5 Fishing Knots That Handle Almost Everything

I'm going to save you from the same mistake I made when I started fishing. I bought a book with 60 fishing knots in it and tried to learn them all in one weekend. By Monday I couldn't tie any of them right under pressure, and I lost a nice bass because my knot slipped.

The truth? You need five knots. Five. That's what's tied on my line 95% of the time after 20 years of fishing. Learn these well, and you won't lose fish to bad knots.

1. The Improved Clinch Knot

What it does: Ties your line to a hook, lure, or swivel. This is probably the first knot you'll ever tie, and you might use it forever.

When to use it: Mono or fluoro line under 20 lb test. It's quick, strong, and works with basically any hook or lure eye.

How to tie it:

1. Thread 6 inches of line through the hook eye
2. Wrap the tag end around the main line 5-6 times
3. Pass the tag end through the small loop near the hook eye
4. Then pass it through the big loop you just created
5. Wet the knot with spit (seriously, it matters), pull tight
6. Trim the tag end to about 1/8 inch

2. The Palomar Knot

What it does: Same job as the clinch knot — ties line to a hook or lure — but it's even stronger. Some guys use nothing but this knot.

When to use it: Any line type, any weight. Especially good with braided line where the clinch knot can slip.

How to tie it:

1. Double about 6 inches of line and pass the loop through the hook eye
2. Tie an overhand knot with the doubled line (don't tighten yet)
3. Pass the hook through the loop
4. Wet and pull both ends to tighten
5. Trim the tag

That's it. Four steps. The Palomar tests at nearly 100% line strength when tied correctly, which is better than almost any other fishing knot. Practice this one until you can do it in the dark — because you'll need to at 5 AM.

3. The Surgeon's Knot (Line-to-Line)

What it does: Joins two pieces of line together. You'll need this when attaching a fluorocarbon leader to your main line.

When to use it: Anytime you're connecting two lines that may be different diameters or materials (braid to fluoro, mono to fluoro, etc.).

How to tie it:

1. Overlap the two line ends by about 6 inches
2. Form a loop with both lines together
3. Pass both tag ends through the loop twice (making a double overhand)
4. Wet and pull all four ends to tighten
5. Trim the tags close

4. The Loop Knot

What it does: Creates a small loop connection to your lure, giving it more freedom to move naturally in the water.

When to use it: Topwater lures, jerkbaits, swimbaits — anything where you want the lure to have maximum action. The loop lets the lure swing freely instead of being pinched against the knot.

How to tie it:

1. Tie a loose overhand knot in your line about 4 inches from the end
2. Thread the tag end through the lure eye
3. Pass the tag end back through the overhand knot (entering the same side it came out)
4. Wrap the tag end around the main line 3-4 times
5. Pass the tag back through the overhand knot again
6. Wet and tighten

5. The Uni Knot

What it does: The Swiss Army knife of fishing knots. It ties line to hooks, can join two lines together (double uni), and even works for attaching line to your reel spool.

When to use it: Anytime, anywhere. Some anglers learn the uni knot first and use it for everything. It's not the absolute strongest for every application, but it's good enough for all of them.

How to tie it:

1. Thread line through the hook eye and double back parallel to the main line
2. Form a loop with the tag end alongside both lines
3. Wrap the tag end through the loop and around both lines 5-6 times
4. Wet and pull the tag end to tighten the coils
5. Slide the knot down to the hook eye and give the main line a final pull

When to Retie

A knot doesn't last forever. Retie after:

• Catching a big fish (the fight stretches and weakens the knot)
• Getting snagged and pulling free (the stress damages the line near the knot)
• Every 30-60 minutes of fishing (especially with mono, which develops memory)
• Feeling any roughness when you run the line through your fingers

I retie more than most guys, and I lose fewer fish than most guys. Coincidence? I don't think so.

That's your knot arsenal. Five knots, a lifetime of fishing. Now get a hook and some line and start practicing — your next trip will thank you.

Once you've got these down, check our bait and lure selector to figure out what to tie on the other end of that knot.