Which knot is “best”? Naturally, that depends entirely upon the application. And quite often it seems like anglers are a bit overly concerned about exactly which knot is best for what purpose. Truth be told you can learn a few critical ones, stick with them, and stop fretting. Here are some top picks that will cover all the bases.
- Fisherman’s Knot (Improved Clinch) – This works great for any line-to-hardware connection, be it a swivel or a hook eye. Some folks don’t like it for going direct to a lure, but then there’s the…
- Loop Knot – The claim to fame here is that having the loop in the end of your leader rather than snugging the knot down directly against a lure eye gives the lure more “freedom of motion.” I’ve experimented with this to the enth degree (including diect comparison with multiple lines and lures in a swimming pool), and I honestly can’t tell one iota of difference. However, the bottom line is that the loop knot makes a great leader-to-lure connection so there’s certainly nothing “wrong” with using it all the time.
- Uni-to-Uni – Use this one for line-to-leader connections. Many sharpies will argue that you lose a few percentage points of breaking strength as compared to some other knots, and this may be true. However, it’s strong enough that your lure breaks off more often than the line-to-leader breaks, and most people find that it’s simpler to learn and faster to tie than other options.
- Spider Hitch (the “Hillbilly Bimini”) – Use this one to put a loop into the end of your line, or to create a long double-line.
- Palomar – Use a palomar anytime you’re connecting braid to hardware like a swivel or a clip. Other knots will slip on braid, but not this one.
Why didn’t we explain how to tie each of these here? As you probably already know, YouTube is a heck of a lot better for watching and learning new knots. At least now, however, we hope you know which ones to be interested in. And while other knots may be best for specific purposes, with these in your arsenal you can attach just about anything—and then catch just about anything.