The Palomar Knot in 4 Steps: The Strongest Knot Most Anglers Don't Use

One Knot to Rule Them All

If I could only tie one knot for the rest of my fishing life, it would be the Palomar. It's the strongest knot for braided line, one of the strongest for monofilament, and it takes about 15 seconds to tie once you know it. Most knot failures in fishing aren't because the knot slipped, they happen because people tied a bad knot under pressure. The Palomar is nearly impossible to tie wrong.

I've used this knot for bass on 65lb braid, panfish on 4lb mono, and catfish on 20lb fluorocarbon. It hasn't failed me once. Not once. That's the kind of confidence you want when a big fish is pulling drag.

The 4 Steps

Step 1: Double the Line

Take about 6 inches of line and fold it back on itself to create a doubled loop. You'll work with this doubled line for the entire knot. The loop should be about 4-5 inches long, enough to pass over your lure.

Step 2: Thread the Loop Through the Eye

Push the doubled loop through the hook or lure eye. Both strands go through together. If the hook eye is small, this is the trickiest part, wiggle it through gently. The loop hangs below the eye, the tag end and main line hang above.

Step 3: Tie an Overhand Knot

With the doubled line, tie a simple overhand knot above the hook eye. Don't tighten it yet, leave it loose. The hook or lure should be dangling below this loose overhand knot. You now have a loop hanging below the overhand knot.

Step 4: Pass the Loop Over the Hook

Take the loop that's hanging below and pass it over the entire hook or lure. Slide it up past the eye and above the overhand knot. Now wet the knot with saliva (reduces friction heat that weakens line), and pull both the tag end and main line simultaneously to tighten. The knot cinches down on the eye cleanly.

Common Mistakes

Not Enough Loop

If your initial loop is too short, you can't pass it over the hook or lure. Make it longer than you think you need. With a large crankbait, you might need 6-8 inches of loop to pass it over the lure body and treble hooks.

Twisting the Line

When you thread the doubled line through the eye, make sure both strands stay parallel. If they cross or twist, the knot weakens significantly. Take an extra second to keep them straight.

Not Pulling Evenly

When tightening, pull both the main line and tag end at the same time with equal force. If you only pull one, the knot seats unevenly and may slip under load.

When to Use (And Not Use) the Palomar

Perfect For

• Tying directly to hooks, jigs, and lures
• Braided line, the Palomar is the gold standard for braid
• Situations where knot strength is critical (heavy cover, big fish)
• New anglers learning their first reliable knot

Less Ideal For

• Hooks with very small eyes (hard to thread doubled line)
• Leader-to-leader connections (use a double uni or blood knot instead)
• Drop shot setups where hook orientation matters (try a Snell knot)

Explore more knot options in our Fishing Knot Guide, and match the right lure to your line with the Bait & Lure Selector.