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Line-To-Terminal
Tackle Knots
Advised by Maxima
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Improved Clinch
Knot
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This is
probably the most common of all fishing knots, perhaps
owing to its simplicity. You can increase the strength
by doubling the line when you tie this knot.
(1) Pull the line through the eye and double back,
making five turns around the standing line.
(2) Holding the coils, pull the tag end through the loop
closest to the eye, then back through the big loop you
just created.
(3) Slide the knot tight and trim the tag end. |
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Palomar Knot
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One of the
strongest, most durable and easiest knots to tie,
recommended for almost any application, except extremely
heavy leader lines.
(1) Double about six inches of line and pass it through
the eye.
(2) Tie an overhand knot.
(3) Pass the hook, lure or swivel through the loop.
(4) Tighten the knot and trim the tag end. Make sure the
two lines in the eye are parallel. If they are crossed,
cut the knot and re-tie. |
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Uni-Knot
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A strong,
versatile knot which can also be tied to form an
end-loop that tightens down to a conventional knot once
you hook a fish.
(1) Run
six inches of line through the eye and fold it back to
make two parallel lines.
(2)
Bring the tag end back toward the eye and make six
spiral wraps around the two parallel lines.
(3)
Snug the knot; to leave a loop, hold the knot at the
point where you want it while you pull on the standing
line.
(4) If
you don’t want a loop, slide the knot to eye. Trim the
tag end. |
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Snelling a Hook
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“Snelling”
is essentially a Uni-Knot tied around a hook shank.
Where a hook has an offset eye, this knot allows for an
efficient “straight pull” of the hook’s point.
(1) Thread
the line through the hook eye about six inches. Form a
loop and hold it against the shank of the hook.
(2)
Make five or six turns through the loop and around the
hook shank.
(3)
Close the knot and tighten by pulling the standing line
in one direction and the hook in the other. Trim the tag
end. |
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Line-To-Line
Knots
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Blood Knot
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One of the
best knots for splicing two monofilament lines of
similar diameter — or for joining two
dissimilar-diameter lines by doubling the lighter of the
two.
(1)
Overlap the two parallel lines by 12 inches total. Take
five wraps on one side and pull the end back through
between the two strands.
(2)
Repeat on the other side, pulling the other end through
the strands in the opposite direction.
(3)
Pull the two tag ends slowly to gather the knot, and
(4)
once gathered neatly, pull the standing line to tighten
the knot. Trim the tag ends. |
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Surgeon's Knot
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This
easy-to-tie knot is popular for joining a heavy
monofilament leader to a lighter monofilament main line.
(1) Lay
six to eight inches of line and leader parallel and
overlapping.
(2)
Using the two lines, tie an overhand knot.
(3)
Proceed to tie a second overhand knot.
(4)
Pull both lines in opposing directions to gather and
tighten the knot. Trim tag ends. |
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Nail Knot
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Designed
for splicing a monofilament leader to a fly line. As the
name implies, a nail is needed to tie this knot,
although a toothpick or straw can be substituted.
(1) Lay
eight to 10 inches of leader and fly line overlapping
and parallel to each other, with a six-penny nail
in-between.
(2)
Using the leader line, loop up to eight coils back
around the fly line, the nail and the leader. Using the
nail as a guide, run the leader line back under the
coils.
(3)
Hold the loosely-gathered knot with one hand as you
withdraw the nail with the other hand.
(4)
Pull on both ends of the leader line to tighten the
knot. Trim the tag ends of the leader and the fly line. |
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Albright Knot
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This is
one of the most reliable means of joining two
monofilament lines that are of dissimilar diameter.
(1) Create
a loop in the heavier monofilament line. Pass about 10
inches of lighter line through the loop.
(2)
Take12 tight wraps back around the heavier strands and
the standing portion of the lighter line.
(3)
Pass the tag end of the lighter line out through the
loop on the opposite side of where it entered.
(4)
Hold the two heavy mono strands securely as you
alternately pull on the tag end and standing part of the
lighter line to begin tightening the knot.
(5)
Seat the knot by pulling on the standing parts of both
lines. Trim the tag ends. |
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Loop Knots
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Surgeon’s End
Loop
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One of the
simplest and quickest ways of creating double lines for
splicing to heavy leader material or for tying directly
to terminal tackle.
(1) Double
the end of the main line to form a loop, with the amount
you double determining the size of the loop. Tie an
overhand knot.
(2)
With the loop still open, bring the double line through
again.
(3)
Pull the standing line and loop in opposite directions
to gather and tighten the knot. Trim the tag end. Once
this knot is tied, create a dropper by
(4)
snipping loop. Then, for drift fishing,
(5) use
the shorter of the two strands for a weight, the other
for a hook;
(6)
vice versa for vertical presentations. |
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Spider Hitch
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Though a
bit more complicated than the Surgeon’s End Loop, this
is also an easy way to create a loop or double line.
(1)
Double the end of the main line and bring the end of the
double line around to form a small loop of double line,
holding it between your thumb and index finger.
(2)
Wrap the larger double line loop four to five times
around thumb and small loop; then
(3)
pull remainder of larger loop through the smaller loop
so wraps will unwind off of thumb.
(4)
Hold the main line and tag end while you pull the double
line to gather and tighten the knot. Trim the tag end. |
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Dropper Loop
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This is a
good knot for creating one or more loops in a leader (or
main line) for attaching hooks, jigs or a sinker.
(1) Form a
loop to the size you desire.
(2)
Twist the loop around the main line eight times.
(3)
Reach through the center of the twists and pull the loop
through.
(4)
Hold the loop with your teeth (be careful not to nick
the line) while you pull on both ends of the main line
to tighten the knot. |
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Double Line
Leader Knot
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Bimini Twist
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The
strongest loop knot of all — but also the most difficult
to tie — the Bimini Twist is used to create double line
for pursuing strong saltwater fish with relatively light
line. These directions are for creating a double line of
five feet or less. Two people may be required for
anything longer. You will need to practice this knot a
lot to get it right.
(1)
Measure a loop slightly more than twice the footage you
want for the double line. Holding the standing line and
tag end together, twist the loop about 20 times. |
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(2) Sit
down and put your legs into the loop and apply outward
pressure. At the same time, pull out on the standing
line and tag ends to force the twists tightly together.
(3)
Maintaining leg pressure, hold the standing line in one
hand with the tension slightly off vertical. With the
other hand, move the tag end to a right angle from the
twists and gradually ease tension. The tag line should
begin to roll over the twists.
(4)
Continue outward leg pressure on the loop. Steer the tag
end into a tight downward spiral over the twists.
(5)
Continue to maintain leg pressure once the tag end
reaches the bottom of the twists. With the hand that has
been holding the standing end, place index finger in
crotch of line where loop joins knot to prevent slippage
of last turn. Take a half-hitch with tag end around one
strand of the loop and pull it tight. |
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(6) With
the half-hitch holding the knot, you can release leg
pressure, but keep the loop stretched out. With the
remaining tag end, take a half-hitch around both strands
of the loop, but do not pull tight.
(7) Take
two more turns around both strands of the loop, winding
inside the bend of the line formed by the loose
half-hitch and toward the main knot. Put the tag end
through the bend of the loose half-hitch created in step
6.
(8)
Pull the tag end to gather and tighten the loops around
the main knot. Trim the tag end. |
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