Know Your Fishing Knots

There are knots of different types used for a variety of purposes. Knots used particularly for the purposes of fastening hooks or other purposes during fishing are known as fishing knots. Talking about knots, it should be remembered that using ropes could be tricky and needs caution. Just make sure you handle rope properly and carefully and stay out of harm’s way as it could be dangerous at times!

The knots discussed here are basically used in fishing but could also be employed for other purposes. Fishing knots are particularly designed to be used in braided or monofilament fishing lines that run through the rings or eyes of fishing rods.  Most of the knots are made using firmly looped turns.

Tightening and Trimminga Fishing Knot

A fishing knot needs to be pulled tightto the extreme before it can be used. While pulling it tight care should be takento pull itwith least friction to prevent damage. This can be ensured by moistening it with water or a lubricant. In the absence of both readily, saliva is the best option- and probably the most commonly used! Vegetable oil is a very good lube to use. Also the loose ends of the knots need to be trimmed. You may use a nail clipper in the absence of regular clippers.

It is crucial for every angler to tie their knots properly but they normally tend to give less emphasis to this aspect. It is beneficial to know how to tie a good knotas it is the one thing connects you with the hook- and perhaps the fish on it! It is actually no big task to learn them either. Let us look at just three of the many “must know” fishing knots here:

The Improved Clinch Knot: This is possibly one of the basic knots an angler should know in a rather long list of fishing knots. A good clinch knots becomes even better by applying the improvisation or “improvement” which is to add one more placement to the tag end of your line. With the ‘improved clinch knot’ you can be doubly sure that it does not slip or break- the fish would certainly be yours!

The Palomar Knot: Another popular fishing knot, this knot is amazingly easy to tie. Hardly any practice is required to master it. Even in windy cold weather conditions you can tie it without much ado. This knot can be easily used to change hooks, baits and lures. The Palomar knot is again a strong knot comparable to the improved clinch knot and you can depend on it to remain intact.

The Surgeon's Knot: Like the Palomar, the Surgeon’s knot too is one of the easiest to tie. It is also one of the most effective to tie lines of different thickness. This can be used also to tie monofilament to braid as well as the reverse. But in most cases this knot serves as the best to connect lines of different diameteras in linking the main line to a leader. The Surgeon’s knot is definitely one of the more important fishing knots every angler should know.