bkchap4

KARIBA ANGLING SOCIETY
Junior/Beginners Booklet Online
Chapter Four
KNOTS

This is one of the most important things to learn. How to keep that hook and any other terminal tackle on the end of the line.
There are many different knots, and some are for special functions such as joining line, or attaching lures to line etc.
Generally, it is a personal choice as to which one you find the easiest and most reliable when you tie it.

Through personal experience, I have found that although some knots work on some types and strength of lines very well, they may slip with other lines and breaking strains, and eventually you will find a favourite that works for you and your choice of line.

The most common ones are shown below.
One very important thing about tying knots on monofilament line (and other types) is to ensure that you wet the line and knot area, with either water or spit, to help the line slide when you pull it tight.
(Small note. When you wet the line in your mouth, take it out of your mouth before you pull it tight, so you don't catch your tongue in the knot. This can be most embarrassing when you have to ask someone else to cut the line off your tongue)

Improved Clinch Knot
This Clinch Knot was an age old knot and has been very successful, but nfortunately with some lines I have found that it slips and thus the Improved Clinch Knot is shown below.

1.Pass the line through the eye of the hook, lure or swivel. Take the line back and make five turns around the standing line. Hold the coils in place, thread the line through the first loop above the eye, then through the big loop as shown.
2.Hold the tag end and standing line while coils are pulled up. Take care that the coils are not in spiral, or lapping over each other. Wet and slide tight against the eye. Clip Tag end

Palomar Knot
They say that this is the easiest knot to tie consistently and supposedly is the strongest known to hold terminal tackle.

1.Double about 4 inches of the line and pass it through the eye of the hook.
2.Let the hook hang loose and tie an overhand knot in the line. Avoid twisting the line and do not tighten the knot.
3.Pull the loop of line far enough to pass it over the hook, swivel or lure. Make sure the loop passes completely over it.
4.Pull both the tag end and standing line to tighten. Clip about 1/8" from the knot.

Snelling a Hook
This is when you would like the line wrapped around the shank of the hook, and is mainly used for setting up "leaders" on hooks for attaching to existing lines. You can have the leader strength what you want and get the length you require.

1.Insert the line through the eye of the hook just past the turn and barb. Make a loop hanging down as per the diagram.
2.Hold both lines along the shank. Use the line hanging from the eye to wind tight coils around shank and both lines from the eye towards the hook. Make about five to ten turns.
3.Move fingers to hold coils tightly in place. Pull leader extending from the eye until the entire loop has passed under the coils.
4.With coils snugged up neatly use pliers to pull the tag end, cinching up the snell. Clip off tag end.

Knots for Joining Lines
There are two main knots used for joining lines. The Blood knot for joining lines of approximately the same diameter and the Surgeons knot for different sizes. These are shown below.
The cutting of the tails is debatable depending on how far into the spool the join is, and what type of reel you are using.
Where possible, the join should be quite a bit more than your longest cast from the end, so that the join is generally not exposed when normally fishing, especially if you cut the tails off fairly close.
If they are cut close, then the tails are very stiff, and if exposed on a spinning reel then sometimes they catch the line as it is peeling off the spool when casting and it stops or decreases your cast.
As was said earlier this is a personal choice and very debateable if you join near the casting distance of the line replaced.

Blood Knot

Stage 1 (Do both sides)	Stage 2
Stage 3	Stage 4 (Wet and pull tight)

Surgeons Knot

Stage 1	Stage 2 (First Time through)
Stage 3 (Second time through)	Stage 4 (Wet and pull tight)

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