KNOTS

Which knot do I tie, and does it matter?

Q: Which knot do I tie, and does it matter?

Improved clinch (Line to a hook, lure, or swivel in mono or fluorocarbon.): Five or six wraps around the standing line, then the tag end back through the loop. Cinched down, the coils bind against each other and against the eye.. Palomar (Braid to a hook, swivel, or lure. The default join on a braid main line.): The line passes through the eye twice, so the knot bites the doubled line instead of sliding on it. It keeps almost all of the line's rated strength.. Uni-to-uni (double uni) (Braid to leader, or any two lines of different diameter.): Five to seven wraps of each line, pulled into each other. Two knots meeting in the middle spread the load across both lines instead of one.. Improved albright (Alberto) (Braid to a heavy mono or fluorocarbon shock leader.): Fifteen or twenty wraps up the doubled leader and back down, then a few locking wraps. Slim enough to run through the guides under a heavy cast.. Dropper loop (A hook on a loop standing off the main line, for a double-drop or paternoster rig.): The loop is twisted into the standing line itself, so the hook sits away from the sinker and the weight still fishes the bottom.. Offshore swivel knot (A heavy leader to a swivel when the fish are big: cobia, kings, sharks.): The line passes through the swivel eye twice before the wraps, so the load is doubled at the eye and the knot cannot hinge open under a running fish.. A knot is the weakest point in the setup, and on the Banks it is the one you tie in the wind, with cold hands, in the dark. These six cover every join on a surf rig.

A knot is the weakest point in the setup, and on the Banks it is the one you tie in the wind, with cold hands, in the dark. These six cover every join on a surf rig.

What to use today

Tie this one first

Palomar — braid to hook or swivel

Braid
Hook / hardware
Schematic — not to scale

Double about six inches of line and pass the loop through the eye.
Tie a loose overhand knot in the doubled line, leaving the loop open.
Pass the loop over the hook, or over the whole swivel, and around behind the eye.
Wet the knot and pull the standing line to cinch the overhand down onto the eye.

Schematic, not to scale. The strip at the top of this card names the knot to tie first for today's wind.

Right now

Reading the buoys and the tide station for knots…

Six knots for an OBX surf rig

This table is the guide. It does not change with the weather, which makes it the part worth printing and keeping in the truck.

Open any knot below for a schematic of the tying sequence, with the wraps drawn in full and numbered to match the steps.

Six knots for an OBX surf rig
Knot	Use	Why it holds
Improved clinchLine to a hook, lure, or swivel in mono or fluorocarbon.Five or six wraps around the standing line, then the tag end back through the loop. Cinched down, the coils bind against each other and against the eye.	Line to a hook, lure, or swivel in mono or fluorocarbon.	Five or six wraps around the standing line, then the tag end back through the loop. Cinched down, the coils bind against each other and against the eye.The knot most anglers learn first, and still the right one for a mono leader.
Show the diagram & stepsHide the diagram & steps Leader / mono Hook / hardware Schematic — not to scale Thread the tag end through the eye of the hook, lure, or swivel. Wrap the tag end around the standing line five or six times, working away from the eye. Pass the tag end back through the small loop that sits at the eye. Wet the knot, then pull the standing line to slide the wraps down against the eye and cinch it tight.
PalomarBraid to a hook, swivel, or lure. The default join on a braid main line.The line passes through the eye twice, so the knot bites the doubled line instead of sliding on it. It keeps almost all of the line's rated strength.	Braid to a hook, swivel, or lure. The default join on a braid main line.	The line passes through the eye twice, so the knot bites the doubled line instead of sliding on it. It keeps almost all of the line's rated strength.Fast to tie, and the one to double-check when you are casting heavy in a wind.
Show the diagram & stepsHide the diagram & steps Braid Hook / hardware Schematic — not to scale Double about six inches of line and pass the loop through the eye. Tie a loose overhand knot in the doubled line, leaving the loop open. Pass the loop over the hook, or over the whole swivel, and around behind the eye. Wet the knot and pull the standing line to cinch the overhand down onto the eye.
Uni-to-uni (double uni)Braid to leader, or any two lines of different diameter.Five to seven wraps of each line, pulled into each other. Two knots meeting in the middle spread the load across both lines instead of one.	Braid to leader, or any two lines of different diameter.	Five to seven wraps of each line, pulled into each other. Two knots meeting in the middle spread the load across both lines instead of one.The workhorse junction when the braid has to meet a mono leader.
Show the diagram & stepsHide the diagram & steps Braid Leader / mono Schematic — not to scale Overlap the braid and the leader by about a foot, tag ends pointing opposite ways. Wrap the braid tag five to seven times around both lines and back through the loop. Wrap the leader tag five to seven times the other way, back through its own loop. Wet both knots and pull the standing lines apart so the two coils slide together and lock.
Improved albright (Alberto)Braid to a heavy mono or fluorocarbon shock leader.Fifteen or twenty wraps up the doubled leader and back down, then a few locking wraps. Slim enough to run through the guides under a heavy cast.	Braid to a heavy mono or fluorocarbon shock leader.	Fifteen or twenty wraps up the doubled leader and back down, then a few locking wraps. Slim enough to run through the guides under a heavy cast.Worth the extra minute when the weight is 5 oz and up.
Show the diagram & stepsHide the diagram & steps Braid Leader / mono Schematic — not to scale Double the leader into a long, narrow loop. Pass the braid through the loop. Wrap the braid fifteen to twenty times up the doubled leader and back down. Add a few locking wraps with the tag, wet the knot, and pull it down hard so the braid bites the doubled leader.
Dropper loopA hook on a loop standing off the main line, for a double-drop or paternoster rig.The loop is twisted into the standing line itself, so the hook sits away from the sinker and the weight still fishes the bottom.	A hook on a loop standing off the main line, for a double-drop or paternoster rig.	The loop is twisted into the standing line itself, so the hook sits away from the sinker and the weight still fishes the bottom.The knot behind every two-hook bottom rig.
Show the diagram & stepsHide the diagram & steps Leader / mono Hook / hardware Schematic — not to scale Form a loop in the standing line and twist it five or six times. Push the top of the loop through the opening that appears below the twist. Pass the loop over the hook, or the hook through the loop, so the hook hangs on it. Pull the standing line to set the loop standing off the main line.
Offshore swivel knotA heavy leader to a swivel when the fish are big: cobia, kings, sharks.The line passes through the swivel eye twice before the wraps, so the load is doubled at the eye and the knot cannot hinge open under a running fish.	A heavy leader to a swivel when the fish are big: cobia, kings, sharks.	The line passes through the swivel eye twice before the wraps, so the load is doubled at the eye and the knot cannot hinge open under a running fish.Heavy-gear insurance, not a knot you tie every cast.
Show the diagram & stepsHide the diagram & steps Leader / mono Hook / hardware Schematic — not to scale Pass the line through the swivel eye, then through it a second time. Wrap the tag end around the doubled line five or six times, working away from the eye. Pass the tag end back through the loop at the eye. Wet the knot and pull the standing line to cinch the wraps against the eye.

Matching the knot to the line

Matching the knot to the line
Line	What it does	Where you tie it
Braid main line	Slippery and thin. It needs a knot that doubles the line through the eye (palomar) or wraps it many times (uni).Any surf reel spooled with braid, 20-30 lb.	Any surf reel spooled with braid, 20-30 lb.
Mono or fluorocarbon	Holds well in a clinch and stretches, so a snug, wet knot matters more than a clever one.Leaders and shock leaders, pier and boat gear.	Leaders and shock leaders, pier and boat gear.
The leader junction	The weak point of every heavy setup. Tie it wet, pull it hard, and check it after every snag.Wherever the braid meets the shock leader.	Wherever the braid meets the shock leader.
Hook and swivel eyes	A hard, narrow edge. A knot that doubles the line through it survives more casts than one that does not.Every rig, every session.	Every rig, every session.

Four rules for a knot that holds

Wet every knot before you cinch it. Friction burns the line, and a burned knot breaks at well under its rated strength.
Keep the wrap count the same every time: five to seven for braid, fewer for heavy mono. A knot you tie the same way is a knot you can trust.
Pull it hard before you cast. A knot that is going to slip slips in your hands, not on a fish.
Retie after every fish, every snag, and every heavy cast. Trim the tag close enough to clear the guides, but never into the knot itself.

Knot cheat sheet

Knot cheat sheet
Job	Knot	Line
Hook or lure to mono	Improved clinchMono or fluoro, 8-30 lb	Mono or fluoro, 8-30 lb
Hook or lure to braid	PalomarBraid, 20-65 lb test	Braid, 20-65 lb test
Braid to leader	Uni-to-uniLeader: mono or fluoro, 20-40 lb	Leader: mono or fluoro, 20-40 lb
Braid to shock leader	Improved albrightBraid to 50-80 lb mono	Braid to 50-80 lb mono
Hook above the sinker	Dropper loopMono or fluoro leader	Mono or fluoro leader
Heavy leader to a swivel	Offshore swivel knotMono, 60 lb and up	Mono, 60 lb and up