Tying Good Fishing Line Knots Is An Important Skill - Why?

Because Poorly Tied Knots Guarantee Lost Bass!

There is an art to tying fishing line knots that will strengthen rather than create a "weak point" in your line. It's the nature of knots, however, to weaken line to some degree. It's unavoidable. So choosing the correct knot for the circumstances is the first step. Next is to tie your fishing line knots "properly".

On the next few pages you will find knot tying illustration and knot tying instructions to enable you to properly tie bass fishing knots.

Helpful Knot Tying Tips

Before we get started here are a few tips that will help you in tying fishing knots:

Try to use the simplest knots to tie. You'll reduce your odds of knot failure.
Wet your line before "cinching" down your knot. Friction is generated as line rubs across itself and friction weakens line. Applying moisture will reduce friction and correspondingly reduce the "burn", nicks and abrasion caused by friction.
Don't cut the tag end to close to the knot. A little extra line will cover any slippage that occurs.
Retie your knots often throughout the day. In fact, retying after each fish is not a bad idea. When you do retie, strip off a couple of feet of line in front of the knot in order to discard line that may be nicked or abraided.
Get yourself some clippers! Don't bite your line to cut it. A pair of nail clippers is much less expensive than a dental crown! I speak from experience.

Definitions of a few words relating to knots and line are also in order:

Standing Line - The main line attached to your reel.
Wrap - A full circle of line around the standing line is called a "wrap". If the line begins its wrap on the side of the standing line "away" from you, it should end on the side away from you. This constitutes a complete wrap and the tag end should finish-up in the same place it started.
Tag End - The free end of the standing line left after the knot is completed. You clip off the tag about a eight to no more than a quarter inch from the knot.

Knot Categories For Bass Fishing

There are hundreds of different knots but there are but a few that are really useful to or even necessary for bass fishermen. We want knots that:

Secure Our Line To Our Spool
Tie Line to Hook Or Lure
Join Two Lines Together
Are Easy To Remember And Tie

The last point above is important because you don't want to be on the water and have to refer to a book or chart for directions on how to tie some exotic knot.

Knot Numero Uno - The Arbor Knot!

Tying Line To Spool

Obviously, you must first get your line attached to your reel. The Arbor Knot is the fishing line knot which accomplishes this. It's sometimes referred to as a "Reel Knot". It's quick, easy, because it's just an overhand knot, and essential. Why essential? Because, if you don't tie this knot well your entire spool full of line may rotate when the arbor is under pressure. The problem with this happening is obvious.

Knot Tying Instructions For An Arbor Knot

Step 1 - Loop line around your spool's arbor. Take the "tag" end of the line and tie an overhand knot as shown.

Step 2 - Tie a second overhand knot in the tag end as close to the first knot as you can.

Step 3 - Pull the main line and both overhead knots will slide together and snug against the spool. Clip off the remaining tag end no less than 1/8 inch from the knot.