Torrey,
Ok, we will deal with the former on another thread.
Most of the time l am using BS from 3 to 6lb for wet and soft hackle fishing, l may go above 6 at times under given circumstances.
The Davy knot was back in thew 50s when l started to fish the only way l figured out how to tie a hook to line, at the time l did not of course realise how efficient this knot was.
It is a very strong knot make no mistake about that, used it for both fresh and saltwater species.
It is also a knot that when tied leaves a very small knot, which is very important when fishing small flies, large knots are intrusive when fishing small flies, they may attract a light halo and be the reason why the fish refuse your fly.
There are only two ways to tie the DW knot, right or wrong, it takes me but a few seconds to tie it, no matter how cold your hands are, it is easy to tie.
In the days when l fished competition, l was able to change a fly in a matter of seconds and that was often the reason why l was able to nail a fish that you had little time to get a fly to.
I will deal more so with knots and connections later. How l rig my systems.
Got to get for my guide trip.
Davy.