05 - DOUBLE DOWN LOOP KNOT

TYING THE DOUBLE DOWN LOOP KNOT

I use this nomenclature because this knot is tied using a doubled line and produces two knots - a main loop knot and a secondary loop knot which may be used for paternoster links or trimmed together with the single line tag end. This secondary loop tested to half the breaking strain of the main loop and is something of a by-product as my main focus is on presenting a high-performance loop that will work across all line types.

From its chance beginnings, this knot has rapidly grown in my affections to the point where I am now viewing it as the best loop knot in my collection. It was chance when I pulled on a Cow Hitch wrapped around my finger and realised that, even though I had two loops, one would close before the other leaving one remaining; it was literally a 'last throw of the dice' when I tried using a doubled line. Until that moment, the results I was obtaining on my fine braid were very ordinary, and as I already had some good knots, I was not going to dilute the experience by recommending something sub-standard.

Once I was using the doubled line - and that took a little figuring out - I was back on familiar ground as I then followed the same tying method as I did when constructing my Tuna Loop Knot.

Make no mistake, the Tuna Loop Knot is still a very good knot and one that I have used extensively. Any knot that will give you 9 lbs b/s on an 11 lbs braid line even when you are expecting 10 lbs plus b/s is not too bad! But a quick comparison with The Double Down Loop Knot will serve to demonstrate the key differences between them and why there is only one choice to make ...

• CONSISTENCY - compared with the DDL the TLK is a more 'free-flowing' knot. It seems to require the doubled-line wraps going outwards to be applied with moderate tension. If tied carefully with a specific number of wraps and tucks, you could expect to see a knot pulling over 10 lbs b/s. Sometimes, though, I felt like I was doing everything right but still not accessing this performance. In particular, I remember a day in the summer when I was sweating and the additional moisture on my fingers was affecting the outcome. The DDK comes with a built-in pinch point in the form of the Cow Hitch that starts it and seems to add consistently higher performance in consequence

• ADJUSTABILITY OF LOOP - this is an aspect that does not trouble most people when using fine braid. They are happy just to have a loop knot that works well! I am more fastidious. Because the TLK is freer internally and without the benefit of a secondary loop, it means that its loop can stretch by several millimetres when being cinched which is not always what one wants. The DDK appears to offer a choice at time of cinching - pull on the main loop first will stretch it out quite a lot; pulling on the secondary loop first takes up all the slack line leaving the primary loop the size you see

• TRACTION - the difference in the number of wraps required for each knot is suggestive that one is providing more internal grip than the other - TLK requires x30 doubled-line wraps + x3 tucks; DDK x20 doubled-line wraps + x2 - x3 tucks to give a higher level of performance more consistently

• EYELET / HOOK / SWIVEL LOOPING - having the option of tying your loop through the eye of your chosen attachment so that it has freer movement is important to many, especially lure fishers. This is not really feasible with the TLK, would be hard work with a King Sling on mono or fluoro, and out of the question using fine braid as the medium. The DDK with its Cow Hitch starting point makes light work of this requirement - as we shall see

In fact, as I have just touched upon this loop knot's suitability for accepting the likes of lures within the confines of the loop itself, I wish to take a few moments to demonstrate this.

(click on photos to expand)

01 Form a loop in your line. Then turn the loop back on itself to form the two loops shown - one controlled by the main line, the other by the tag end. This is the the default starting point for this knot and familiarizes you with the sequence that follows. The scissors are in shot as the object through which our loop will be tied

02 Since we wish to tie our loop through something, we make the main-line loop first as shown

03 Now thread the tag end through the eye of the object to be attached and back under itself to form the default starting point - the other loop is left free to cinch the knot when the time comes

04 Place your finger through both loops adjusting the tag end loop to the same size as the main-line loop. You are now ready to proceed with tying the remainder of the knot as usual

Okay, now that I have shown you how to include attachments within the confines of the loop, let's proceed with the steps you need to follow to complete the rest of the knot. As ever, the real-world tying with braid will follow.

(click on photos to expand - click on book marks to switch between equivalent photos)

01 Form a loop in your line. Allow yourself at least 10" for the main and another 10" on the tag side. With practice, you will know just how much to pull off. Your aim is to comfortably hold the tag side and the main-line side together during tying. This will make adding the wraps easier and ensure that you have enough tag length to lay down your Cow Hitches to provide an additional layer of energy absorption behind the main loop

02 I like to spread the loop with my thumb and forefinger as shown

03 Taking the main line and tag with your other hand and applying light tension, spread your thumb and forefinger a little more so that each is on the outside of the line nearest. Gently bring each of the loops so-formed towards its fellow causing a loop to be around each digit Alternatively, if you prefer, you can make your loop as before, and then take the head of the loop back on top of itself, and then place your thumb and forefinger into each loop from above

04 Now bring your forefinger which is occupying the main-line loop up through the tag loop as well. This is the default starting point. This is also the pinch point that distinguishes this knot from its close cousin, The Tuna Loop Knot

05 Still holding your finger in place, take the tag end with your other hand and thread it through the two loops formed earlier, bringing it out the other side. In doing so, you will see that a secondary loop is formed. This is your doubled-line wrapping tag loop which will turn out to be the secondary loop mentioned above. At this stage, it is important to meter out sufficient single tag-line length (on the other side) for you to hold comfortably in your hand with the main line

06 Now bring the tag end towards you up over the the two loops, threading it back the way it came through the twin loops and out the other side. It is worth noting that when I tried to dispense with this step on my fine braid (0.08 mm 11 lbs b/s), there was a noticeable drop in performance

07 Place the single-line tag end beside the main line on one side and the wrapping tag loop on the other as shown. I like to moisten all the lines in play

08 Shown here is the first of the outward wraps. For fine braid, I use x20 outward wraps. As the line strength increases in whichever line material being used, so does the line diameter. This usually means that the number of wraps required will decrease in number. By the time you tie a standard Tuna (hook) Knot, the number of wraps has reduced to around three! To start with, you will have to follow your gut feeling as to what number of wraps to deploy

09 Continue with the outward wrapping. Keeping a moderate tension all the while, I like to stop every three wraps and push the wraps tight to the preceding ones. If the line is very fine, I use my thumbnail

10 Once you have completed the desired number of outward-going wraps, you can then start on the inward-coming. With fine braid, I usually lay down about x4, but even with thicker lines, x3 should suffice

11 Take the knot between thumb and forefinger with your dominant hand in preparation to make 2-3 tucks with the tag loop around the base of the two loops

12 Shown here is the first tuck being laid down. Typically, for fine braid, I would be using x3 tucks. As the line becomes thicker the stronger it gets, so you may consider using less tucks

13 And here, the second tuck has been added

14 Here, I am pulling on the main line to close the corresponding main-line loop. If you zoom in on the photo, you can see that the loop furthest away has decreased in size as it is being tightened down

15 Here we see the classic image of the Double Down Loop Knot - main knot and secondary knot side by side

16 I find that holding the tag line and main line with one hand, and pulling on the secondary loop with my other hand, takes out a lot of the slackness in the knot.  Then, when it is the turn of the main knot to be cinched, it will hardly stretch at all. The converse also seems to be the case - if the main knot is cinched first, it will stretch a lot leaving little movement on the secondary loop

17 Final cinching. With braid especially, you need something solid to hold the loop while you are pulling against it - I use the hook of my scales. Despite pulling both loops in the opposite direction to the man line and tag end, you may be surprised to see that there is still a lot of hidden reserves of slackness within the knot. Once I have added the Cow Hitch lock knot behind the main loop knot, I will use my scales to pull the main loop knot out to about 80% of the line strength, i.e. 9 lbs on my 11 lbs b/s line. This quality checks the knot and releases some of the 'give' within it.  Of course, with heavier lines, this is not so easy to do, but then, being thicker in diameter, they will be gripping better in the first place so probably don't need as much stretching out as fine braid does

18 On my fine braid, I like to use between x20 and x30 reversed half hitches to form the Cow Hitch lock knot - each Cow Hitch comprises a pair of reversed half hitches. Unlike ordinary wraps which are applied in one direction at a time, you need to keep track of how many half hitches you have applied and where you are in the 'reversal process'. It sounds complicated but is easy enough to do once you follow this mnemonic: 'over is 1, under is 2, over is 3, under is 4, over is 5, under is 6, over is 7, under is 8' etc. Shown above is the over-is-1 part of the Cow Hitch - you take the tag end over the main line to form the first part of the Cow Hitch

19 Shown above is the under-is-2 part of the Cow Hitch - because you take the tag end under the main line to form the closing part of the Cow Hitch. Sooner or later, you will be distracted and lose your place. This is easily remedied. The odd numbers are always over and the even numbers will always be under. Provided you remember the number you are on, you can work out whether the next hitch is to be over or under. Remember, with fine braid, you won't know which is which by simply looking, so that is why the above mnemonic will be useful

20 Look carefully at the back of the knot. There is the first completed Cow Hitch

21 Once you have added all the Cow Hitches you plan to, and still leaving the second wrapping loop and single tag end untrimmed, test the strength of your knot.  If I am making hook lengths at home, for example using fine braid still on the spool, I will tend to test each loop knot to 80% (9 lbs b/s) of the line's strength.  You can do the same for loops tied to the end of your main line. In this scenario, I prefer to wrap the main line sufficient times around something solid to grip before pulling on the scales. This will prevent the braid burying itself into the line on your reel spool. After testing, trim the single tag and the wrapping tag if you are not using it. In this way, you have allowed the knot to settle while its key components are still in place to resist any slippage

Tying knots with shoelace braid is good for memorizing the knot but bears little similarity with tying it for real on the line of our choice. 

For this reason, I think it will be helpful to remind ourselves what we are trying to achieve.  

Accordingly, I am presenting you with a photo showing the Double Down Loop Knot tied both with braid and mono:

Note how the braid knot is long and thin owing to the thinness of the material and number of wraps. By contrast, the 20 lbs mono is much shorter and thicker because the line grips that much better.

Okay, time to show you the steps to follow using the braid. You will be referred back to the shoe-lace braid photos above as appropriate.

RECIPE

• x20 outward turns + x4 inward turns + x3 tucks

• x20 - x30 Cow Hitch lock knot

(click on photos to expand)

01 Early on, it's probably a good idea to check with a ruler how much line you are using with each repeat of the knot. As you get more proficient, you will automatically pull off just sufficient to suit your purpose
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23 Unlike its lace counterpart, you cannot easily see which type of hitch you have just laid down. That's why you need the mnemonic mentioned above
24 Here is the completed loop prior to full cinching. Accordingly, both single and wrapping loop tags have been left in place. A x30 hitch Cow Hitch lock knot has been provided for additional security.  The nail clippers are in shot to offer a sense of scale - after tying knots with this thinness of line, all other line types seem like rope by comparison!  Tying any knot on this line will always be challenging no matter how experienced you are, but the feeling of pride you get from achieving what few dare to try is second to none.  It is only natural that you will wish to check you have achieved your bench-mark performance level, and is required as part of the final cinching
25 I bench-mark tested the knot to 9 lbs b/s. At this point, I would cut off the tag ends
26 I reset the Crocodile Hitch lock knot and then pulled it all the way round to over 10 lbs b/s just to show that there was still plenty of strength left in the knot after bench-mark testing

Footnote

The first thing to note is that tying a 90% plus breaking strain loop knot in pristine braid of around 10lbs which is no thicker than the diameter of 2lbs mono is always going to be a challenge. Usually, the thicker the braid, the easier it becomes.

But tying the same loop knot in the same braided line when it has had several years of use is even more challenging still. In those intervening years, the braid has become a lot slicker. Whilst still retaining the same core strength it has always had, the extra slipperiness it has acquired in the meantime ensures that the previous recipe you used when it was pristine may lose up to 20% of its strength when tested on your scales.

Thus, instead of seeing the 10lbs b/s you are aspiring to on your braid (which is actually 11lbs b/s), you may find your results falling away to 8.4 lbs. To restore the performance you want, you must amend the recipe if you are to avoid hours of frustration and wasting yards of your precious braid as one attempt after another fails.

It has taken me a long time to reach this conclusion. One afternoon, I spent a good few fruitless hours trying to tie the Double Down Loop Knot on my worn braid (I need it to hold until 10lbs b/s because I use an 8lb hook length and want the braid to make the most of its breaking strain superiority such that the hook length will break first). That evening, I picked up a different spool of the very same line, but pristine, and tied pretty much the same recipe I had been using in the afternoon. The scales went round to 10lbs b/s without breaking at my first attempt.

Admittedly, it had been a while since I had tied this knot, and by the evening, my technique was more polished. Confident in my ability, I returned to the same worn line, this time tying it 100% correctly, only to find myself not much better off.

In these situations, the usual solution is to 'throw in' more tucks and wraps. However, if you overdo it, you build up so much friction that the knot becomes harder to cinch and is unable to release the strain you are imposing on it throughout its body causing it to fail prematurely.

The other thing to note is that the Double Down Loop Knot is particularly sensitive to using too many additional tucks and wraps. The very reason why it is such a grippy knot can be its undoing if you overdo the 'grip' - as I found out ...

In the course of my testing on this super-slick version of my line, I tied the regular pattern, and almost got the balance right between increasing the turns made by the single tag end at the start of the knot from x2 to x4, increasing the wraps of the loop tag from x20 to x30, and keeping the Cow Hitch locking reversed half hitches to x30. For, the loop broke dead on 10lbs b/s.

I then tried a different tack which seemed to be more consistent in getting me up to the 10lbs b/s mark without breaking. The secondary loop which I normally would cut off, I brought into play. I made it long enough to allow me to take it back down to the base of the knot body and form x8 Cow Hitches around the single tag line and mainline, followed by x35 Cow Hitches using the single tag line. This resulted in 10lbs b/s being reached without breaking. 

However, when I 'over-egged' this recipe by adding more of everything, the knot became much harder to cinch because of the aforementioned build-up of friction, and failed at a measly 8.5lbs b/s. As soon as I returned to the above recipe, normal service was resumed.

But, it is not as neat as the original pattern ... I think you can still 'have your cake and eat it' by applying the above recipe to the standard Double Down Loop Knot pattern. I believe that those additional x8 turns provided by the secondary loop are the difference in friction needed for the knot to hold beyond 10lbs b/s when this thin line is ultra-slick.

So, theoretically, you should be able to achieve the same result by:

• Using x4 turns made by the single tag end at the start of the knot.
• Using x33 (x25+x8) outgoing wraps - bunching with thumb nail ever two wraps.
• Using x4-x6 inward wraps.
• Using x3 tucks prior to cinching.

And if that does not work, then the secondary loop being used as the x8 Cow Hitches was providing more than additional friction as I have supposed, so give that a try.

Please check out my YouTube Channel for this and other videos:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgh4Otdrus7IMGErlo6itzQ

PB