There are many knots you can tie, and most of them are great. As a professional guide, we use many of the knots shown here when needed. We have listed below some of the best knots below and explanations of how to tie them.

Terminal Tackle Knots

·   Palomar

·   Improved Clinch Knot

·   Non-slip Mono Loop

Line to Line/ Line to Leader

·   Surgeons Knot

·   "J" Knot

·   Stren Knot

Uni-Knot Systems

·   Uni-Knot to Tackle

·   Uni-Knot to Line

1)  Double about four inches of line and pass the loop through the eye.

2)  Let the lure or hook hang loose and tie and overhand knot in the doubled line.  Avoid twisting the line and don't over tighten.

3)  Pull the loop of line far enough to pass it over the lure or hook.  Make sure the loop passes completely over this attachment.

4)  To tighten, pull the tag end while holding the standing line.  Clip the tag end.

1)  Pass the line through the eye of the hook, swivel, or lure.  Double back and make five turns around the standing line.

2)  Holding the coils in place, thread the tag end of the first loop above the eye, then through the big loop.

      3)  Hold the tag end and standing line while
             pulling up the coils. Make sure the
                  coils are in a spiral, not
                         overlapping each other.  Slide against the eye.

                                                
                                                           4)  Clip the tag end.

1) This is one of the few knots where you begin the knot before you insert the line in the hook's eye. Make a simple overhand knot. Bring the tag end through the eye and back through the overhand knot. You must return the tag end through the overhand knot the same way you entered it (see illustration).
 

2)  Make the recommended number of turns with the tag end around the standing line.

3)  Return the tag end through the overhand knot the same way you exited the knot (see illustration).

4)  Draw on the tag end until the knot forms together. Then pull on the standing line to close the knot well.  Finally, pull on both the tag end and standing line to assure the connection is as tight as possible.
 

 
Sizing the Loop  
The size of the loop is determined by three factors:
 

1)  The smaller the overhand knot, the smaller the loop. For small loops, try to make the overhand knot no more than 3/16 inch in diameter (about the size of a large split shot.
 

2)  Once the tag end has been inserted through the hook eye and back through the overhand knot, hold the overhand knot lightly, and pull on the tag end. This will carry the overhand knot down near the hook eye.
 

3)  When finally closing the knot, pull out as much slack as possible between the tag end and standing line.

1)  Lay the line and leader alongside each other, overlapping six to eight inches.
   

2)  Treating the two like a single line, tie an overhand knot, pulling the entire leader through the loop.

3)  Leaving the loop of the overhand knot open, pull the tag ends of both the line and leader through again.

4)  Hold both lines and both ends to pull the knot tight.  Clip ends close to avoid foul-ups in the rod guides.

1)  Lay the line and leader alongside each other, overlapping about 12 inches.
 

2)  Treating the two like a single line, tie an overhand knot, pulling
      the entire leader through the loop.

3)  Leave the loop of the overhand knot open, pull the
      tag ends of both line and leader through the bottom
      of the overhanging loop, and then through the top
      again. (For a mono leader to a braid connection,
      pull the tag ends through the bottom once again.)

4)  Holding both lines and both ends, begin to
      draw the knot slowly and evenly. If the knot
      appears to have loose sections after the initial
      draw down, be sure to pull the loose ends
      tightly into the knot. Make sure the knot is
      tight and compact by pulling all ends snugly.

5)  Trim ends closely.

1)  Overlap approximately 12 inches of the ends of two lines. Form
      a Uni Knot circle with the tag end of Line “A”.

2)  Wrap “Line A” 2-6 times to form a Uni Knot around
      “Line B”. Note: For 4-20 lb. test monofilament lines,
      use 6 turns; for 25-40 lb. test mono use 4-5 turns; for
      50-80 lb. test mono, use 3-4 turns; and for 100 lb. test
      or greater mono, use 2-3 turns.

3)  Snug the knot by pulling on both ends of “Line “A”.

4)  Form an 8-11 turn Improved Clinch Knot
      in “Line B” (for braids/superline, go with
      10-12 turns) by wrapping “Line B” 8-11
      times around “Line A”, then threading the
      tag end of “Line B” through the opening at
      the base of the Uni Knot, and then
      through the big loop.

5)  Hold the tag end and standing line while pulling up the coils
      of “Line B”. Make sure the coils are in a spiral as opposed
      to overlapping each other. Slide tight against the Uni Knot,
      jamming them together, and then trim.

1)  Run at least six inches of line through the eye of the hook, swivel, or lure, and fold to make two parallel lines.  Bring the tag end of the line back in a circle toward the hook or lure.

2)  Make six turns with the tag end around the double line and through the circle.
 

3)  Hold the double line at the point where it passes through the eye, and pull the tag end to snug up the turns.

4)  To create a loop connection: Adjust the loop size by sliding the knot up or down the standing line.  Then pull the tag end with pliers to maximize tightness.

5)  To create a snug knot: Pull the standing line to slide the knot up against the eye.  Then continue pulling until the knot is tight.

6)  Trim the tag end flush with the closest coil on the knot

1)  Overlap about 12 inches of the ends of two lines.  Form a Uni-Knot circle with the tag end of line "A."

2)  Wrap line "A" five times to form a Uni-Knot around line "B."  

Snug the knot by gently pulling on both ends of line "A" with enough tension to close the wraps, but not so tight that it actually grips line "B."

3)  Form a new Uni-Knot circle with the tag end of line "B" and wrap line "B" five times to form a Uni-Knot around line "A."  (Use only four turns for 60-, 80-, or 100-pound-test monofilament.)

4)  Gently pull line "B" with one hand and line "A" with the other to slide the two Uni-Knots together until they jam--then pull tight.  Then tighten the wraps around the standing lines by firmly pulling the tag ends of each Uni-Knot.

5)  Snip the tag ends.