knots/
Fishing knots, compared
Eight knots cover almost every connection in a rig. Here they are side by side: what each one joins, how much line strength it keeps, how hard it is to tie, and which line it will actually hold on. Pick by connection first, line type second, then step through the diagram.
8 knots · source: src/data/knots.ts · the same schematics the Rig Studio shows at each connection
Which knot for which connection
Read across from the connection you are making to the line you are tying it in. The first knot in each cell is the strongest that works there. An empty cell means none of these eight hold reliably on that line.
| Connection | braid | mono | fluoro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line to hook, swivel, or lurethe terminal knot |
|
| |
| Mainline to leaderjoining two lines |
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| Open loop at the lurefree-swinging action | none | ||
| Line to reel spoolthe arbor |
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Knot strength chart
Strength is typical retained line strength for a knot tied cleanly and wetted before it is seated. These are the working values the Rig Studio uses, not lab certifications, and a badly tied knot loses more than the difference between any two rows.
| Knot | Strength | Difficulty | braid | mono | fluoro | Joins | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palomar Knot | 95% | easy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | line → hook, swivel, or lure | read → |
| Snell Knot | 95% | moderate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | line → hook shank (bait rigs) | read → |
| Uni Knot | 90% | easy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | line → hook, swivel, or spool | read → |
| Improved Clinch Knot | 85% | easy | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | line → hook, swivel, or lure | read → |
| FG Knot | 98% | hard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | braid mainline → heavy leader | read → |
| Double Uni Knot | 85% | moderate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | braid mainline → fluoro leader | read → |
| Non-Slip Loop Knot | 88% | moderate | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | leader → lure or jig | read → |
| Arbor Knot | 60% | easy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | line → reel spool | read → |
knots/terminal/
Line to hook, swivel, or lure
Palomar Knot
Tied with doubled line, so the load runs on two strands through the eye. The strongest simple terminal knot and the default for braid.
step 1/4Fold six inches of line into a doubled loop and pass the loop through the eye.
gotchaPeople run out of loop halfway through. Start with six inches of doubled line, a foot total, or you cannot pass the loop over the hook.
used at hook.terminal, swivel.terminal, mainline.connection, lure.platform
Snell Knot
Wraps the shank instead of the eye, so pulling the line rotates the hook point into the fish. Standard on circle-hook bait rigs.
step 1/4Pass the tag down through the eye from the hook-point side, leaving a long tag alongside the shank.
gotchaRun the line through the eye from the point side. Snell it backwards and the knot levers the point away from the fish instead of into it.
used at hook.terminal
Uni Knot
One knot that does almost everything: terminal tackle, spool arbors, and, doubled up, line-to-line. Works on braid where the clinch will not.
step 1/4Pass the tag through the eye and fold it back parallel, forming a long loop.
gotchaYou can leave it as a loop knot by not sliding it fully down. That is a feature for lures that need free swing, and a bug on a bait hook.
used at hook.terminal, swivel.terminal, leader.connection, mainline.connection, lure.platform
Improved Clinch Knot
The knot most people learn first. Five to seven wraps, then back through the near loop and the big loop. Fine on mono, unreliable on braid.
step 1/4Pass the tag end through the eye and leave six inches to work with.
gotchaIt slips on slick braid, full stop. And it needs a wet seat: dry-cinching mono generates enough friction heat to cost you real strength.
used at hook.terminal, swivel.terminal
knots/line-to-line/
Mainline to leader
FG Knot
A woven friction splice with almost no profile; it passes through rod guides silently. The strongest braid-to-leader connection in common use.
step 1/4Put the braid under real tension, around a knee or a hook keeper. Slack braid will not weave.
gotchaIt grips by friction under tension, not by a cinch. If you weave it slack it will slip out under load and look like the line "just broke".
used at leader.connection, mainline.connection
Double Uni Knot
Two uni knots facing each other, pulled together into one barrel. The most forgiving braid-to-leader connection there is.
step 1/4Overlap the mainline and leader by about eight inches, running opposite directions.
gotchaGive braid more wraps than mono: five or six on the fluoro side, seven or eight on the braid side. Equal wraps is why yours slips.
used at leader.connection, mainline.connection
knots/loop/
Open loop at the lure
Non-Slip Loop Knot
Leaves a fixed open loop at the eye so the lure swings freely instead of being pinned by a tight knot. Transforms the action of jigs and hard baits.
step 1/4Tie a loose overhand in the leader six inches from the tag, then pass the tag through the lure eye.
gotchaMatch the number of wraps to leader test: five on light, three on 40 lb plus. Too many wraps in heavy fluoro will not seat and the loop closes.
used at lure.platform
knots/spool/
Line to reel spool
Arbor Knot
Attaches line to the spool. Strength barely matters here: if a fish reaches your arbor knot you had bigger problems ten seconds ago.
step 1/4Wrap the line around the spool arbor and bring the tag back over the standing line.
gotchaBraid slips on a bare spool no matter how good the knot is. Lay down mono backing first, or use a spool with a rubber grip band.
used at mainline.connection, reel.platform
What is the strongest fishing knot?
On the working numbers we use, the FG Knot at 98% for joining braid to a leader, and the Palomar Knot at 95% for tying line to a hook. Those are typical retained strength for a knot that is tied cleanly and wetted before it is seated. A sloppy knot loses more than the gap between any two knots on this page.
What knot should I use for braided line?
The Palomar to the hook, swivel, or lure, because the doubled line grips where single-strand knots slip. The FG or the double uni to join braid to a leader. On the spool, an arbor knot over a few turns of mono backing, because braid spins on a bare arbor no matter which knot you tie. Avoid the Improved Clinch Knot and the Non-Slip Loop Knot on braid.
What is the best knot to tie braid to fluorocarbon?
The FG if you can keep the braid under real tension while you weave it: it is the strongest and slimmest, so it runs through the guides quietly. The double uni if you need something you can tie by feel on the water, with seven or eight wraps on the braid side and five or six on the fluoro side.
How many fishing knots do I actually need?
Four cover almost everything: a terminal knot (Palomar or uni), a line-to-line knot (double uni, then the FG once you have time to practise it), a loop knot for jigs and hard baits, and an arbor knot for the spool. Add the snell when you start fishing circle hooks on bait rigs.
Why should you wet a knot before tightening it?
Cinching dry line generates friction heat right where the knot grips, and on mono and fluoro that heat costs real strength. A little water or saliva lets the wraps slide and seat instead of burning. Then test it with a hard, steady pull before you cast.
In the builder these diagrams appear at the connection they belong to: focus the leader and the line-to-line knots come up, focus the hook and you get the terminal knots, next to the checks for the line you have actually chosen.
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