Important Fishing Knots

The best tackle, the stoutest line and the deadliest lure are only as good as the weakest knot in your rig. Choosing the right knot for a specific purpose may seem daunting, but when you narrow your options to a few proven, trustworthy knots, you can’t go too far wrong. Learn a few and learn them well and concentrate on fishing.

The following gallery includes eight essential fishing knots and proper tying instructions that will handle just about any line, leader and lure configuration you’ll encounter. Learn these and rest assured you’ll always be well connected. And if you want to expand your knot knowledge, pick up a pocket copy of Joe Mahler’s _Essential Knots and Rigs for Salt Water here.

Albright Knot

Developed by legendary Keys tarpon guide Jimmy Albright. the Albright knot has a number of uses but it is most commonly used to attach monofilament or fluorocarbon leader to wire leader, or light mono to heavier mono. It is among the sleekest of knots. When tying the Albright with single-strand wire, you may want to use a haywire twist for added security.

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Bimini Twist

Although generally associated with big game leaders, this is an excellent choice for forming a double line to connect to much larger diameter mono. The Bimini is the only knot that tests stronger than the line itself. The knot also acts as a shock absorber, giving slightly under sudden pressure and lessening the chance of line breaking. A 20-twist Bimini is shown here, but more twists (sometimes up to 60) will add more shock absorption.

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** TIP:** Instead of making a 3-turn half hitch, make six turns. Now, instead of tightening, grasp the loop formed by the half hitches and “unwrap,” placing the newly-formed coils close together, snug against the bottom of the Bimini. Tighten by pulling the tag.

Double Uni Knot

The uni knot is marvelous in its flexibility. In this case, we can use a doubled main line and attach it to a heavier-diameter leader. This same doubling technique can be used when tying other knots, such as the blood or surgeon’s.

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Snell Knot

This snell knot will keep the hook aligned with the leader. Snell knots are ideal for circle hooks with offset eyes when using live bait. Some anglers swear by the fast-snell knot when tying on circles for large gamefish such as tarpon.

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Haywire Twist

The haywire twist is the go-to connection when targeting toothy critters with single-strand wire leaders. It is versatile and can be used on either end of the leader, but care must be used when breaking off the tag ends to avoid sharp, potentially dangerous stubs of wire.

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Improved Clinch Knot

The improved clinch knot, to me, is the ’57 Chevy of knots. Although there are sleeker and stronger knots, this one is the classic. The improved clinch works well with both monofilament and flourocarbon when properly tied, seated and tightened. It does not test a strong as some other knots, but many pros favor it because they can ties it quickly and more consistently than other, more complicated knots.

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The Non-Slip Loop

A loop knot allows the most movement and the non-slip is the easiest and best of all loops. When tied properly, the tag points toward the hook and is less likely to pick up grass or other flotsam. In my opinion, the smaller the loop, the better.

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Bristol Knot

The Bristol Knot (also called No-name Knot) provides a streamlined connection between a double line and leader that passes through the rod guides smoothly. It is highly effective for attaching super-braid double line to a monofilament leader. It also is the quickest way to attach leader material to a class tippet loop when fly fishing.

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