Knots: The Last Line of Offense

When I got back into fishing, I thought things would be simple.  Tie a hook on the line, add bait, and go.  Well, as with most things in life, it wasn't that simple.  I had never learned many ways to tie a knot, but I soon learned that without the right - and properly tied - knot, all of your efforts to land that fish will be wasted.
There are a few basic knots that I like to use.  Don't get me wrong...there are many, many others that may be stronger or better suited to certain applications, but these are the ones I like because I can remember them and I can tie them quickly.

The one I use most is the clinch knot.  I like it because it's simple and quick, and I can tie it at night.  It's not the best for thick lines, at least in my experience.   It also can weaken the line slightly, especially if tied without being a little wet.

 The second knot in my arsenal is the Palomar knot.  It's quite strong and doesn't slip.  This is the one I use with braided line, which tends to be pretty slick stuff.  It's also good for adding multiple hooks to your line above a weight.  Tying it can be cumbersome, though.  It's not for hooks with tiny eyes, either, since you're pushing twice the line through the eye.

The third knot I use is the Albright knot.  I like this one if I want a skinny leader on the end of my line and don't want a swivel.  It's a slim knot that can pass through rod guides so you can use a long leader or a shock leader for surf casting.


So, if you are thinking of taking up fishing as a hobby, be sure to learn a few knots.  It's never fun to get an expensive lure snagged and lost because your knot came untied, and it's even more frustrating to see that a fish yanked hard enough to loosen the knot.


Next time, I'll be talking about fishing lines and the mistakes I made choosing them, as well as what I've found works best for me.