Jeep® Sporting Destinations

Knots, Part Two

by Pat Fowler and Keith Breuker

"Nothing is more aggravating than putting everything together for a successful hook-up, then losing a fish due to a poorly tied knot."

Nothing is more aggravating than putting everything together for a successful hook-up, then losing a fish due to a poorly tied knot. We have therefore selected the best knots to cover all the basic connections from fly to reel. While a few are multipurpose, most are best suited for specific situations.

Note: You'll save valuable time on the water by practicing and learning knots in advance. You should practice the knots in this month's section, in addition to those in the first half of this section, featured in last month's Fly Fishers Workshop.

Tippet to Leader and Leader Sections

Surgeon's Knot

Simply a double overhand knot tied with two pieces of line, the surgeon's knot is very easy to tie and is popular for joining tippets to leaders, and for tying finer leader sections.

It is quicker, stronger, and easier to tie than the blood knot but will not allow the line to lie as straight and is therefore not as popular for tying leader sections. It does, however, work better than the blood knot in tying lines that vary greatly in diameter.

With the leader in your left hand and the tippet in your right, overlap about four to six inches of the end of the leader with the end of the tippet. Using your right hand, make an overhand knot with both lines. This will create a loop.

Make a double overhand knot by passing the line and tippet through the loop created in step one. You will now have the tag end of the tippet and the standing part of the leader in your left hand, and the tag end of the leader and standing part of the tippet in your right.

Lubricate the knot and tighten by pulling on all four strands at the same time. Pulling the individual strands before trimming the knot will ensure that it's tightly seated.

Blood Knot (Barrel Knot)

With a little practice, the blood knot is easier to tie than it looks. Many anglers prefer to use it for leader sections because of its smooth, low profile, which allows the knot to travel easily through rod guides. The blood knot, however, doesn't work well for lines that vary greatly in diameter.

Cross both pieces of line at 90-degree angles, forming an X and leaving six inches of tag end for each line. Hold the intersection between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand and make five turns with the tag end on the right side around the standing part of the line.

It is helpful to use the same technique for wrapping as described in the clinch knot: hold the tag end between the third and fourth fingers of the left hand and rotate your hands over and under the standing part of the line as you pass the tag end to your thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Pass the tag end to the other side of the intersection of lines.

Change directions by pinching the intersection of the lines and the tag end that has passed the intersection with your right thumb and forefinger. Make five turns with the remaining tag end around the standing part of the left side. Now pass this tag end through the intersection of the lines, but in the opposite direction of the first tag end.

Lubricate and pull on the standing parts to seat the knot, being careful not to let the tag ends slip out. Until you gain some proficiency, it may be helpful to hold the tag ends in your teeth, without pulling on them, as you tighten the knot.

Dropper to Leader

Fishermen have been using multiple lures or baits on a single line for centuries. Fly fishermen are no exception. By adding a dropper fly to your line you can increase your chances of catching fish.

Clinch Knot

The easiest way to accomplish this is by connecting a second fly to the fly at the end of your tippet.

Using a clinch knot, simply tie a second piece of tippet to the eye or bend of your first fly's hook. Tie your dry fly on first if you intend to use both dry and wet flies. The dry fly will act as a strike indicator if there is a strike on the wet fly.

Dropper Loop Knot

The dropper loop is an excellent choice for attaching a second fly. It can be used as a loop for attaching a second section of line with a loop-to-loop connection, or one end of the loop can be cut by the standing part of the line, leaving a single strand for attaching a fly.

Decide where you want to add the dropper and make a circle in your line. The bigger the circle, the bigger the loop.

While pinching the intersection of the loop, wrap the loop around itself three or four times. Pull the outside edge of the loop through the center of the wraps twice.

Lubricate the knot and pull on the standing part of the line to seat the loop. There is no need to pull on the loop, as it will form itself.

Leader To Fly Line

There are many times when a change in tactics will require you to change your leader. Many anglers who use a knot for this connection will generally replace only their tippet section, or first two leader sections, before replacing a leader. Because the entire leader contributes to the performance of your cast, changing only these sections can decrease your ability to properly present your fly.

To facilitate leader changes, many anglers prefer to use a loop-to-loop connection, and some popular lines and leaders come with loop connectors built in. We offer the loop-to-loop connection here, along with a couple of knots that will allow you to tie loop connections for lines and leaders that come without loops from the manufacturer.

But first we offer the tweed clinch knot, which we believe to be one of the best and easiest knot for attaching the leader to the fly line and the fly line to the backing.

Tweed Clinch Knot

Hold the fly line and leader so that they overlap about eight inches, with the leader or backing in your left hand.

Using both strands, make a one-inch-diameter loop near the end of the fly line.

Hold the loop between your left thumb and forefinger. Bring the tag end of the leader toward you through the loop five times.

Straighten the fly line and keep it taut. Slide the knot into final position, and then tighten by pulling both ends of the leader until the knot is snug, being sure to keep the wraps together. Fully set this knot before trimming by holding the line and leader over your thighs and gently spreading your knees to create more tension than you can generate with just your hands.

Note: This knot does not require lubrication.

Braided Loop Connector

Braided loops can be purchased from many sources and attached to the end of your fly line for a strong connection. They allow you to easily replace an entire leader without having to retie a knot at the fly line. Using heat and/or glue, they can be easily replaced if worn.

Loop-To-Loop Connection

While this connection is most popular for attaching the leader to the fly line, it is also used to attach monofilament tippets to a base leader section attached to the fly line. This allows you to quickly change tippets as well as the entire leader when needed.

Because the loop-to-loop connection is easy to flub, the following illustration shows both the right and wrong way to connect the loops.

Correct Loop-To-Loop Connection

Incorrect Loop-To-Loop Connection

To do it the right way, insert the fly line loop through the loop in the butt of the leader. Then pass the tippet end of the leader completely through the fly line loop. Pull on the fly line and leader to tighten the connection. The knot will continue to seat itself through continued use. Pushing the leader and fly line toward each other will allow you to disconnect the loops.

Perfection Loop

One of the most popular knots for making an end loop, this knot can be tied with very little practice. Unlike the surgeon's loop, this loop seats directly in line with the standing part of the leader.

Hold the leader butt between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand about six inches from the tag end. Make a loop in the line with the tag end passing behind the standing part and ending up on the right side. Hold the loop between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand.

Make a second loop, smaller than the first, by passing the tag end in front of the first loop, around the back of the first loop, ending up with the tag end of the right side. Hold both loops with the thumb and forefinger of your left hand.

Lay the tag end, from right to left, between the two loops and hold it between your thumb and forefinger.

From behind the first loop, grab the second loop and pull it through the first. Lubricate the knot and continue to seat the loop by holding the standing part of the leader with your left hand and pulling on the loop with your right. Inserting the end of a pair of hemostats or pliers through the loop will give you leverage to help tighten the knot.

Surgeon's Loop

The surgeon's loop is basically the surgeon's knot tied with only one line. While not quite as neat as the perfection loop, the surgeon's loop is easier to tie.

Form a loop by doubling the tag end back over the standing part of the leader with about six inches of overlap. Make an overhand knot in the double line. Bring the loop through the overhand knot again to create a double overhand knot.

Lubricate and seat the knot by holding the tag end and standing part of the leader with one hand and pulling on the loop with the other. The end of hemostats or pliers inserted through the loop will help seat the knot firmly.

Fly Line to Backing

(See Tweed Clinch)

Backing to Reel

Because you are more likely to break at the tippet before getting down this far, this connection is one that is rarely tested. We have nonetheless selected the arbor knot because of its reliability. If this knot breaks, you have probably tied it wrong. Make sure it's properly seated. If it does fail you'll have an excellent fish story to replace the line you've lost.

Arbor Knot

Circle the arbor of the reel with the tag end of your backing twice and tie an overhand knot around the standing part of the line. Make sure the tag end and standing part of the line come out of the same reel pillars.

Tie a second overhand knot in the tag end of the fly line. Moisten both the line and knots and tighten by holding the reel in one hand and the standing part of the fly line in the other. As you seat the knot, the second overhand knot will draw down to the first and create a jam to prevent the knot from slipping.

Be sure to reel the backing on tightly. This and the two initial wraps around the reel will prevent the backing from slipping on the spool.

Tying It Up

This overview illustration shows the location of all the knots in a fly fishing setup.

This material in Fly Fisher's Notebook originated in a book called The Complete Pocket Guide to Fly Fishing, which was published through Countrysport Press. If you are interested in having the entire book in the convenient pocket-size form that you can carry in your vest, contact Countrysport Press for a copy.

Copyright © 1996 by Pat Fowler and Keith Breuker. Illustrations Copyright © 1996 by Jenny Leggett.

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