tackle talk
What Knot To Do
A complete, step-by-step guide to all the major knots.
By: Tony Dawson
A complete, step-by-step guide to all the major knots.
By: Tony Dawson
“Make a loop and pinch it. That’s your rabbit hole. Now take the end of the line and make the rabbit go through the hole three times. Wet your knot and pull it up gently.”
That’s my advice to those fishermen who fish in freshwater and who are challenged in the knot-remembering-and-tying department. I know for a fact that tying effective knots is a real challenge for a very large proportion of those who cast a line. I happen to have come to that conclusion because every time I deliver a presentation at a fishing night or workshop or clinic, it always ends in requests for my colleagues and me to give knot tying demonstrations, or help with “knotty” questions.
Adam is forever telling me that “if you can’t tie knots, then tie lots”. One trap to avoid, though, if you end up “making something up” is the temptation to produce a knot connecting two lines where the test, or pull, on the line is through a single point. This kind of single point of contact can be observed in a chain where two links touch one another when the chain is under tension. All you’re doing is asking the harder and thinner line to cut through the softer and thicker one. In fact, the idea is that knots should have lots of surface contact between the two lines, and that under test they should tend to squeeze one another.
Not being able to remember and tie just a few good knots creates a reluctance on the part of fishermen to re-tie leader connections, snaps or fresh hooks, jigheads and lures; thus it inevitably results in lost opportunities. I’m not a natural knot tier either, but I wouldn’t let that rob me of fish, so I persevered until I had a repertoire of just a handful of knots I can remember and tie effectively. Some people love rope work and knots and they remember and tie dozens with ease, even in moving boats and with very fine line. But that’s not the majority of us!
There are several basic requirements for knots with integrity, connecting a main line to a leader or connecting a line or leader to the snap, hook or lure. Some connections are straightforward, and others present some challenges. The former is when the mainline from the spool of the reel is connected to a snap, swivel, hook or lure – that presents the most straightforward scenario. Connecting two lines of dissimilar material: a braid-to-fluorocarbon connection for instance, or connecting two lines of differing diameters, tends to require a little more thought and care.
Very often when it comes to tying knots that are secure and have sufficient integrity to withstand a severe test it’s not the actual selection of the knot or the initial tying which in the end leads to a failure; it’s the way the knot is drawn up and tightened. Monofilament line (a single strand) comes in both nylon and fluorocarbon and makes much better knots when tied wet. Fluorocarbon in particular suffers from the damage produced by friction and heat as knots are drawn up tight. This damage can easily mean the leader or line will fail under test at, or adjacent to, a rapidly drawn-up dry knot. Wetting knots with a little spit is common practice.
Here are my “handful” of knots which will cover most applications for fresh and saltwater anglers. There are of course, many others; but the idea for most of us is to keep it simple and memorable.
Some terminology may help you to grasp some of the descriptions along with the images. Mainline is the line stored on your reel spool. A leader is the several metres of monofilament line, either fluorocarbon or nylon, which connects to the hook, jighead or lure. A tag end is the short end left protruding from a knot after the knot is formed and tightened. A loop is a closed circle of line producing a double thickness from a knot on the mainline, usually at the end.
That’s my advice to those fishermen who fish in freshwater and who are challenged in the knot-remembering-and-tying department. I know for a fact that tying effective knots is a real challenge for a very large proportion of those who cast a line. I happen to have come to that conclusion because every time I deliver a presentation at a fishing night or workshop or clinic, it always ends in requests for my colleagues and me to give knot tying demonstrations, or help with “knotty” questions.
Adam is forever telling me that “if you can’t tie knots, then tie lots”. One trap to avoid, though, if you end up “making something up” is the temptation to produce a knot connecting two lines where the test, or pull, on the line is through a single point. This kind of single point of contact can be observed in a chain where two links touch one another when the chain is under tension. All you’re doing is asking the harder and thinner line to cut through the softer and thicker one. In fact, the idea is that knots should have lots of surface contact between the two lines, and that under test they should tend to squeeze one another.
Not being able to remember and tie just a few good knots creates a reluctance on the part of fishermen to re-tie leader connections, snaps or fresh hooks, jigheads and lures; thus it inevitably results in lost opportunities. I’m not a natural knot tier either, but I wouldn’t let that rob me of fish, so I persevered until I had a repertoire of just a handful of knots I can remember and tie effectively. Some people love rope work and knots and they remember and tie dozens with ease, even in moving boats and with very fine line. But that’s not the majority of us!
There are several basic requirements for knots with integrity, connecting a main line to a leader or connecting a line or leader to the snap, hook or lure. Some connections are straightforward, and others present some challenges. The former is when the mainline from the spool of the reel is connected to a snap, swivel, hook or lure – that presents the most straightforward scenario. Connecting two lines of dissimilar material: a braid-to-fluorocarbon connection for instance, or connecting two lines of differing diameters, tends to require a little more thought and care.
Very often when it comes to tying knots that are secure and have sufficient integrity to withstand a severe test it’s not the actual selection of the knot or the initial tying which in the end leads to a failure; it’s the way the knot is drawn up and tightened. Monofilament line (a single strand) comes in both nylon and fluorocarbon and makes much better knots when tied wet. Fluorocarbon in particular suffers from the damage produced by friction and heat as knots are drawn up tight. This damage can easily mean the leader or line will fail under test at, or adjacent to, a rapidly drawn-up dry knot. Wetting knots with a little spit is common practice.
Here are my “handful” of knots which will cover most applications for fresh and saltwater anglers. There are of course, many others; but the idea for most of us is to keep it simple and memorable.
Some terminology may help you to grasp some of the descriptions along with the images. Mainline is the line stored on your reel spool. A leader is the several metres of monofilament line, either fluorocarbon or nylon, which connects to the hook, jighead or lure. A tag end is the short end left protruding from a knot after the knot is formed and tightened. A loop is a closed circle of line producing a double thickness from a knot on the mainline, usually at the end.
Clinch Knot
Click on photos to enlarge.
Uni Knot & double uni knot
surgeon's knot
surgeon's loop
lefty's loop
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Clinch Knot, and Improved Clinch Knot.
This knot is often the first knot parents teach their children to tie while fishing; it’s widely used and very effective. It finds its place as a sound, basic knot to connect a hook, snap, swivel or lure to a line, and is best used on line weights of less than 30lb test. The knot is tied by passing the end of the line through the eye and wrapping it around the main line 3, 4 or five times; the end of the line is then passed through the loop beside the eye. To turn the clinch knot into an improved clinch knot, pass the end through the final loop created, then lubricate and draw it tight. It is appropriate for both fresh and saltwater applications. Uni Knot and Double Uni Knot. The uni (universal) knot is simple, easy to remember and has a little more versatility than the clinch knot. In fact if you only ever learned one simple knot this may well be the one that will do everything for you. You can use it to connect a hook, snap, swivel or lure but you can also join two lines together and retain a high proportion of the original line test strength. It’s great for joining braid to monofilament nylon or fluorocarbon and lines of differing diameters, within reason. This is the knot I first described above … make a loop and pinch it – this is the rabbit hole; now make the rabbit go through the hole 3, 4 or five times (I’m a fan of three), then lubricate and draw it tight. If you’re joining two lines, overlay them and tie a double uni knot, one around each line, then lubricate and draw each knot up firm and pull the two knots toward each other. Surgeon’s Knot. This knot is an alternative to the double uni knot and is used to join two lines together, such as the connection between a mainline and a leader. The advantage is that it’s just one knot to tie, not two as in the double uni knot, and is easy to learn and remember. It will form an entirely satisfactory connection between lines of dissimilar materials, as well as lines of similar diameter. I tend to tie the surgeon’s knot with three turns, but I know of others who will use up to five. The surgeon’s knot is now the “go-to” for me when tying a leader to tippet material when fly fishing, and making a connection between braid and monofilament fluorocarbon leaders when softbaiting. It’s a good knot to use on very fine lines – but in heavier lines or when there’s a big difference in line diameters the knot won’t always form well as it’s tightened, and knot strength can be degraded, so always test your knot prior to use. To form the surgeon’s knot, overlay the two line ends, then form a loop and pinch it. Take the end of the mainline and all of the leader, and pass them together through the loop 3, 4 or five times, then lubricate them and draw them up firmly and evenly. After forming the knot, carefully set it by pulling on all four ends. Surgeon’s Loop. The surgeon’s loop is another application for the surgeon’s knot; however, instead of creating a connection, it produces a loop of mainline. Loops are useful at the end of a mainline for effectively creating a double thickness of line, a double loop connection to another line (a pre-tied rig for instance), or a loop connection to a hook or sinker. You could even create a dropper loop towards the end of the mainline. The main application I find for a surgeon’s loop is in producing a double-up of the braided line when connecting a fluorocarbon leader for softbaiting. I tend to fish for trout with 3 to six pound fused braid and a 6 pound fluorocarbon leader. For blue cod and snapper the line weights are heavier but it’s still quite fine in diameter. Thermally-fused braid under tension is very hard and will cut like a knife – so connections between fine diameter braid and mono nylon and fluorocarbon need to be carefully tied to ensure the least likelihood of braid cutting the connecting knot under test. Doubling the mainline using a surgeon’s loop, and then connecting the leader to the doubled section of mainline with a surgeon’s knot or double uni knot, I have found to be entirely satisfactory. To tie a surgeon’s loop, fold a generous length of mainline back on itself. Form a loop and pinch it. Pass the doubled end through the loop 3, 4 or five times, lubricate it, and gently form the knot. Now set the knot by pulling on the doubled line, and in turn the mainline and tag end. Lefty’s Loop. The lefty’s loop is the ideal connection between a leader and a softbaiting jighead, a jig or even dry flies and nymphs. It provides a strong connection while allowing for the jig, jighead or fly to move freely and unimpeded by the line it’s tied to. In presenting an artificial bait, lure or fly it’s important to allow for maximum movement to get the best effect; or, in the case of flies and nymphs, to achieve a totally natural presentation without line interference ... it’s often the small things that end up making a big difference. The Lefty’s Loop can be modified in much the same way as an “improved” clinch knot by passing the tag end through the final loop produced in tying the knot; it then becomes a Rapala knot. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The Rapala knot adds a little to the effectiveness of the knot, but the tag end will point forward and may catch in weed or debris present in the water, whereas the Lefty’s loop has the tag end pointing back towards the jighead or fly. I tend to stick with the Lefty’s loop version and it hasn’t let me down to date. To tie the Lefty’s Loop, first tie a loose overhand knot in the leader and then pass the tag end through the eye of the jighead or hook, and back through the loop of the overhand knot. Make 3, 4 or five turns around the line above the overhand knot which should be against the jighead or hook eye but still loose enough to allow the tag end to pass back through to complete the knot. Lubricate and form the knot by first closing up the overhand knot and then pulling on the leader and the tag end to set it. You may need to practice a little though, to become adept at positioning the knot close enough so that the jighead or hook can’t pass through the loop you’ve created with your connection. |
There is one more knot I have in my “most used” repertoire of knots – but it isn’t easy to remember or to execute well without lots of practice. It’s the PR Knot, along with some abbreviated versions of it. It finds its place in connecting braided PE lines to heavy monofilament fluorocarbon or nylon leaders. In this situation there is a big difference in line diameters and in stiffness as well as a dissimilarity in materials. The most common application is in jigging and casting poppers, where big aggressive fish are going to test your connection every time. In making connections where the target is trophy-size snapper, and possibly in foul ground where heavy leaders are required, abbreviated versions of the PR are also strong and effective knots, which will pass through rings and line guides with comparative ease. The knot itself is time-consuming to tie, a bit fiddly, and requires the use of a bobbin; it always seems two hands are not enough – a foot or some other additional anchor point is often required. I have certainly never managed to accomplish a good PR knot in a moving boat. It is a specialist knot, but essential for the applications listed above.
In conclusion ...
When deciding what knot to use, the choice is determined by a range of factors, but ultimately it is the angler’s ability to remember and tie a good knot that is most important. Choose just a few and become proficient at tying them, even to the point of tying them with very fine line, without looking, or in the dark.
There are some excellent animations online, showing details of how to tie a huge variety of knots. One of the better websites is Animated Knots; it covers knots for all sorts of applications and has a section for fishing. Check it out: www.animatedknots.com
In conclusion ...
When deciding what knot to use, the choice is determined by a range of factors, but ultimately it is the angler’s ability to remember and tie a good knot that is most important. Choose just a few and become proficient at tying them, even to the point of tying them with very fine line, without looking, or in the dark.
There are some excellent animations online, showing details of how to tie a huge variety of knots. One of the better websites is Animated Knots; it covers knots for all sorts of applications and has a section for fishing. Check it out: www.animatedknots.com