Non-Slip Loop Knot: Free-Swinging Action for Jigs and Lures

The non-slip loop knot ties a lure to the line with a small, fixed, open loop at the eye. That loop is the whole point. A tight knot pins the lure to the line, so the line’s stiffness steers it; a loop lets the lure pivot freely and do what its designer built it to do. On jigs, walking topwaters, suspending jerkbaits, and streamer flies, that is the difference between a bait that swims and one that is being dragged. It keeps 88 percent of line strength on our knot chart, so you are not giving anything up for the action.

How to tie the non-slip loop knot

Five steps. The only part that takes care is the direction you pass the tag back through the overhand.

Step 1: Tie a loose overhand in the line

About six inches from the end of the line, tie a simple overhand knot and leave it open. Where you tie it sets the size of the finished loop: closer to the end means a smaller loop.

Step 2: Through the lure eye and back through the overhand

Pass the tag end through the eye of the lure, jig, or fly. Bring it back and pass it through the overhand knot, entering from the same side it left. If it goes in from the other side, the knot will not lock and the loop will slip closed.

Step 3: Wrap the standing line

Wrap the tag around the standing line. The count depends on line test: five turns on light line, fewer as the line gets heavier, and three on 40 lb and up. Stiff, heavy line will not seat over too many wraps.

Step 4: Back through the overhand

Bring the tag back through the overhand knot, again entering from the same side it last exited. This traps the wraps.

Step 5: Seat it and size the loop

Wet the knot. Pull the tag first to snug the wraps down, then pull the standing line and the lure apart to close the overhand against them. Trim the tag. The loop stays open and will not close under load, which is what “non-slip” means.

When a loop beats a tight knot

A tight knot like the Palomar or improved clinch is the right choice whenever the bait should follow the line exactly: bait hooks, drop shots, swivels, and anything where you want the most direct hookset. A loop is the right choice when the bait is meant to move on its own.

Jigs. A jig on a loop falls more naturally and kicks further on each hop, because the head can tip and swing instead of being held level by the line. This is where we notice the loop most, especially on light jig heads with soft plastics for largemouth bass and walleye.

Walking topwaters. A walk-the-dog bait such as the Zara Spook needs to swing its nose from side to side on every twitch. A tight knot fights that; a loop or a split ring lets it happen. Walk-the-dog retrieves for redfish and snook in shallow water are where this difference shows up most.

Jerkbaits and crankbaits. Many hard baits come with a split ring on the eye for the same reason. If yours has one, tie a tight knot to the ring. If it does not, a loop gives you the same freedom.

Streamer flies. Streamers jig and swim more on a loop, which is why fly anglers have used this knot for decades.

Line and leader

The non-slip loop is a mono and fluorocarbon knot. In slick braid the wraps do not grip reliably and the loop can creep closed or pull out, so we do not tie it in braid. If you fish braid as your mainline, tie the loop in your leader, a fluorocarbon such as Seaguar Blue Label, and join the leader to the braid with a double uni or an FG knot.

Common mistakes

Passing the tag through the overhand from the wrong side. The knot looks finished but the loop slips closed under the first real load. Enter on the same side the line left, both times.

Too many wraps in heavy line. The wraps stack up instead of seating, and the overhand never closes properly. Drop to three turns at 40 lb and above.

A loop that is too big. A big loop can catch the hook point or foul around the eye on the cast. Keep it small, about the size of a pencil eraser.

Not wetting it. Like every knot on mono and fluoro, a dry cinch costs strength through friction heat. Moisten it before you pull it down.

Where it fits in the rig

In the Rig Studio the loop knot appears when you focus the lure stage, alongside the Palomar and uni for baits that want a tight connection. The engine checks your lure’s weight against the rod’s casting window and its running depth against where the fish are; the knot decides whether it swims properly once it gets there. The knot comparison chart has every other connection.