San Diego Jam - Good Snug Knot for All Line Types
Braid makes awesome main line, offering ridiculous strength for diameter and superior limpness for excellent casting. And as many bass anglers know, that’s an ideal combination for pulling in monster females.
The problem is that braid doesn't bite on itself very well, and plenty of good knots just won’t hold in braid like they do in mono.
The solution? A fast, easy-to-tie snug knot that holds like Krazyglue.
Welcome to the San Diego Jam!
Table of Contents (clickable)
Related: Best Fishing Knots
How to Tie the San Diego Jam Knot
- Pass your line through the eye of your lure or hook, giving yourself plenty of tag end.
- Grip the tag and main lines about 4 inches from your lure, and turn the remaining tag end back toward the eye.
- Wrap the tag end around both lines 5 to 7 times running back toward the eye.
- Pass the tag end through the loop closest to the eye.
- Then, run the tag end back through the loop you’ve been holding.
- Wet the knot and carefully cinch it down.
- Trim the tag end.
Pay attention to 2:44
Why Rely on the San Diego Jam Knot?
- Strong - Pursuing braid to lure connections that can provide 100% of your line’s test strength is like chasing down a motorcycle on foot: it isn’t going to happen! But the San Diego Jam will regularly pull 95%, which is simply fantastic.
- Fast - While maybe not quite as quick as the Modified Uni, the San Diego Jam can be tied in just seconds, getting you back to fishing when time is essential.
- Easy - Speed and simplicity work hand in glove, and the San Diego Jam is pretty easy to tie.
The San Diego Jam Knot in Braid
All braided lines are made from either Dyneema or Spectra fibers, and some are then finished with additional coatings to improve durability and abrasion resistance. That makes for incredible strength for diameter, and braid is rightfully legendary for this trait.
But Dyneema and Spectra are ridiculously slick materials, and knots depend on friction to hold. It’s not a question of strength, it’s an issue with slippage.
Imagine a very strong man hanging from a chin-up bar. He’s got grip strength in spades. But if you slick the bar with axle grease before he grips it, his strength won’t matter. There just won’t be enough friction for him to hold, no matter how strong he is.
That’s the problem with braided lines and knot integrity.
The solution comes from clever knot design. The San Diego Jam increases the surface area of the knot’s contact with itself, improving friction exponentially.
The result is an easy-to-tie knot that gives braid the chance to bite.
When Do San Diego Jam Knots Fail?
The San Diego Jam works well in all line types, and it’s a great option for braid-loving anglers because it really holds tight.
But it can fail, and these are the most common reasons:
- Tying the knot in frayed or damaged line - We’ve all been guilty of this, and failing to strip tattered line until we’ve got fresh material to tie a knot is a sure-fire recipe for knot failure. Always inspect your line, and when in doubt, strip.
- Forgetting to wet your knot before cinching - This isn’t an optional step! If you don’t wet your line before tugging it tight, you create friction and heat, which can weaken your line at the knot.
- Not cinching down your knot - Once you’ve wet the knot, gently pull it tight--and be sure it really is!
- Improper technique - While not a hard knot to tie, it’s one you want to practice a few times before you deploy it on the water.
