TOPIC:

Curious what knots everyone uses when they are rigging trolling flies, specifically when tying heavy mono or floro to the hook. I'm using 50LB mono to try and get as much action out of the fly as possible when coupled with dodgers. A lot of the flies I have appear to have been tied with 20 or 30 line and didn't have much action when I put them in and watched them run next to the boat (using 3 to 1 rule for leader length).

I've been using snell knots, but they are a pain with that heavy of line. It seems to be the only knot I can get to tighten down all the way that looks like it will really hold.

This is the knot I've been using:
www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/easy-snell-knot

I use a snell on singles. For tables, standard, NOT improved, clinch knot. With heavier mono, fewer wraps are necessary. 4 or 5 is fine. Heavier lines means more friction so less wraps are required. Use a good 3 or 4 inches to loosely wrap your knot, pull on the hook, standing line, and the tag end as you seat your knot with a good sliming of spit to prevent line burning as you tighten the knot down. I use a set of pliers to pull the tag end while applying pressure to the standing line before closely trimming the tag. A long tag end can cause the fly material to tangle up when your fishing the fly. Inspect the area just above the knot for any flattening or other signs of stress when you’re done. This is especially important with flouro. I test my leaders by hooking them on a drawer pull when I’m done. It’s not rocket science, just takes some practice adapting to using an unfamiliar material. A lot of people I know have been resistant to braid and flouro because they think the knot strength sucks, the problem usually isn’t the line, it’s that the guys are tying the knots the way they’re used to with the nylon mono they’re used to working with. You’re well on the way to figuring it out already by the fact you’re aware that your knots aren’t seating properly.

Pliers have been a necessity so far! I tried an improved clinch knot a couple of times and it looked like crap. I will try a standard clinch and see how it looks.

Any reason not to use a snell knot on a treble hook other than it's a pain?

I read somewhere that saliva can actually weaken the line, so if I'm sitting at the table tying up leaders, I keep a bowl of water next to me and dunk the line in there when pulling the knot tight. Tying something when I'm out fishing, spit it is!

Even with trebles, I still just use a palomar knot. It can be a pain getting the loop around the trebles but holds up well. For the other end, I use the double surgeon's loop.