Fishing Knots

Snell knot

When we come to snelling a hook, the length of nylon attached to the hook may be a snell or a snood.
I now find that the actual job of tying the snood may be called snoozing,
while snelling is often jealously thought of as an art restricted to the fly
fisherman. I have fished with bottom-fisherman on the Great Barrier Reef
who routinely snell their hooks. Restricted to lines of breaking
strength less than about 20kg, the process is a simple one.

1. Pass the end of the line, trace or tippet through
the eye twice, leaving a loop hanging below the hook.

2. Hold both lines along the shank of the hook.

3. Use the loop to wind tight coils around the shank
and both lines, from the eye upwards. Use from 5 to 10 turns.

4. Use the fingers to hold these tight coils in place. Pull the line (extending
from the eye) until the whole loop has passed under these tight coils.

5. With coils drawn up, use pliers to pull up the end of the line.

Double Uni
1. Overlap the ends of lines to be joined. Take the end of the line from the left and double back and make 3 to 4 wraps around both lines and through the loop that was formed. Pull tag end to tighten.

2. Repeat with the end of the line on the left making the same number of wraps unless tying with braided line in which you should double the number of wraps.

3. You have now tied two Uni knots. Pull the standing lines in opposite direction to slide the two knots together.

4. Clip ends close to the knot.

Uni Knot
1. Run line through eye of hook and double back parallel to the standing line. Make a loop by laying tag end over the doubled line.

2. Make 6 turns with the tag end around the double line and through the loop.

3. Moisten lines and pull tag end to snug up the turns.

4. Slide knot down to the eye or leave a small loop if desired

Improved clinch

1. Thread end of line through eye of hook. Double back making 5 or more turns around standing line.

2. Bring end of line back through the first loop formed behind the eye then through the big loop.

3. Wet knot and pull on tag end to tighten down the coils. Slide tight against the eye and clip tag end close.

Palomar Knot
1. Double 6 inches of line and pass end of loop through eye of hook.

2. Tie a loose overhand knot with hook hanging from bottom.

3. Holding overhand knot between thumb and forefinger, pass loop of line over the hook. Slide loop above eye of hook.

4. Pull on both the standing line and tag end to tighten knot down onto eye. Clip tag end close.

Rapala Knot

1. Tie a loose overhand knot and feed the tag end through the eye and back through the overhand knot.

2. Make 3 turns around the standing line and bring tag end back through overhand knot.

3. Pass tag end through loop that is formed.

4. Moisten line. Pull on standing line while holding tag end to close the knot. Pull on both tag end and standing line to tighten down the knot.

Snell Knot
1. Insert one end of leader into hook eye toward hook barb and other end into eye away from hook, forming a loop below the hook.

2. Holding hook and leader with thumb and forefinger of one hand, begin making wraps around hook shank and leader towards the hook barb with the loop of leader.

3. Hold each wrap in place and make the next wrap.

4. Continue to wrap for 7 or 8 turns.

5. While holding turns in place, pull the end of the leader that is through the eye slowly and steadily.

6. When knot is almost tight slide it up against eye then pull the other end of the leader with pliers to fully tighten the knot.