Anyone a Yucatan Knot user? 2025
Otter17 reply :
I’ve tried a ton of Mainline to Leader knots over the years, and over the past couple of years I’ve settled on the Yucatan.
Ive tried the FG also, but I can tie the Yucatan with my eyes closed and pretty darn fast. I feel it gives me all the strength I could ever need in a line to line connection.
I just dont hear of many others using it. Any one else out there use this Knot, or else what’s your favorite and why you like it?
MickD reply :
I never heard of it before your post. It will not be quite as small as an FG, but will be much smaller than at double uni, and as you said, very easy to tie. Will try it next time I need a line to leader knot. Thanks for posting about it.
Pro Logcatcher reply :
Wow, I looked it up and it looks pretty nice. Seems a lot thinner than the double uni. I'll try it next time I'm out. Thanks!
MickD reply :
the Yucatan appears to be a very strong knot. When tightened it causes the leader to wrap the line so it ends up being 3 leader thicknesses + two braid thicknesses in diameter, which is not nearly as small as the FG. But it may be small enough depending on your guides.
The double uni is, I believe, about 5 leader thicknesses in diameter+ some for the braid, so is bigger than the Yucatan.
Choporoz reply :
I'd not heard of it, either. Lots of variations on the interwebs. One, on I think Rapala site, shows both lines doubled and twisted.
For those that use the 'Yucatan', please post of some details of how you tie successful ones - braid doubled? or both? how many twists? challenges, etc?
I know use Alberto with pretty high confidence, but always willing to consider alternatives.
islandbass reply :
I never heard of it until now, so I looked it up. I can’t believe it’s that easy to tie.
aquaholik reply :
Yucatan, no name, worm knot, reverse albright, etc where the mono forms a nice barrel wrap around the double braided line. Great 100% knot since it's pulling on two legs of the braid. The only problem is the weak link which is the knot use to form the double line in the braid. 5-8 turns surgeons are 55-60%, spider hitch is about the same, and only a properly formed bimini will test 80-100%. So in all those cases, your knot when test to failure will not be the Yucatan knot. It will be the knot used to form the double braid.
Choporoz reply :
On 9/27/2018 at 11:34 PM, aquaholik said:Yucatan, no name, worm knot, reverse albright, etc where the mono forms a nice barrel wrap around the double braided line. Great 100% knot since it's pulling on two legs of the braid. The only problem is the weak link which is the knot use to form the double line in the braid. 5-8 turns surgeons are 55-60%, spider hitch is about the same, and only a properly formed bimini will test 80-100%. So in all those cases, your knot when test to failure will not be the Yucatan knot. It will be the knot used to form the double braid.
Interesting....your mention of the 'other knot' is where I had problems looking at various interweb versions of the Yucatan. I only looked at 5 or 6 diagrams and/or videos, but none showed another knot, though some mentioned one. I got the impression from most that you don't need that second knot - that you can trim the braid tag. Not your experience?
aquaholik reply :
On 9/27/2018 at 11:44 PM, Choporoz said:Interesting....your mention of the 'other knot' is where I had problems looking at various interweb versions of the Yucatan. I only looked at 5 or 6 diagrams and/or videos, but none showed another knot, though some mentioned one. I got the impression from most that you don't need that second knot - that you can trim the braid tag. Not your experience?
Yes, you need a second knot....that is actually the first knot you tie to double the braid line. You can't simply fold the braid over to double it and tie the Yucatan. It will simply slip out when test to failure.
BTW, Alberto is also a 55-60% knot. Learn the FG knot... no tension, no tools, no teeth, no poker table, no rod holder method. It's a two minute knot that is strong and very easy with practice. I've only tested it to failure a thousand time and documented them.
Otter17 reply :
This is the way I’ve always tied it. It’s always important to cinch it up tight so that the tag end pops up perpendicular to the line. Once it’s done that, it is locked in.
The second picture shows what I mean by the tag end popping up perpendicular.
J Francho reply :
I'll have to try this myself.
aquaholik reply :
Otter17 reply :
I’ve used this Knot to catch barracuda and Jack’s up to 30lbs. down in Florida. They tested that Knot to its limits. Also got plenty of blue and Flathead catfish up to 50lbs. on it. Never once did I ever have to tie a second knot or Bimini twist or spider hitch or anything, and it has never come loose. Once it’s locked tight, “your line will break” before that Knot ever breaks.
DHP reply :
I tried the diagram in otters post just now multiple times and the leader kept slipping out. If I swap the leader and mainline and use that method I end up with what looks like an Alberto just tied the opposite way. But that’s the only way I could get it to hold. Tried 20# braid with both 20# fluoro and 6# mono.
I use the alberto knot myself and haven’t ever had issues and goes through guides just fine. Funny thing is swapping the lines when I tried the Yucatán my knot seemed smaller than my Albertos using 7 wraps with each.
Otter17 reply :
???? Dhp, how many wraps did you use?
DHP reply :
I used 7. Diagram shows 6 but I do 7 for all my knots. Lucky number. I might’ve just been having a hard time pulling the tag on the leader tight enough(or keeping tight) before cinching the mainline braid. Even so I think I’ll stick with the Alberto. But I like tying knots and wanted to try this for fun more than anything. Haven’t tried the FG but it looked more complicated than I wanted.
MickD reply :
If the Yucatan is slipping, it's not tied right. The video below is what I tied and while I did not test it objectively, it is obvious that it is a very strong knot.
DHP reply :
Guess it’s just not my knot. Used longer tags to pull with. Actually looked pretty good but leader still slipped. 20# Berkeley braid to 12# big game. Maybe it’s my braid size? Just using what was left on a spool.
Otter17 reply :
On 9/28/2018 at 4:52 AM, DHP said:I used 7. Diagram shows 6 but I do 7 for all my knots. Lucky number. I might’ve just been having a hard time pulling the tag on the leader tight enough(or keeping tight) before cinching the mainline braid. Even so I think I’ll stick with the Alberto. But I like tying knots and wanted to try this for fun more than anything. Haven’t tried the FG but it looked more complicated than I wanted.
I think that is very important. Using a Knot that “you” feel confident in, and like using. There’s no perfect knot out there that everyone “should” or “have-to” use. Everyone has there own go-to knots.
DHP reply :
On 9/28/2018 at 5:13 AM, Otter17 said:I think that is very important. Using a Knot that “you” feel confident in, and like using. There’s no perfect knot out there that everyone “should” or “have-to” use. Everyone has there own go-to knots.
Exactly!
So I just tried 30# power pro with the 12# big game and used 6 wraps and it held. Whether the line size, wraps, or I just got the cinch down right I don’t know but it worked.
Probably still I’ll use the Alberto lol.
Otter17 reply :
DHP, when you are tying a mono or Fluoro MAINLINE to a heavier leader of mono or fluoro you use 4 to 6 wraps.
But, if you are using a BRAID mainline you need to use 10 to 15 wraps. Then it will hold as it should.
aquaholik reply :
Typically, what size braid and leader do you use for your application when you tie this knot?
aquaholik reply :
I ran some test. 10lbs Spiderwire Stealth to 30 lbs mono leader. 12 wraps of the braid around the mono then cinch tight with a wooden dowel. I left a LONG braid tag end to see if it will slip. It did not slip and broke at 16.29 lbs using my line/knot tester. That's more than enough strength for any drag setting with 10 lbs line. The picture above is AFTER the failure test. The main 10 lbs line broke somewhere inside the barrel wrap.
You won't win a knot strength contest with an FG knot but it's a 30 secs knot compare to the FG knot.
Otter17 reply :
Aquaholic, thanks for doing the test and posting it Man!
On 9/28/2018 at 5:38 AM, aquaholik said:Typically, what size braid and leader do you use for your application when you tie this knot?
For surf fishing, I use either:
30lb. Braid- 40lb. Leader
or
30lb. Braid- 80lb. Leader
i also use
20lb. Braid- 30lb. Leader Inshore
catfish- 65lb. Braid- 50 Leader
aquaholik reply :
On 9/28/2018 at 6:46 AM, Otter17 said:Aquaholic, thanks for doing the test and posting it Man!
For surf fishing, I use either:
30lb. Braid- 40lb. Leader
or
30lb. Braid- 80lb. Leader
i also use
20lb. Braid- 30lb. Leader Inshore
catfish- 65lb. Braid- 50 Leader
For those applications, it will be only 10 % weaker than an FG knot. We're talking 55-60% vs 65-70% for the FG knot in 30 lbs and above braid. I would still recommend a quick 5 turn surgeons to form the double braid. Cheap insurance against slippage. That will give you an overall knot strength of 25 lbs in 30 lbs braid(ABS around 50 lbs).
Prior to FG knot 8 years ago, all I used was Bimini to Bristol(similar to no name and Yucatan).
The Bassman reply :
I rarely use a leader but one thing I notice is that the leader tag is pointing towards the rod tip. Seems like that might make problems during the cast. The occasional leader knot I use is the Alberto because it finishes facing back.
Otter17 reply :
Holy Cow! You are busting out some great info Aquaholic! How the heck do you know and get all these %’s and stuff?
And Thankyou for the suggestion on the 5 turn surgeons Knot. I’ll add that to my Knot now.
aquaholik reply :
I post line test results here every now and then. You can check some of my posts for link to charts detailing actual breaking strength, diameter, FG knot strength, etc. I backed it up with plenty of videos on YouTube. Above is one of many.
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