns, and if your experience with cinching hook knots on it shows that you can use more, do so.  This knot is all about trying to bring he heavier line into play as well

03 Wrap the heavier line around the thinner using the number of turns you are comfortable with. Keep the loop of line made by your first turn open as shown

04 Here, the simulated braid line is being readied to make the characteristic crisscrossed wraps over the heavier line. Allow yourself plenty of braid to work with - a minimum of x32 - x36 is advised for really fine braids.  Whatever the number of braid turns you decide upon, divide it by the number of turns you have used with the heavier line. This will allow you to more evenly spread your braid turns across the the gaps between turns in the heavier line - but only if you can see the gaps ...

05 Here, you see the braid being metered out on a 1:1 basis. With the finest braids, it will most likely be 3:1

06 Once back at the top by the loop in the heavier line, thread your braid line through so that it exits the same way it entered

07 "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr DeMille"

08 We're ready for cinching. With such thick pieces of lace, this is relatively simple but some practice is advised as it will be slightly different with braid: Holding the braided lines with your right hand (YELLOW) pull on the main line only of your thicker line (BLACK). This will close the loop you had kept open earlier Holding the heavier lines with your left hand (BLACK) pull on the main line only of your braided line (YELLOW). This will take up some of the slackness on the braided side Take each tag end in turn and, holding both of the opposing lines, pull on it Now take hold of each tag end and pull one against the other In this way, you should have removed most of the slackness from the knot Moisten the knot and gently pull each main line in opposing directions, using the fingers of both hands to manoeuvre the lines into position - with very heavy lines, you may wish to experiment by moistening and adopting a simultaneous steady pull to lock the knot Using braid, however, once in position, pull both main lines to cinch The knot should take on its 'trademark' appearance.

09 Here is the knot with its attractive variegated pattern

10 And here it is sitting resplendent with a Crocodile added to each side:

You find me here fresh from a session of tying this Hornet Knot so that I may 'put you in the frame', so to speak. The news I bring to you is mixed. The aesthetics so prominent in the previous frame have been exchanged for what can only be described as an amorphous 'blob'. Indeed, because the heavier of the two lines seldom requires many wraps, it is doubtful you will ever have the opportunity to marvel at this type of variegated effect.

The good news, however, is that this knot has lost none of its potency. As previously, I am joining 20 lb  mono-filament line to my 10.9 lb braid. The 20 lb line is the same strength as before, but a different brand bought for the purpose - if anything, it is even stiffer than what I used previously. 

Well, having not attempted to tie this knot for more than a year, my first attempt did not hit the intended mark, but was still, I would say, a respectable value - 8.6 lbs b/s. I think I laid down too many turns on the braid and didn't cinch them as well as I could. Also, the Crocodile I used was perhaps not long enough. I quickly found that the braid slid over the surface of the mono-filament like skates over ice. Accordingly, I only used x5 turns of the mono-filament and about x36 turns of the braid. A single Cow Hitch sufficed on the mono-filament side with a matching Crocodile of x30 plus on the braid side. This amounted to 10.6 lbs b/s - 97%. One more go 'for luck' with x5 turns on the heavy line and x36 turns on the braided line followed by a x36-turn Crocodile yielded almost the maximum with 10.8 lbs b/s.

One last point. Although braid is commonly joined to fluorocarbon and mono-filament lines, it is hard to imagine two more unsuited partners than the two I have picked! The braid I use is super thin and slippery, the mono-filament line is super springy and quite hard to cinch. The fact that this knot performs as well as it does under such extreme conditions is simply a mark of how good it is. 

Very Good, certainly, but Great? That accolade may have to be accorded the Tuna Bend Knot - we shall see. For now, let's concentrate on the Hornet Bend Knot ...

RECIPE

• x5 turns of the heavy line + x1 Cow Hitch; x36 (super thin) turns of braid + x36-turn Crocodile

(click on photos to expand)

01 Here are our two protagonists - 20 lb mono-filament on the left, 10.9 lbs braid on the right

02 Notice the difference in diameters between the mono-filament line (WHITE) and the braid (BLACK)

03 Here, the x5 turns have been made by the heavier line around the braided line. Unlike the Albright Special and Alberto Knots, where the braided line alone performs the wrapping duty, this additional use of the heavy line to share the wrapping duty seems to make a difference out of all proportion to what you would imagine.  Truly, it seems to combine the best that both these knots have to offer

04 The braid has been worked back up the body of the knot towards the loop head. Despite my 'fine words' above about metering out the braid wraps between the turns of the heavier line, the fact is that you would not be able to see these gaps. So, just wrap back up the way you have come keeping count as you go. TIP As you reach past the mid-way point, you can hold the knot body between thumb and forefinger of your left hand whilst using your right hand to whip the braided line up around the body of the knot

05 We've reached the top! We have metered out the required number of braid wraps and tucked the tag end up through the loop to match the way it entered

06 Not one of my best shots - I'm afraid. Here, you can see the knot in its cinched form

07 First, make the 'over' hitch part of the Cow Hitch on the heavier line

08 Followed by the 'under' hitch of the Cow Hitch - remember, the Crocodile Knot comprises a collection of Cow Hitches

09 The Cow Hitch has been cinched tight locking the tag end of the heavy line in place

10 Now you are looking at the completed Crocodile on the braided side. Both sides have now been finished

11 We've tied our lines together. How good a job did we do? I've tied a Surgeons Loop to the mono-filament line so that I can hang it on the hook of my scales

12 You are looking at the results of the 97% (10.6 lbs) breakage

With practice, this is a knot that is consistently capable of delivering a high performance return. It is never going to be a knot that you can hurry - I don't believe that many line-to-line knots can be hurried.

So, you can't join two pieces of fine braid together with this knot. Yes, that is slightly disappointing, but apart from the question, 'how often do you want to do that?', it is better to be really good at one thing than average at many.

PB