Fishing Knots in 3D, Step by Step
An online tool with fishing knots in 3D: every knot is tied in front of you step by step, you can rotate, zoom and slow down the line, and at the end you see the knot tighten. The picker tells you which knot fits your line — mono, fluorocarbon or braid — and what you are tying it to: a hook, a swivel, a lure, a leader or a spool.
How to use it
1
Pick a knot
From the list or with the picker: choose your line and what you tie it to.
2
Watch it step by step
Press “Show the tying”, slow it down, rotate the scene and skip between steps.
3
Tie it yourself
Follow along with the animation, then compare your finished knot with the final view.
Watch how to tie each knot from any angle, at your own pace
Find a knot
Your lineAll knots
Hook, swivel, lure
To the hook shank
Joining two lines
Loops
To the spool
Loading the knots…
Step 1 of 5 Double 6 to 8 inches of line and pass the loop through the eye.
Palomar knot
The simplest strong knot for hooks, swivels and lures — it holds on braid too.
Steps
Tips
- The loop has to clear the whole lure — make it longer for a crankbait with trebles.
- Keep the two strands side by side as you tighten; twisted strands weaken the knot.
Strength in testing
Every knot, step by step
Hook, swivel, lure
Palomar knot The simplest strong knot for hooks, swivels and lures — it holds on braid too.
- Double 6 to 8 inches of line and pass the loop through the eye.
- Tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled line.
- Pass the hook or lure through the loop.
- Moisten and pull on both the tag and the standing line.
- Trim the tag, leaving about 1/8 inch.
Improved clinch knot The monofilament classic for hooks, swivels and snaps.
- Pass the line through the eye and pull out about 6 inches.
- Wrap the tag around the standing line 5 to 7 times.
- Pass the tag through the small loop next to the eye.
- Then pass it through the big loop you have just made.
- Moisten the knot and pull the standing line tight.
- Trim the tag.
Clinch knot A quick monofilament knot for a hook or swivel.
- Pass the line through the eye and pull out about 6 inches.
- Wrap the tag around the standing line 5 to 7 times.
- Pass the tag through the small loop next to the eye.
- Moisten and pull the standing line tight.
- Trim the tag.
Trilene knot A mono-to-lure knot with a double loop at the eye — the strongest in the Field & Stream test.
- Pass the line through the eye twice in the same direction to form a double loop.
- Wrap the tag around the standing line five times.
- Pass the tag back through the double loop at the eye.
- Moisten and pull the standing line tight.
- Trim the tag.
Uni knot A do-everything knot: hooks, swivels, spools — and two of them join lines.
- Pass the line through the eye and lay the tag along the standing line.
- Form a loop with the tag beside the doubled line.
- Working inside the loop, wrap the tag around both lines five or six times.
- Moisten and pull the tag to cinch the wraps.
- Slide the knot down to the eye by pulling the standing line, then trim the tag.
San Diego jam knot A strong hook or jig knot, especially for fluorocarbon.
- Pass the line through the eye and run the tag back along the standing line.
- Holding the loop open, wrap the tag around both lines 7 or 8 times, working toward the eye.
- Pass the tag between the two lines right next to the eye.
- Then pass it back through the big loop along the line.
- Moisten and tighten so the wraps form a neat spiral without overlapping.
- Trim the tag.
Non-slip loop knot A fixed loop at the lure: the bait swings freely and the loop does not close up.
- Tie a loose overhand knot about 6 inches from the end.
- Pass the tag through the lure eye and back through the overhand knot, on the side the line comes out.
- Wrap the tag around the standing line 3 to 5 times.
- Pass the tag back through the overhand knot, entering the way it left.
- Moisten, pull the tag, then pull the standing line and the lure apart.
- Trim the tag.
To the hook shank
Snell knot Fastens the line to the shank so the pull runs straight along the hook — the way to tie spade-end hooks.
- Lay the line along the shank with the tag toward the bend.
- Form a loop and wrap it around the shank and the line 7 or 8 times, from the spade toward the bend.
- The standing line runs back under the wraps to the spade; a loop sticks out at the bend.
- Hold the wraps and pull the standing line until the loop disappears under them.
- Moisten, pull tight and trim the tag.
Joining two lines
FG knot The slimmest braid-to-leader connection — it runs freely through the rod guides.
- Hold the braid tight like a guitar string.
- Weave the leader around the braid, alternating over and under, 16 to 20 times.
- With the braid tag, tie two or three half hitches around the leader and the braid.
- Moisten and pull the leader and the braid hard in opposite directions.
- Trim the leader tag close.
- Finish with three or four half hitches of braid around the braid, then trim the tag.
Albright knot Joins lines of different diameters: braid to mono, leader to main line.
- Form a loop in the end of the heavier line.
- Pass about 4 inches of the lighter line through the loop.
- Wrap it over itself and both strands of the loop 10 to 12 times, working toward the end of the loop.
- Pass the tag back out through the loop on the same side it went in.
- Moisten, pull tight and trim both tags.
Double uni knot A simple way to join two lines: two uni knots tied toward each other.
- Overlap the ends of the two lines.
- With the first tag, tie a uni knot around the other line: 5 or 6 wraps inside the loop.
- Tie a second uni knot with the other tag around the first line.
- Cinch each knot by pulling its tag.
- Pull the standing lines so the knots slide together, then trim the tags.
Blood knot A neat join for two monofilament lines of similar diameter.
- Overlap the lines by about 6 inches with the tags pointing in opposite directions.
- Wrap one tag around the other line 5 or 6 times and tuck it back between the lines in the middle.
- Repeat with the other tag, tucking it through the same opening from the opposite side.
- Moisten and pull the standing lines so the wraps come together.
- Trim the tags.
Surgeon’s knot A quick leader-to-line join — a double overhand knot tied with both lines.
- Lay the leader alongside the main line, overlapping about 6 inches.
- Form a loop with both lines together.
- Pass the whole leader and the main line’s tag through the loop twice.
- Moisten, pull all four ends and trim the tags.
Loops
Perfection loop A small, neat loop at the end of a leader that lines up with the line.
- Form a loop in the end of the line.
- Form a second loop on top of the first, with the tag under the standing line.
- Pass the tag between the two loops.
- Pull the top loop through the bottom loop.
- Moisten, tighten by pulling the standing line and the new loop, then trim.
Surgeon’s loop The simplest strong loop at the end of a line.
- Double the end of the line into a bight.
- Tie an overhand knot with the doubled line.
- Pass the bight through the knot a second time.
- Set the loop size, moisten, tighten and trim.
Figure-eight loop A simple figure-eight loop; it comes out bulky in heavy mono.
- Double the end of the line into a bight.
- Take the bight around the standing part to make a loop.
- Pass the bight through the first loop from the front to make a figure eight.
- Dress the strands side by side, tighten and trim.
Dropper loop A loop in the middle of the line for a dropper hook.
- Make a large loop in the middle of the line.
- Holding the crossover point, wrap the loop around it 5 or 6 times.
- Open a gap in the middle of the wraps and push the loop through it.
- Hold the loop and pull both ends of the line to tighten.
To the spool
Arbor knot Ties line to a reel spool and tightens as you reel in.
- Pass the line around the spool.
- Tie an overhand knot with the tag around the standing line.
- Tie a second overhand knot at the very end of the tag as a stopper.
- Pull the standing line: the knot slides down onto the spool and the stopper jams against it.
Published