Fishing knots: the five you need to know, with step-by-step diagrams

What is the weakest point of a fishing line? Not the line, nor the hook, but the knot that joins them. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ guide puts it plainly: a good knot retains more than 90% of the line’s strength, while a poor one keeps less than half [2]. In other words, badly tied 8 lb line breaks at under 4 lb. Five knots cover most needs; here they are, in the order anglers usually learn them. To choose the hook you tie on, see hook sizes.

Three rules for every knot

1. Wet the line before tightening. New York State’s I FISH NY programme repeats it for every knot [1], and Take Me Fishing advises lubricating the lines before pulling a double uni tight [4].
2. Tighten slowly by pulling the standing line, while keeping tension on the tag end [2].
3. Trim the tag end once the knot is tight, without cutting into the knot itself [1, 2].

For knots with turns, the number of wraps depends on the line’s weight. The Illinois guide advises six turns with light line, 2 to 6 lb breaking strain (about 0.9 to 2.7 kg), five turns with medium line, 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg), and four turns with heavy line, 14 to 20 lb (6.4 to 9.1 kg) [2]. Thicker line holds better with fewer turns, which bed down more neatly.

The improved clinch, the classic

This is the knot most people learn first, to tie on a hook, lure, swivel or fly, in freshwater or saltwater [1]. Pass the tag end through the eye, leaving at least 6 inches (15 cm) of line, wrap it around the standing line, bring it back through the small loop formed next to the eye, then through the big loop that move has just created: that last pass is what makes it the improved clinch rather than the plain clinch [1, 2]. Wet it, tighten by pulling the standing line, and trim [2].

Enlarge diagram

The Palomar, strong and quick to retie

The Palomar is tied with doubled line, which makes it both strong and simple: the Illinois guide credits it with ‘maximum strength and versatility’ [2], and I FISH NY rates it as very handy if you change hooks or lures often [1]. Double about 6 inches (15 cm) of line, pass this loop through the eye, tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled line, hook hanging below the loop, then pass the loop over the hook and tighten by pulling on the doubled line [1, 2]. The one catch: the loop must be big enough for the lure or hook to pass through [2].

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The uni knot, the all-rounder

The uni knot, also known as the grinner, is a dependable knot for tying nylon monofilament to a hook or swivel; some anglers find it easier to tie than the improved clinch, and just as dependable, notes I FISH NY [1]. Pass the tag end through the eye, double it back along the standing line, lay a loop over the doubled line, then make six turns around both strands, inside the loop. Wet it, pull the tag end to snug up the turns, and slide the knot down to the eye [1].

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The double uni, to join two lines

To join your main line to a leader, or repair a broken line, the double uni is an excellent choice: it’s two uni knots tied back to back, which slide together as you tighten, explains Take Me Fishing, the US foundation for recreational fishing and boating [4]. It even works between different lines, braid with monofilament or fluorocarbon [4].

Overlap the two lines by a good length, at least a foot (30 cm) to start with [4]. With the left-hand line, form a loop, make five turns around the other line inside the loop, and snug it without pulling tight; do the same with the right-hand line, in the opposite direction, three turns being enough with a thick leader [4]. Wet the lines, pull them in opposite directions: the knots slide together and tighten. Trim the tags: the finished knot looks like a small barrel [4].

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The simple loop, for a weight or a rig

Sometimes you need a loop at the end of the line, to hang a weight. The simplest takes a second: double 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) of line at the end, tie an overhand knot with the doubled part, and trim the tag close to the knot [1]. I FISH NY describes it for saltwater fishing, where it’s used to attach a sinker [1]. For a loop in the middle of the line, to add a hook on a dropper, there’s the dropper loop, which takes longer to learn [1].

Before you cast: check your knot

• Pull hard on the knot before casting: better it fails in your hands than on a fish.
• Look at the turns: they should be tight and neatly stacked, with no loop sticking out.
• Retie the knot after a fish, a snag, or if the line near the knot looks whitened or twisted.

Learn them at home with a hook with the point cut off, or a ring, and a length of cord, then with your real line: that’s how the I FISH NY programme teaches them to children, on boards fitted with eyelets [1]; Colorado State University Extension even suggests practising the improved clinch and the Palomar on a paper clip [3]. Before your next trip, check the local rules too, starting with the Fischereischein in Germany or the fishing card in France and, at sea, the minimum landing sizes.

Worth watching

Take Me Fishing, the US recreational fishing foundation quoted in the article, ties the improved clinch step by step in under two minutes: the classic knot for a hook, lure or swivel.

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Arnaud Couderc

Fact-checking, regulations and safety

Arnaud Couderc reviews our contributors’ articles and writes for Outfarer about regulations, safety, fishing, the sea and outdoor pursuits. He traces every rule back to its official text and every figure to its source, so that you set off with sound benchmarks.

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