In this fishing knot guide, I will show you nine essential knots that cover almost every situation on the water. If you need a reliable way to tie your line to swivels or eyed hooks, you have come to the right place.
I also explain what you need to consider when using braided fishing line and how to connect your leader to your main line with total confidence. For each of these nine fishing knots, I have recorded a short video and provided a step-by-step guide. This makes it easy for you to follow along and master every single step.
Fishing Knots for Swivels and Eyed Hooks
These knots are part of your basic fishing equipment and are used on almost every trip. Whether you are mounting a classic eyed hook or attaching a snap for quick lure changes while spin fishing: this connection must be solid.
If the knot fails here, both the fish and the lure are gone. In the following short videos, I will show you six fishing knots you can use to securely attach your line to an eyelet. Below each knot, you will also find the difficulty level and the most important advantage.
Fish-N-Fool Knot
The Fish-N-Fool knot won the “Knot Wars” competition in the US for being the strongest knot in both the monofilament and braided line categories. It is my personal favorite when it comes to connecting mono or braided line to a swivel or an eyed hook.
Additionally, this knot is relatively easy to tie. You start by passing the line through the eye twice and then finish it just like a standard Uni knot.
- Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)
- Key Advantage: Maximum breaking strength with both
Berkley Braid Knot
The Berkley Braid Knot was specifically developed by the company of the same name to connect braided line to an eyelet. I personally use and recommend it for tying Fluorocarbon, as it took 2nd place (behind the Triple Loop Knot) in the US Knot Wars competition in this category. For tying monofilament or braid to an eyelet, however, the Fish-N-Fool knot remains the better choice with higher breaking strength.
- Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)
- Key Advantage: Maximum breaking strength with Fluorocarbon lines.
Palomar Knot
The Palomar knot is praised by many anglers as the strongest and easiest fishing knot. However, that’s not entirely accurate, as it is clearly inferior to the Fish-N-Fool knot when using monofilament or braid. Additionally, the Berkley Braid knot is significantly stronger than the Palomar when you want to connect Fluorocarbon to an eyelet.
Nevertheless, it is a great all-rounder with reliable strength for situations where you can’t or don’t want to tie more complicated knots. In freezing cold, strong winds, or when you just want to get your line back in the water quickly, the Palomar knot is a solid alternative. Regarding knot strength, the Palomar ranks in the upper midfield. It is slightly superior to the commonly used Uni knot with mono and Fluorocarbon, but slightly inferior with braided line.
- Difficulty: 2/5 (Easy)
- Key Advantage: Simple and strong all-rounder; slightly stronger than the Uni knot with monofilament and Fluorocarbon.
Uni Knot (Grinner Knot)
The Uni knot is the standard for experienced anglers and is often the second knot you learn after the Clinch knot. In terms of breaking strength, it ranks in the midfield. It is stronger than the Clinch knot in every respect and slightly stronger than the Palomar with braided line. When tied with monofilament or Fluorocarbon, it is slightly inferior to the Palomar.
- Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)
- Key Advantage: A reliable all-rounder; significantly stronger than the Clinch and Improved Clinch knots; slightly stronger than the Palomar knot with braided line.
Improved Clinch Knot
The Improved Clinch knot is a very simple way to make your standard Clinch knot a bit stronger. With a regular Clinch knot, you pass the end of the line through the small loop near the eyelet at the very end. This creates a large loop along the knot. To tie the Improved Clinch, simply pass the end of the line through this large loop before tightening.
- Difficulty: 1/5 (Very Easy)
- Key Advantage: Very easy to tie; well-suited for children and beginners.
Clinch Knot
The Clinch knot is often the first fishing knot anyone learns. While it is very easy to tie, it is also one of the weaker connections. When you have a truly large fish on the line, there is always a risk that the end of the line will slip through and the knot will come undone.
Therefore, I recommend using the Improved Clinch knot to increase reliability. If you have ever lost a fish because of a Clinch knot and are looking for an equally simple but much stronger alternative, the Palomar knot is a more stable choice.
- Difficulty: 1/5 (Very Easy)
- Key Advantage: Extremely easy to tie; ideal for children and beginners.
Fishing Knots for Connecting Leader to Main Line
The direct connection between your leader and main line is often the most critical point of your entire setup. This is true whether you are using a Fluorocarbon leader for extra stealth while lure fishing or a monofilament shock leader for heavy bottom fishing.
This connection must not only be rock-solid but also as slim as possible so it glides smoothly through your rod guides during a cast. If the knot fails here, your entire rig and the fish are lost. In the following three short videos, I will show you proven knots for direct line-to-line connections.
Below each video, you will also find the difficulty level and the most important advantage, ensuring you always have the right knot for your specific materials.
Albright Knot
The Albright knot is an excellent choice for securely connecting two lines, regardless of their diameters. It is a stable and easier-to-tie alternative to the much more complex FG knot.
Since this knot has a slim and compact shape, it is perfect for connecting thin braided main line to a thicker fluorocarbon leader when lure fishing. It glides smoothly through the rod guides and won’t interfere with your casting distance. It is also a popular choice in fly fishing for connecting the fly line to the leader.
- Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)
- Key Advantage: A simpler alternative to the FG knot; glides well through rod guides due to its compact and uniform shape.
Blood Knot
In this video, you will see a simple way to tie the Blood knot. It is best suited for connecting two fishing lines of similar diameters. This situation often occurs when you are running low on line and want to “top off” your reel. You can use this knot to connect your existing line to the new line you are spooling.
Keep in mind that the Blood knot loses stability if the diameters of the two lines differ too much. In such cases, the two parts of the knot will be different sizes, causing it to snag on the rod guides more easily than the Albright knot.
Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)
Key Advantage: Ideal for spooling additional line; a straightforward alternative to the Double Uni knot.
Double Uni Knot (Double Grinner)
In this video, I will show you how to tie the Double Uni knot. This is another rock-solid choice for connecting two lines of similar diameter. Compared to the Blood knot, some find it slightly more technical to tie, but it is extremely reliable.
Similar to the Blood knot, its stability suffers if the line thicknesses are too far apart. In those cases, the two individual knots will be uneven, creating an edge that won’t glide through the rod guides as smoothly as an Albright knot.
Difficulty: 3/5 (Intermediate)
Key Advantage: Uses the same knot twice, making it easier for many anglers to remember than the Blood knot.