Tying good fishing knots is very important. Imagine this…
You’ve bought an amazing rod and reel combination. You’ve scouted out the perfect spot. You’ve read reports of people on that spot who have caught the fish you’re targeting. You’ve researched the tides and you’re going to fish a strong incoming tide. You went out early with the cast net and got buckets of baitfish to use for your fishing trip this morning. You’ve packed food. Your kayak is already in the back of the truck. Your wife is sleeping soundly. Your dog is whining, knowing exactly where you’re going, but you’re not taking him!
You’re on the yak and the sun is just coming up. You’re in your spot. You pull a baitfish out of the bucket and you notice your line is a bit frayed. You need to cut some off and re-tie the knot to the Gamakatsu 1/0 hook.
Which knot is the best to use for tying fishing line to your hook?
A Good Knot for Fishing Line is:
- Strong. It won’t snap the line due to the construction of the knot. Some knots can weaken the line.
- Fast. If you’re anything like me, when you’re out on the water and you’re anxious to get your bait in the water because you just KNOW you’re about to hook up to something huge!
- Easy to tie. Sometimes your hands are cold. Sometimes you’re anxious. It’s always better to use a knot that is easy-to-tie because you’ll be more likely to spend the time to tie it than you will if you have to google how to tie a great (but difficult) knot from your kayak.
Best Knots
- Double Palomar Knot – this is the best knot for tying fishing line to a hook. I’ve used this knot countless times, and I’ve not had it fail at the knot. Ever. I like the fact that the line is wrapped around the hook in 2 places. It means to me that the hook is going to be held very strong and there is less chance of abrasion and breaking the line. The Single Palomar Knot is shown in the image at the top of the page. It is nearly as strong as the Double Palomar Knot, but why not do two loops instead of one?
- Uni Knot – this one is fast, easy, and strong. It isn’t the strongest. It isn’t the easiest. But it’s a very good knot that you should know because you can use it for braided line, mono, and fluorocarbon lines.
- Loop Knot – a bit difficult to do, but strong. Some people prefer this one, but for me it’s too much to think about. I guess I haven’t tied them enough to prefer this knot.
Here is a short video showing how to tie the Palomar Knot – the Best Knot for Fishing Line to Hook/lures.
Here is a short video showing how to tie the Uni and Loop Knots.
Finally, One CRUCIAL TIP!
Many people know how to tie one of the knots above and usually the knot is fine, but there is one crucial step you can take to ensure the line is not weakened as you tie the knot. This is especially important with mono or fluorocarbon line.
You must WET THE KNOT before you pull it tight. I think it’s best to put some spit on it, but some people use water. Saliva is slippier, and better in my opinion.
You want to wet it so the line doesn’t bite into itself as the knot is pulled tight, weakening the line in some spots.
Another minor tip to remember is that you don’t want to PINCH the mono or fluoro line when tying the Palomar Knot because you will weaken the line a bit when doing so. Loop it, but do not pinch it down, keep it curved.
In Summary
Choose one of the knots above to use as your main knot for tying on hooks, swivels, lures, sinkers, whatever you’re tying to to your fishing line. They are all strong. They are all reliable. Keep in mind that another weak link in your fishing setup could be your hook. Ensure you use good Gamakatsu, Owner, or Mustad hooks. Inspect your line frequently for abrasions and cut off any bad line and re-tie your hooks and other gear.