THE FISHING AUTHORITY IN DELAWARE

Fishing Knots

Here are some tips for tying knots of any kind:

• Practice. Take a length of fishing line, a hook with the point cut off or buried into a cork, and practice. Practice until you can tie each knot correctly.
• Always wet your knots with saliva as you pull them tight. This prevents damage to the line and allows the knot to pull tight.
• Trim knots closely with a nail clipper. A good knot, pulled tight, will not come loose. Close trimming prevents the knot from catching snags or weeds. Do not burn the tag end—heat damages the line and knot.
• When you're learning knots, the "tag end" (sometimes called the "working end") is the end of the line used to tie the knot. The "standing end" is that part of the line coming from your fishing reel.
• sLine is cheap. Always leave a foot or more of the tag end for tying knots so that you can tie them properly.
• Pull up all ends when tightening the knot. With some knots this will be only the standing end and tag end; with other knots it might be three or four ends.
• Once you find a rig that's working (a combination of weights, hooks, swivels or floats used for a particular type of fishing) don't lose it.
• Replace the line and retie your rigs at least every year.

Your First Knot: The Arbor Knot

The Arbor Knot is used to tie new line to the reel. It's the first knot you need to learn. It doesn't have to be that strong. And it's easy to learn. That makes it a pretty good knot to start off with.

Run the line around the spool hub (arbor), then take the tag end around the standing part of the line and tie an ordinary, everyday, overhand knot. Tie a second overhand knot in the tag end as close as possible to the first one. Pull on the standing part of the line and jam the two knots together against the spool of your reel.

Knots for Hooks, Lures and Rigs

These knots are tested and proven to offer at least 90 percent of the original line strength when tying tackle (lures, swivels, sinkers, bobbers, etc.) to a line.

You don't have to learn all of them. But sometimes learning a complicated knot can be challenging and rewarding. On the other hand, learn the ones you're comfortable with to enjoy your hobby.

Improved Clinch Knot

The improved clinch knot is a knot that is used for securing a fishing line to the fishing lure, but can also affix fishing line to a swivel, clip, or artificial fly.

It offers up to 95 percent of the original line strength. The key is to make five turns of the tag end around the standing end before running the tag end back through the formed loop.

As always, start with plenty of line. This knot is fairly quick and easy to tie and really popular. Use for lines up to 20-pound test.

Palomar Knot

This knot is good for all kinds of light fishing lines (especially braid which will not pull out of this knot) and retains much of the original line strength.

Over 95 percent in strength, the Palomar knot is good for lines up to and over 20-pound test. Because it's double-run through the lure or hook eye, knotted, and then looped over the hook or lure, it may tangle easier. But it's still a favorite knot of many anglers.

Uni-Knot

One of the most reliable knots for tying an eyed hook to a leader, the Uni Knot is effective with most types and sizes of line. Don't be afraid to cut the end short. It'll hold.

Non-Slip Loop Knot

It creates a fixed loop so a hook can move freely. It is best with larger lines where a tight knot, such as the Improved Clinch can impede hook, bait or lure movement.

Snelling an Eyed Hook

Snelling means tying the knot away from the eye of the hook. It's used often in sea fishing, but works well for any type of fishing to increase strength and improve catch rates with bigger fish.

Spade-End Knot

A spade hook has no eye. So you have to tie a knot next to the flat, bent end of the hook shank. Spade hooks are small. So don't worry, it will hold.

Line Joining Knots

Tying line to line is critical. And when it's called for (for example, when you have a killer rig on 15-pound test line and you want to attach it to the 20-pound test line on your reel without having to retie the whole rig) you need a really good knot. These knots are tested and reliable for joining two pieces of fishing line.

Blood Knot

A blood knot (Barrel knot) is most usefully employed for joining sections of monofilament nylon line while maintaining a high portion of the line's inherent strength. Other knots used for this purpose can cause a substantial loss of strength. In fly fishing, this serves to build a leader of gradually decreasing diameter with an easy cast fly line attached at the large diameter end and the fly or hook at the small diameter end. The principal drawback to the blood knot is the dexterity required to tie it.

In tying the blood knot, the two lines to be joined are overlapped for 6-8 cm with the short ends of the two lines in opposite directions. The short end of one line is then wrapped 4-6 times around the second line and the remaining portion of the first short end brought back and passed between the lines at the beginning of the wraps. The short end of the second line is then wrapped 4-6 times around the first line and the end of this line brought back and passed through what is now an oval space between the first wrap of each set.

The above method has been called by Stanle Barnes (Anglers' Knots in Gut & Nylon, 2nd ed., 1951) "outcoil", and is contrasted with the method that resembles the finished knot from the start, "incoil". The images here are incorrect to present the finished knot as having its free/"tag" ends go from the center of the knot to the extreme ends; they in fact will immediately coil around the standing parts towards the extreme ends. In fishing line, and in other material if not deliberately set snug and maybe re-set after some initial tensioning, the outcoil form will transform into the incoil form.

The lines are moistened and the wraps tightened by pulling on the long ends of the line. This causes the wraps to tighten and compress, creating 2 short sections of 'barrel', which look much like a 'hangman's knot', that slide together. The short ends of the line are then trimmed close to the wraps, or one of the ends may be left intact to be used for a second fly or lure, called a 'dropper.'

This knot requires five turns of line, with each tag end around the overlapped standing end of line. Make one series of turns and tuck the tag end between the two lines. Then repeat with the second line. You can even tie together lines of different diameter. It's good for tying 15-pound to 20-pound test line but not so great for tying
15-pound to 50-pound test line.

Double Uni-Knot

It's two knots tied back to back, then placed together to form a strong connection. Leave plenty of line at the end of the knot on each piece of line you're joining. The ends help pull the two knots into one. Clip ends short after the double knot is created.

Surgeon's Knot

The surgeon's knot is a simple modification to the reef knot. It adds an extra twist when tying the first throw, forming a Double overhand knot, thus adding friction which makes the knot more secure. This knot is named for the fact that it is commonly used by surgeons in situations where it is important to maintain tension on a suture. Surgeon's knots are used in fly fishing as well as in tying quilts.

This knot makes it easy to join two lines, but one line must be short, since you have to bring the one end through the formed overhand loop. As with other lines, use a lot of overlapping line so that you can pull on all four ends to make it properly tight. Work with both lines together as you tie this, and make sure both loops are the same size to assure a strong knot.

Albright Knot

One of the most reliable knots for tying together two lines of unequal diameter, the Albright works well when you have to tie the 15-pound test line on your rig to the 20-pound test you currently have on your reel spool or when tying monofilament backing to a fly line.

Loop Knots

Use loop knots to tie a line to the end of a rig or to make an interconnecting system for attaching tackle parts.

Surgeon's Loop

Similar to the Surgeon's Knot for joining lines. It is tied the same as the Surgeon's knot but with a double strand. As such, this knot does use more line than most. It is a tad bulky but is great for making quick, strong loops at the end of lines and leaders for connecting to other loops.

Fold over the tag end of line and form the knot using both strands to make a double overhand knot. Pull up carefully on both ends and the loop.

Bimini Twist Loop

We'll go out on a limb here. This knot provides nearly 100 percent of original line strength. It's like a hangman's knot. It might take a lot of practice, but it's very, very effective.

The Bimini twist knot is used for offshore trolling and sportfishing and the creation of double-line leaders. A Bimini twist creates a loop at the end of the line in which it is tied. The loop secured at the top with a long barrel of coiled line created by the tying process. A Bimini twist loop is stronger than the line itself. It is one of the rare knots that does not weaken the line in which it is tied. It is a simple method of doubling your fishing line in order to prevent chaffing or to create the necessary loop in order to attach a wind-on leader without using strength in the mainline. Most people in the past have said the more turns the better.

Figure-Eight Loop

This loop knot is easy to tie. Fold over the tag end of line (leave lots of line for this) and then form a figure-eight bend with the two lines, ending by going through the first loop. As with the Surgeon's Loop, pull tight on the loop and both tag ends.

In-Line Dropper

Use this knot to make a loop in the middle of your line to attach a hook or another rig. This knot is often used on multi-hook fishing lines. Fold the line back over itself to make a loop and then twist the two overlapping line sections four or five times. Pull the loop through this center twist. Pull tight.