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Q: Have you found surgeon’s knots often fail and that the blood knot offers better results?

A: Essentially, a blood knot consists of two plain clinch knots and is a great knot to use in lighter lines. Keep in mind, it’s not nearly as strong as some other connections. The surgeon’s knot is made by passing the two ends through the overhand two times. My expensive line tester suggests that you can improve the surgeon’s knot considerably by passing the two tag ends through the loop three times.

Remember, knots do not break until they slip. When connecting two lines, you are dealing with four ends — two main and two tags. All four ends must be firmly set. Tests demonstrate a loss of as much as 40 percent can occur if a knot is not firmly closed. So, it pays to seat everything before your final cinch.