Fishing Knots: Palomar, Improved Clinch, Uni and More

Knots connect the fish and the angler, and they are the weakest point in your line (NY, Alabama). Oklahoma’s example: tie a simple knot in 12-pound line and the line at that knot is much weaker than the advertised 12 pounds. Utah’s advice is to master a few versatile knots rather than mediocrely tie a dozen. IGFA’s beginner course teaches the same three: the clinch, the uni and the palomar.

Which knot for what

Terms and habits that apply to every knot

The tag end is the active end of the line that you use to tie the knot; the standing line is the longer end that runs back to the reel (FWC).

• Moisten before you tighten. Utah says water or saliva helps the knot seat fully and reduces friction heat that can stretch and weaken the line.
• Trim, don’t burn. Trim the tag end to 1/8 inch after the knot is fully tightened (FWC); South Carolina leaves about 1/4 inch. New York says not to burn the tag end, because heat damages the line and knot.
• Retie often. New York’s guideline is to replace your line and retie rigs at least every year.

Palomar knot

Utah calls the palomar both strong and simple. New York notes it is stronger than the improved clinch and good when you want to change hooks or lures easily. Texas Parks and Wildlife says it is the easiest to tie and the strongest knot known to hold terminal tackle. It is also the knot Virginia uses to tie on a drop shot hook; see the drop shot rig.

1. Double the line and pass the loop through the eye. Texas, Alabama and South Carolina double about 4 inches; Florida doubles about 10 inches. Let the hook hang loose.
2. Tie a loose overhand knot in the doubled line. Texas says not to twist or tighten the line at this point.
3. Pass the loop over the entire hook, lure or swivel. Pull the loop far enough to clear it completely.
4. Wet it and pull. Moisten the knot, then slowly pull on both ends of the line to tighten it.
5. Trim the tag. New York clips the excess line about 1/8 inch from the knot.

Improved clinch knot

An old standby, the improved clinch is the fisherman’s knot in Texas’s words. Utah says it is typically used for securing line to hooks, lures or swivels and works with monofilament, fluorocarbon and braided line.

1. Thread the line through the hook eye. Double back parallel to the standing line (FWC).
2. Twist the tag end around the standing line. FWC says five or more twists; the turn count varies by source (see below).
3. Pass the tag through the first loop nearest the eye. Bring the tag end back toward the hook and push it through (FWC).
4. Pass it through the big loop. Bring the tag end through the big loop that was just created. This is the extra step that distinguishes it from the plain clinch (NY).
5. Wet it and pull tight. Moisten the knot and pull it tight against the hook eye while holding the hook and line.

Uni knot

Utah calls the uni simple and versatile, and an ideal knot for monofilament or fluorocarbon. New York says it is a dependable knot for connecting monofilament to terminal tackle, and some anglers find it easier to tie than the improved clinch. Florida uses it to tie line to a hook and light line to heavy line.

1. Run the line through the eye and double back. Keep the tag end parallel to the main line.
2. Lay the tag end over the doubled line to form a loop. The loop sits next to the eye.
3. Wrap the tag end six times. Make six turns around the doubled line and through the loop (FWC, Utah, NY).
4. Moisten and snug the turns. Pull the tag end to tighten the wraps.
5. Slide it down. Pull the main line to slide the knot to the eye, or leave a small loop if you want one (FWC).

Double uni knot: joining line to a leader

Utah describes the double uni as a popular knot for line-to-line and line-to-leader connections. Oklahoma recommends tying on a short monofilament or fluorocarbon leader with a double uni to reduce stress on your rod and reel when you get snagged.

Loop knots

A loop lets a lure move freely or gives you a place to clip on terminal tackle.

• Surgeon’s end loop. Double the line to make a loop of the size you want, tie an overhand knot at the desired point leaving the loop open, bring the doubled line through the loop again, then hold the line and the end part together and pull to tighten (FWC). Alabama doubles about 4 inches and wets the line before pulling.
• End-loop knot. FWC uses it to tie a leader to lures that need freedom of movement, such as jigs and plugs, by leaving a loop near the lure eye.
• Double surgeon’s loop and Duncan loop. Texas calls the double surgeon’s a quick, easy loop at the end of a leader; Alabama lists the Duncan loop alongside the improved clinch and palomar.
• Dropper loop. New York’s steps: form a loop in the line where you want it, pass the standing line from one side of the loop through and around that side, make five or more wraps, and keep the new loop open.

Joining lines and other knots

• Blood or barrel knot. Overlap the line ends by about 6 inches. New York makes 3 turns around the other line; Alabama makes 6; Texas’s simplified version makes 8 to 10 (see their guides for each variant).
• Surgeon’s knot. Alabama prefers it for two lines of unequal diameter.
• Albright special. FWC makes a loop in the heavier line, runs about 10 inches of the lighter line through it and makes 10 to 15 tight wraps with the light line. IGFA shows a mainline-to-leader version for mono or braid in its Perfection Albright video.
• Arbor knot. Attaches line to the reel spool (Oklahoma, Texas).
• Snell. Texas threads about 6 inches of line through the eye, holds the line against the shank to form a circle and makes 5 or 6 wraps through the loop and around line and shank. IGFA says snelling is one of the preferred knots for a strong hook set.

Where these knots show up

The improved clinch or uni ties the swivel on a fish finder rig (FWC), and a stopper knot sets depth on a slip rig; see bobber fishing.