Master the Art of Fishing: Top Ranked Fishing Knots You Need to Know

August 2024

Fishing enthusiasts understand that the right knot can make the difference between landing a catch and losing one. Whether you are a seasoned angler or just starting out, knowing the best fishing knots is crucial for a successful fishing trip. This comprehensive guide from Salt Strong provides an in-depth look at the strongest fishing knots, ranked from best to weakest, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge to secure your catch every time.

Great Knots are simple to tie, strong, reliable and they don’t slip!

For more information, see our article 11 Essential Fishing Knots Every Angler Needs.

The Top Fishing Knots

Braid to Mono – FG Knot

- Known for its incredible strength and small profile, the FG Knot is perfect for connecting braided line to a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader. Its ability to pass smoothly through guides makes it ideal for casting.
- How to tie the FG Knot

Braid to Lure – Uni Knot

Versatile and reliable, the Uni Knot can be used for attaching hooks, lures, and even joining two lines together. It is known for keeping nearly 100% of the line’s original strength.
How to tie the Uni Knot

Mono to Lure – Palomar Knot

This knot is praised for its simplicity and strength, making it a go-to for tying hooks, lures, and swivels to your line. The Palomar Knot is easy to tie and holds up well under heavy loads.
How to tie the Palomar Knot

Mono to Mono – Double Uni Knot

When you need to join two lines of different diameters, the Double Uni Knot is your best bet. It is strong, easy to tie, and works well with both monofilament and braided lines.
How to tie the Double Uni Knot

Tips for Tying Strong Knots

The best knot is only great if it is tied properly. Here are some tips to make you an expert.

Moisten the line before tightening the knot to reduce friction and prevent weakening the line.
Practice regularly to ensure you can tie each knot quickly and correctly, even in challenging conditions.
Inspect and test your knots often to ensure they are secure and properly tied. If you can pull a knot to failure a fish certainly can do the same.

Why Did Your Fishing Line Break?

When your fishing line breaks it could be due many factors including:

Knot Failure: A poorly tied knot, or a knot that’s been weakened by friction or abrasion, can be a weak point in your line and cause it to break.
Abrasion: Your line could be rubbing against a sharp object like a rock, a submerged log, or even the teeth of a fish. Over time, this friction can weaken the line and cause it to snap.
Loose coils: If you see loose coils or loops in the line near where it broke, this suggests that the knot slipped before failing. This could be due to improper knot tying or using a knot that’s not suitable for the line or fishing conditions.
Overloading: If you’re using a line that’s too light for the fish you’re trying to catch, or if you’re putting too much pressure on the line when fighting a fish, it can exceed its breaking strength and break.
Line Deterioration: Over time, fishing line can deteriorate due to exposure to sunlight, heat, and chemicals. This can weaken the line and make it more susceptible to breaking.
Nick or Damage: If your line has a nick or other damage, it can significantly weaken it and cause it to break under pressure.

Here are some ways to determine what happened and identify if your fishing knot had failed.

Examine the end of the line:

Curled or frayed end: If the end of your line is curled or frayed, it’s a good indication that the knot failed. This is because the knot unraveled under pressure, causing the line to twist and fray.

Straight cut: If the end of the line is straight and clean, it’s more likely that the line itself broke, rather than the knot. This could be due to a weak spot in the line, abrasion, excessive force or a fish bit the line.

Check for slippage:

Loose coils: If you see loose coils or loops in the line near where it broke, this suggests that the knot slipped before failing. This could be due to improper knot tying or using a knot that’s not suitable for the line or fishing conditions.

SUMMARY

By mastering these knots, you will improve your chances of landing more fish and enjoy a more successful and rewarding fishing experience. When a failure does happen you can determine the cause and improve your technique – better knots, stronger line, etc. Whether you are fishing in freshwater or saltwater, these knots are essential tools in every angler’s arsenal.

There are many articles on Thrillfishing.com that can be very helpful for the angler to learn and become more productive on the water.

Please send pictures of your fishing success. You can contact me by email at [email protected].

Tight lines … Captain P.