When you are fly fishing, tying the right knots can make a world of difference in your success or failure. It’s important to not only select the right knot for the situation but also to tie it properly. Poorly tied knots will mean lost fish and frustration for you, so knowing about the right knots and how to tie them can be a huge part of the fly fishing experience.
Before you tighten a knot, moisten it with saliva or with water you are fishing on. This will help the knot slide and seat properly. Lubrication also decreases excessive heat which can weaken the monofilament. Heat is generated by friction created when the knots are drawn up tight. Moistening the knot will reduce this heat and allow you to have good, strong knots.
Tighten knots with a steady, continuous pull. This is called seating the knot. Make sure the knot is tight and secure. To check this, pull on the line and leader to be sure it holds. It’s better to test its strength before you cast rather than to have it break once you get a hook.
There are plenty of books available that give step-by-step instructions on how to properly tie specific knots. You can also find many tutorials online that can show you how to tie specific knots.
You will need to know how to secure your line to the reel. This is called “Backing to the fly reel" and there is a specific knot as to how to achieve that. When you are backing to the fly line, you should use either an Albright Knot or a Nail Knot. The Nail Knot is also good for using when tying the fly line to the leader.
When securing the leader to the tippet, good knot choices include the Surgeon’s Knot or the Barrel Knot. Securing the tippet to the fly can be achieved easily with a Clinch Knot or a Duncan’s Loop.
It has been said that the weakest part of a fly fisherman’s equipment is his knots. A fighting fish will test every link in between the angler and itself. If one of these link is lacking, the line will break and the fish will be lost. Unless you’re really eager to share a “the one that got away" story, learning to tie knots can be the most important part of your fly fishing experience.
Some fly fishing knots are simple to do – others are a little more complicated. Practice tying knots before you get on the water. Become proficient at it and be sure you can do it in low light in case you have a broken line. There is no one knot best for any specific situation – the choice is personal. But when you are fly fishing, you need to depend on your knots and it’s worth taking the time to learn properly.
Fly Fishing Knots
First thing first, we need to get the lingo down since we wont be using illustrations in this article. Three basic terms will cover practically any aspect of the knot tying process. ?Tag end? refers to the last ten inches of so of line you are holding in your hand, to wit, the pointy part you will be pushing through and wrapping around things. ?Standing end? refers to the rest of the line. Yes, very complicated and difficult to understand. ?Wrap? refers to the action wherein you move the tag end of the line one full revolution around the standing end. The wrap can also be called a turn, but you have the general idea.
As with practically anything in fly fishing, there are an infinite number of variations to knots. Mysterious variations include the Steroidius Double Flip [good for catching professional athlete fish], the Marigold Hammer [good for catching the neighbor's plants while practicing in your back yard] and the Wifeous Annoyous [a complex knot that gets you in trouble with the wife since you're supposed to be painting the garage], but you probably start with the ?Aarrgg, Dammit?? knot common to beginners.
Fisherman's Knot
Other than tying your shoes, the easiest knot to learn is the fisherman's knot. Get your hook in one hand and tag end in the other. And a one and a two?
1. As you proceed, keep everything slack. We will be passing the tag end through loops we create. DO NOT tighten anything until told to!
2. Pull the tag end through the eye of the hook.
3. Bend the tag end back to the standing end and wrap four or five times. Make sure you do not tighten the wrap. [You should now have a closed loop through the hook.]
4. Take your tag end and push it through the loop formed by the wrap. Do not push it through the hook eye, just the bigger loop of line.
5. You will have just created another loop and should pass the tag end through again.
6. Slowly pull on the hook and stag end until the knot is tight. Watch those fingers.
Congratulations! If you've tied the perfect knot, it is time to hit local fishing spot. If you've made a mess of it, try again. Either way, you get to avoid painting the garage.
Rick Chapo is with Nomad Writing Journals. Fly fishing journals are the perfect fly fishing gifts for fly fishing trips and fly fishing vacations. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com for more fly fishing articles and stories.
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Steve Sharpe has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fishing, Affiliate Programs and Fishing. Steve has been fishing for many years. There is nothing he likes better than spending a few hours on the side of a river or lake trying to catch the ultimate fish. He has travelled extensively throughout the world and never lets an opportunity go by to tr. Steve Sharpe's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
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