Knots For Attaching Lures & Hooks

The main purpose of a fishing knot is so obvious that many anglers hardly give it much thought….like turning the ignition key in a car. What is worth some thought is whether the knots you tie are as strong and reliable as necessary for the circumstances.

The basic component of a good fishing knot is one that retains the full breaking strength of the line as if it never had a knot in it. Some knots don’t do this because they aren’t tied properly time after time, and others don’t do it because they’re inferior or not applicable for the type of line. Ideally a knot that does retain full breaking strength when properly tied is also easy to form.


There are knots for making terminal connections (line to hook or lure), line-to-line connections (for joining two lines of similar or dissimilar diameter, including fishing line to a leader or tippet), and doubling the terminal end of fishing line.

The average angler needs perhaps no more than three or four basic knots, but the knot can make all the difference between boating a big fish, or losing it. I suggest that you select only those few knots that are of the greatest use to you, and practice, practice, practice tying them until they become second nature to you. It is most important that you use knots that can be tied in an easily remembered manner. There is little point using a knot that can only be tied by reference to a book.

Clinch Knot

Hangmans Knot

Jansik Knot

Palomar Knot

Scaffold Knot

Snelling a Hook

foxlakefishing.com