Other knots offer the smallest knot size for joining lines and casting through guides on a rod. Most fishing knots are some sort of a slip knot with the rare exceptions like the palomar knot. The best fishing knots are the ones that give you superior knot strength while resisting slipping as the tighten down. We’ve spent many years fishing and tying knots and conferring and collaborating with hundreds of fishing guides, professional tournament anglers and avid fishermen and learned which knots were the common go-to knots for fishing and various applications in fishing. Once you have the knot tied down, grab your lure or hook in one hand the and the mainline in the other hand and give it a hard pull or two or maybe a sharp tug to ensure it’s solid and ready for fishing. Most avid anglers can tie a good knot in a matter of seconds, but you should always slow down on the tightening or cinching step to make sure your knot is neat and so you’re not compromising the line with too much friction. Then slowly apply pressure and cinch the knot but pulling on the tag end and mainline simultaneously until the knot feels snug. To avoid friction and wraps crossing, work the wraps down the line, slowly until they are lined up neatly next to each other. It’s fairly straight forward, but things that are lubricated slide easier than things that are dry. Crossed lines are what will cause most of your knot wear and breaks.

Pulling these wraps together requires not crossing them over one another. Knots are generally slip knots or jam knots, both of which feature a series of twists or wraps and a tag end generally passed through a loop or opening and pulled tight. So it’s important to not only know the fundamentals of good knot tying, but also a series of good knots that serve specific purposes and secure your bait or hook to your line in a manner that can withstand the abuse of not only the fish but the surrounding environment whether that be rocks, wood, metal or thick grass.

Free printable knot tying guide