Knots

Knot basics

Many anglers spend thousands of dollars on high-quality rods and reels and high-priced lures or bait. But these same anglers spend very little time learning the basics involved in tying the knots that connect all this equipment to the fish. What good is all that high-priced gear when you find yourself looking at a piece of limp line with no bait, no terminal tackle and no fish because you didn’t know how to tie a proper knot?

First, just let me say that you don’t need to know how to tie 50 knots. The quality of the knots you tie is much more important than how many you know. If you can tie five or six knots well, you should be able to get by.

A good knot is one that doesn’t slip, is appropriate for the condition or situation, is neat and correctly trimmed, and has sufficient strength. When you’ve finished tying your knot, it should “look right,” with no snags, loops or loose wraps. If it doesn’t look right, cut it off and retie. Knots should be moistened and tightened completely because they have a tendency to break when they start to slip. MORE…