Common Knots and When to Use Them

May 28, 2019

Learning knots for fly fishing can be very intimidating. We often get questions such as:

How many knots are there and how many do I need to know?

How do I know when to use which knot?

I know the basic knots, are there any intermediate/advanced knots I can learn to up my game?

There are really only two knots that a beginner fly fisher needs to know, which are the clinch knot and the double or triple surgeons knot. These two knots will allow you to connect leader and tippet as well as tie on any fly you may have in your box. However, once you have mastered those two knots there are many more knots you can learn to up your fly fishing game.  Today we will explain a little bit about our favorite more advanced, yet still simple knots to use.

Loop Knot: This knot is great for fishing all types of flies, but is especially useful for fishing streamers and big terrestrial dry flies. It allows the fly to have more natural action and move on a wider axis.

Double/Triple Surgeons Knot: This knot it useful when connecting tippet to leader or tippet to tippet. It is an essential knot that every fly fisher should be comfortable knowing.

Orvis Tippet Knot: This knot is awesome to use when fishing nymphs as well as streamers and dries. It is a super simple knots that allows you to run an effieicnet tag system that rarely ever gets tanlged up.

Perfection Loop: This knot useful for when the welded loop on your fly line breaks and you need to replace it. It is also useful if you have a leader without a premanufactured loop in order to make that loop to loop connectiong with your fly line and leader.

Nail Knot: This knot is also mainly used for when your welded loop on your fly line breaks and you need to attach a piece of monoilament to replace it. This knot requires a tool to make it easier, but after a few practice runs is very easy an efficient.

We have posted tutorials on all of these knots on our YouTube page so you can increase your knot quiver and work on advancing your fly fishing knowledge as well as experiment with different techniques. Fish On!

https://www.youtube.com/user/northparkanglers