The 20 Best Fishing Knots for Pros or Beginners

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Professional fishing instructor Michael Reynolds shares insight into the most common fishing knots

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Albright Knot

2 Arbor Knot

3 Bimini Twist Knot

4 Half Blood Knot

5 Davy Knot

6 Double Turle Knot

7 Dropper Loop Knot

8 FG Knot

9 Improved Clinch Knot

10 Nail Knot

11 Non-Slip Mono Knot

12 Palomar Knot

13 Perfection Loop

14 Rapala Knot

15 San Diego Jam Knot

16 Snell Knot

17 Surgeon’s Join Knot

18 Surgeon’s Loop Knot

19 Trilene Knot

20 Uni Knot

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Co-authored by Dan Hickey

Last Updated: December 23, 2025 Fact Checked

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Knot tying is a vital skill to know for fishing. Some knots are stronger than others, and some knots are better suited for certain types of lines. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the most common and useful fishing knots and how to tie them, with tips from professional fishing instructor Michael Reynolds and outdoor educator Britt Edelen.

Common Fishing Knots Chart

Professional fishing instructor Michael Reynolds says that many various knots are used in fishing, with some of the most common being the Uni Knot, the Palomar Knot, the Improved Clinch Knot, the San Diego Jam Knot, and more. The fastest, easiest, and strongest knot to tie is the Palomar Knot.

Steps

1

Albright Knot

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1. The Albright Knot is useful for joining different types of fishing line together. Use this knot when you need to tie monofilament lines to braided lines or braided lines to wire lines, for example. It’s also a great knot for joining monofilaments with noticeably different widths. To tie it:

   • Form a loop in the larger of the 2 lines.
   • Pass the end of the other line through the loop and wrap it neatly around itself and the loop 10 times.
   • Pass the end back through the loop next to itself.
   • Lubricate the line with water, your saliva, or Chapstick, then pull the knot tight.
   • Trim any excess line at the ends.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Michael Reynolds is a professional fishing instructor with over 40 years of experience sharing his knowledge with beginners to experienced anglers.

   Britt Edelen is an outdoor educator and former Boy Scout with a passion for teaching others about wildlife, survival skills, and the environment.
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2

Arbor Knot

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1. An Arbor Knot attaches your fishing line to the arbor (central spindle) of your reel. Essentially, this knot connects your line directly to the spool to prevent slippage and secure the line. It’s simple, easy to learn, and highly effective. To tie it:

   • Pass your line around the arbor.
   • Take the free end and tie an overhand knot around the line.
   • Tie a second overhand knot in the free end to act as a stopper.
   • Slide the knots down tightly against the arbor.

3

Bimini Twist Knot

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1. The Bimini Twist makes a strong loop for a double-line leader or loop-to-loop connection. This knot can definitely be awkward to tie, but it’s considered one of the strongest fishing knots there is. It can handle sudden, powerful shocks from large fish. It’s most often used to connect the fly line backing to the fly line itself, or to connect heavy leaders to main lines. To tie it:

   • Grab a long tag end (the loose, free end of the line you’re tying).
   • Form a loop in the line and twist it at least 20 times (the more twists, the stronger it is).
   • Use your finger and thumb to compress the twists and wind the tag end up tightly.
   • Hold the knot and secure it with a half-hitch and multi-loop hitch (keeping the tag end tucked between the lines).
   • Tighten the knot and trim the excess.
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4

Half Blood Knot

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1. This is a reliable knot that attaches hooks, swivels, and clips to your fishing line. It’s easy to tie and ends up looking fairly small once it’s completed. To tie it:

   • Pass the line through the eye of your hook or swivel and bring the tag end back up to form a small loop.
   • Hold the eye still and twist the tag end around the mainline (the long part of the line that’s not actively being tied) 5 or 6 times (more than 6 twists may cause the line to coil when you tighten the knot).
   • Pass the tag end through the small hole at the beginning of the twisted section of the line.
   • Pull the tag end through the hole and lubricate the knot.
   • Hold the mainline down and tighten the knot.
   • Cut the tag end very close to the knot.

5

Davy Knot

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1. A Davy Knot is a small, easy knot that’s great for attaching a hook or fly to your line. The Davy Knot was created in the 1950s by fly fisherman Davy Wotton, who wanted a knot that could be tied extremely quickly using a minimal amount of line. It’s a favorite of fly fishermen today! To tie it:

   • Pass the tippet (a fine, nearly invisible line) through the eye of your hook or fly.
   • Wrap it around the running end and pass it back through the loop to make a half hitch.
   • Continue around and back through the loop a second time.
   • Tighten carefully so the tag end is enclosed by the knot against the eye.
   • Trim the end (if there is excess).
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6

Double Turle Knot

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1. This knot is used to tie a hook or fly to a leader (a short line between the hook and mainline). This strong knot is great for flies with turned-down eyes and allows for a realistic fly movement by letting the leader pull away from the hook. To tie it:

   • Pass the tag end of the line through the eye of your hook or fly.
   • Make 2 large loops, then tie an overhand knot around both loops.
   • Pass the loops over the hook.
   • Tuck the end of the line under the 2 loops.
   • Tighten the loops and knot, then trim the excess line.

7

Dropper Loop Knot

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1. This knot creates a loop in the center of the line that sticks out at a right angle. It’s most often used in your leader or tippet to provide an extra attachment point for an additional fly, but it can sometimes have a hook set on it. To tie it:

   • Make a large loop in the center of the line.
   • Hold the center and wrap the loop around the crossover point 6 times.
   • Open a hole in the center and pass the loop through the hole.
   • Lubricate the knot, hold the loop between your teeth, and pull the knot tight.
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8

FG Knot

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1. The FG Knot is excellent for securing a braided line to a leader. This knot is super strong and valued for its ability to run freely through the guides on your pole. It’s a bit awkward to tie at first, but once you get the hang of it, it can be done quickly and reliably. To tie it:

   • Stretch the braided line tight and alternately wrap the leader first under one side and then under the other.
   • Repeat this wrapping again and again to form a chain of about 12 to 15 double wraps.
   • Lock the wraps with a half hitch and stretch the chain as tight as you can.
   • Finish the knot by tying half hitches around both lines, then again around only the braided line.
   • Lock the knot with a three-turn half hitch, then clip the tag ends of the leader and braided line.

9

Improved Clinch Knot

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1. This popular knot connects a fishing line to a hook, lure, or swivel. The Improved Clinch is one of the most widely used knots and is most often used to connect a leader to a fly. It’s harder to tie in heavy lines, so it’s generally not recommended for lines over 30 pounds (13.6 kg). To tie it:

   • Pass the end of the line through the eye of the hook, fly, or swivel.
   • Wrap it around the standing end for about 5 complete turns.
   • Pass the end back through the loop beside the eye.
   • Pass the end under the final turn.
   • Tighten the knot and trim the excess.
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10

Nail Knot

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1. A Nail Knot reliably joins lines of different diameters. It’s especially useful for attaching your backing to the fly line, and your fly line to the leader or tippet. The name “Nail Knot” comes from how a nail was traditionally inserted as a guide when threading the line. Today, most people use a small section of a straw. To tie it:

   • Overlap the two lines so that the lighter line passes over the heavier line and wraps underneath it at a right angle.
   • Hold the straw and the lines together, and wrap the lighter line around the straw and both lines.
   • Make 6 complete turns, then pass the line through the straw.
   • Tighten the knot around the straw, then pull the straw off the line.
   • Lubricate the line, pull the knot tight, and trim the excess.

11

Non-Slip Mono Knot

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1. The Non-Slip Mono makes a super-strong, fixed loop at the end of a line. The loop doesn’t grip your lure or hook directly, so this knot makes for a flexible attachment and allows for more natural-looking action when you cast. To tie it:

   • Make a loose overhand knot and pass the tag end of the line through the eye of your lure.
   • Pass the end back through the overhand knot.
   • Wrap the tag end around the standing end 5 times, then back through the overhand knot.
   • Lubricate the line, tighten the knot, and trim the excess.
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12

Palomar Knot

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1. The simple Palomar attaches a line to a hook or a fly to a tippet. The Palomar Knot is considered one of the strongest and most reliable fishing knots that leaves the hook free to rotate. It’s especially recommended for braided lines, and with practice, can even be reliably tied in the dark! According to Reynolds, “The fastest, easiest, and strongest knot to tie is the Palomar Knot.” To tie it:

   • Form a bight (U-shaped bend) at the end of the line.
   • Pass the bight through the eye of the hook.
   • Tie an overhand knot with the bight.
   • Pass the bight over the hook and down around the knot.
   • Lubricate the line and pull the standing and tag ends to tighten the knot.
   • Trim the excess at the tag end.

13

Perfection Loop

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1. This nifty knot makes a small loop at the end of a leader that aligns with the standing end. This knot is the easiest way to make a small loop at the end of a leader or tippet that lies perfectly in line with the standing end (the long, inactive part of the line). Two Perfection Loops are also often used to make an easy loop-to-loop connection. To tie it:

   • Form a loop at the end of the line.
   • Form a second loop and lay it on top of the first with the tag end under the standing end.
   • Pass the tag end between the two loops.
   • Pull the top loop through the bottom loop.
   • Lubricate the line and tighten the knot by pulling on the standing end and the new loop.
   • Trim the excess line.
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14

Rapala Knot

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1. The Rapala is a non-slip loop knot that ties directly to the lure. The loop lets the lure move freely and naturally, and is also considered a strong knot (it retains most of the line’s strength). To tie it:

   • Form an overhand knot in the line.
   • Pass the tag end through the eye of the lure and back through the overhand knot.
   • Wrap the end 3 times around the standing end.
   • Pass the end back through the overhand knot, then through the loop you just formed.
   • Lubricate the line and tighten the knot.
   • Trim the excess line.

15

San Diego Jam Knot

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1. The San Diego Jam is a strong knot that attaches the line directly to the hook. This knot is easy to tie while you’re at sea and works well for monofilament, braided, and fluorocarbon fishing lines. It’s also a strong knot that retains most of the strength of the line. To tie it:

   • Pass the tag end of the line through the eye. Hold the lines to keep a loop.
   • Wrap the tag end around the line and the tag end several times. The bigger the line, the fewer turns you need (about 7-8 turns for 10lb line down to 3 turns for 40lb line).
   • Pass the end between the lines near the eye of the hook and then back through the loop parallel to the line.
   • Lubricate the line and tighten the knot carefully so that the turns don't overlap each other.
   • Trim the excess line.
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16

Snell Knot

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1. A Snell Knot ties the leader directly to a baited hook. Originally invented for eyeless hooks, this old knot is still popular today. It wraps around the shank of the hook to align it with the fishing line or leader, which provides a secure connection (especially if the thickness of the eye is greater than the diameter of the line. To tie it:

   • Pass the end of the leader through the eye of the hook, then through again in the same direction.
   • Grip the eye and both parts of the line.
   • Wrap the loop around the shank of the hook 7-8 times.
   • Shrink the loop by pulling on the standing end of the line.
   • Lubricate the line and pull both ends to tighten the knot.
   • Trim any excess line.

17

Surgeon’s Join Knot

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1. The Surgeon’s Join Knot is a secure way to join lines of different thicknesses. This easy-to-tie knot lets you select the size of tippet to suit the size of the fly with the same leader. It’s great “for monofilament to monofilament, or for monofilament to fluorocarbon” lines, according to Reynolds. To tie it:

   • Place the leader and the tippet side by side.
   • Use both lines to make a loop, leaving enough overlap to tie a double overhand knot.
   • Pull both ends through the loop and then through a second time.
   • Lubricate the knot and pull it tight.
   • Trim the ends of the lines.
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18

Surgeon’s Loop Knot

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1. The Surgeon’s Loop is a secure loop at the end of the line for loop-to-loop connections. This knot can be tied quickly and easily at the end of the line and closely resembles a double overhand knot. It can make loop-to-loop connections or be used as a fixed loop to let artificial lures move more naturally. To tie it:

   • Make a bight at the end of the line and tie an overhand knot.
   • Pass the bight through the knot a second time.
   • Adjust the bight to create your desired loop size.
   • Lubricate the line and pull the knot tight.
   • Trim the end of the line.

19

Trilene Knot

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1. This super-strong knot is most used for tying monofilament lines to hooks. The Trilene Knot is a reliable way to secure hooks, swivels, and lures because of its resistance to slippage. It’s especially effective when the thickness of the eye is greater than the diameter of the line. To tie it:

   • Pass the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook twice.
   • Wrap the around the standing end 5-6 times.
   • Thread the end of the line through the original loop near the eye of the hook.
   • Lubricate the knot and pull it tight.
   • Trim the end, leaving about ⅛ inch (0.3 cm) for security.
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20

Uni Knot

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1. Uni Knots are used for snelling, making loops, and making end-to-end joins. The Uni Knot is one of the most versatile fishing knots. It’s often used for Snelling, which is a technique for tying a leader or line directly to a hook for a secure and straight connection. It can also make loops and join lines together, meaning it’s an all-in-one loop for fishermen! To tie it:

   • Pass the end of the line through the eye of the hook.
   • Make a complete loop alongside the standing line.
   • Working inside the loop, wrap the end of the line around both lines 5 times.
   • Lubricate the knot and tighten so the loop spirals
   • Slide the knot to your desired loop size.
   • Pull on the tag end while pulling more gently on the standing line.
   • Trim the end of the line.

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Tips

• Edelen says, "Visualize how you want the knot to end up looking. That way, you don't get bogged down in the middle steps. Just know what the end result looks like, and you can almost always figure out where it should be going based on what the end is."
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• Consider the knot's purpose before choosing which one you're going to use. Edelen advises, "Some knots are just much stronger than others. It’s a common mistake to assume that all knots work the same." Some tasks require tougher knots.
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