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ChronicAnglers

Fishing Knots

Five knots cover almost all fishing. Here is how to tie each one, and which line it belongs on.

Use a Palomar for braid to a hook or lure, an improved clinch for monofilament and fluorocarbon to terminal tackle, and a double uni or FG knot to join braid to a leader. Match the knot to the line and you have solved most of the problem.

The knot is the weakest point in your setup by design — it is the only place the line is bent sharply back on itself under load. Which is why the failure almost never happens where you expect it to.

At a glance

KnotUse it forLineDifficulty
Palomar KnotBraid to hook, lure or swivelBraid (also strong on fluorocarbon)Easy
Improved Clinch KnotMono or fluoro to terminal tackleMonofilament, fluorocarbonEasy
Uni KnotAlmost anything, and joining two linesBraid, monofilament, fluorocarbonEasy to moderate
FG KnotBraid to leaderBraid to mono or fluoro leaderHard
Non-Slip Loop KnotLures that need free movementMonofilament, fluorocarbonModerate

How to tie each knot

Palomar Knot

Easy

Braid to hook, lure or swivel

The line passes through the eye doubled, so the knot grips braid against itself rather than relying on coils biting into a slick surface. That doubled pass is why it is the default braid knot — and why it is hard to tie badly.

Step by step

  1. 1Double about 6 inches of line and pass the doubled loop through the hook eye.
  2. 2Tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled line, keeping the hook hanging in the middle. Do not let the strands twist around each other.
  3. 3Pass the loop back over the entire hook or lure.
  4. 4Wet the knot, then pull the tag and the standing line together so it seats neatly against the eye.
  5. 5Trim the tag, leaving a short stub rather than cutting flush.

Where it falls down: The whole lure or hook has to pass through the loop, so it is impractical with large lures or anything carrying multiple treble hooks.

Improved Clinch Knot

Easy

Mono or fluoro to terminal tackle

The twists lock against one another and the tag is secured back through the loop — that final tuck is what the word 'improved' refers to. Mono and fluoro have enough memory and surface friction for those coils to grip.

Step by step

  1. 1Pass the line through the hook eye, leaving about 6 inches of tag.
  2. 2Wrap the tag around the standing line 5 to 7 times — more turns on lighter line, fewer on heavy.
  3. 3Pass the tag back through the small loop sitting just above the eye.
  4. 4Now pass the tag through the large loop you have just formed. This step is what makes it 'improved'; skip it and the knot is materially weaker.
  5. 5Wet it, then pull the standing line so the coils draw up evenly against the eye. Trim the tag.

Where it falls down: Prone to slipping on braid. Use more wraps on light line and fewer on heavy line: thick line will not seat properly with too many turns.

Uni Knot

Easy to moderate

Almost anything, and joining two lines

A sliding barrel of wraps that tightens onto itself under load. One uni ties to terminal tackle; two unis tied facing each other join two lines, which is the standard way to attach a leader without special tools.

Step by step

  1. 1Pass the line through the eye and double it back alongside the standing line to form a loop.
  2. 2Wrap the tag around both strands and through the loop 5 to 6 times.
  3. 3Wet the knot and pull the tag to snug the coils together into a barrel.
  4. 4Pull the standing line to slide the finished knot down against the eye. Trim the tag.
  5. 5To join two lines, tie one uni with each line around the other, then pull the standing lines apart so the two barrels slide together and jam.

Where it falls down: The double uni sits bulkier than an FG knot, so it knocks through the rod guides on a long cast.

FG Knot

Hard

Braid to leader

The braid weaves around the leader so the connection grips by compression along its length instead of forming a bulky knot. The result is extremely thin and passes through the guides almost unnoticed, which is what makes long casts with a leader practical.

Step by step

  1. 1Keep the braid under steady tension — this is the whole trick, and it is why the knot is usually tied with the braid hooked around a foot or the rod butt.
  2. 2Weave the leader alternately over and under the taut braid, 15 to 20 plaits, so the braid tightens onto the leader.
  3. 3Lock the plaits with several half hitches around both lines.
  4. 4Finish with several more half hitches around the braid alone, then trim the leader tag close.
  5. 5Because the plaits carry the load, take the time to check the weave is tight along its whole length before trusting it.

Where it falls down: Genuinely difficult, and much harder in wind or on a moving boat. Learn it at home before you need it.

Non-Slip Loop Knot

Moderate

Lures that need free movement

Leaves a fixed open loop at the eye instead of cinching tight against it, so a jerkbait, jig or streamer can swing on the loop. The difference in action is visible in the water, especially on a slow retrieve or a pause.

Step by step

  1. 1Tie a loose overhand knot in the line about 10 inches from the tag end.
  2. 2Pass the tag through the hook eye and then back through the overhand knot.
  3. 3Wrap the tag around the standing line 4 to 5 times.
  4. 4Bring the tag back through the overhand knot, entering from the same side it exited.
  5. 5Set the loop to the size you want, wet it, then pull the standing line and tag to seat. Trim.

Where it falls down: The loop becomes a weak point if tied carelessly, and it is the wrong choice when you want locked-down, direct contact with the lure.

Why we do not print knot strength percentages

You will find pages ranking these knots by percentage of line strength retained. Those figures disagree with each other, sometimes by twenty points for the same knot, because results shift with line brand and diameter, whether the knot was lubricated, how it was seated, and how the test applied load.

A number we cannot stand behind is worse than no number, so here is the more useful truth: how you tie it matters more than which one you tie. A well-seated improved clinch beats a rushed Palomar every time.

The four things that actually decide it

  1. Lubricate before you seat it.

    Pulling a dry knot tight generates friction heat right where the line will take the load. Wet it first — water or saliva. This matters most on mono and fluoro.

  2. Seat it in one smooth pull.

    Steady and complete, not a series of jerks. A knot that is not fully seated will finish seating itself under the weight of a fish, and it will slip while it does.

  3. Match wrap count to line diameter.

    Thin line needs more wraps to generate grip; heavy line needs fewer or it will not seat at all. The same knot tied identically on 6 lb and 30 lb line is two different knots.

  4. Leave a tag end, and retie often.

    Trimming flush lets the tag pull back into the knot under load. Leave a short tag, and retie after every good fish and any contact with structure — abrasion above the knot is the most common failure of all.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best fishing knot?

There is no single best knot — the right one depends on your line. Use a Palomar for braid to a hook or lure, an improved clinch for monofilament and fluorocarbon to terminal tackle, and a double uni or FG knot to join braid to a leader. A knot that suits your line will out-perform a 'stronger' knot that does not.

Why does my knot keep slipping with braided line?

Braid is slick and has no memory, so knots that hold by coiling against themselves — the improved clinch in particular — can pull through under load. Use a knot that grips braid against itself instead, such as the Palomar, which passes doubled line through the eye.

Should I wet a knot before tightening it?

Yes, on monofilament and fluorocarbon. Drawing a dry knot tight generates friction heat that weakens the line at exactly the point that will take the load. Wet it with water or saliva and seat it in one smooth, steady pull rather than a series of jerks.

How often should I retie?

Retie after any fish of size, after fishing structure or oysters, and any time the last few feet of line feels rough between your fingers. Abrasion above the knot is the most common failure point, and it costs nothing to remove it.

Why do knot strength percentages differ between websites?

Because published tests disagree. Results vary with line brand and diameter, how wet the knot was, how it was seated, and how the test applied load. Rather than repeat a contested figure, we give the structural reason each knot suits a given line and the technique details that decide whether your knot holds.

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