Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 15 July 2022
Originally I found this knot in end of 1990’s from flyfishing magazine. I think it was fly tying & fishing or something like that. It is really simple knot and I have use it since that when fishing grayling and trout. Dries, nymphs, wets and even with small streamers. Tippets from 0.12 to 0.28, monofil. I have memory that it was called mexican knot but I wouldn’t bet my head for that. It is easy to tie even in dark and it had hold really well.
I still don’t know originally name of the knot, So I just call Mika’s knot, well my guest told me to use that. In Malaysia we had knot competition with Paul, I made one improvement to my originally one and beat Paul. That improvement was extra knot in the end of line to avoid slipping. It was just panic thing, back home I made some testing and final result is really simple add. Instead twice back after hook eye, just add one more.
So here it is improved Mika’s knot.
- Make a loose knot
- Put line thru eye
- Continue three times back thru first ”knot”, same direction than first one.
- Run knot almost against eye by tighten from tippet which is going to rod. If it is not running tighten knot little bit from end of tippet
- Get knot wet and tighten from end of tippet. If it is slipping you went wrong way after eye.
Like any other knots you should test them with your line/tippet before you go in real action. I have tested this improved knot this summer and it has been working perfectly. As surgeons knot or loop, when you do it three times it will hold better even with fluorcarbon, in my knot it is the same. With this knot biggest issue is to get line thru eye, everything else is simple. Age comes with some issues.
Like they say: KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid
Have a nice weekend and go fishing
Mika the Legend
Ps. Rope from reindeer leather, this time to demonstrate knot