As anglers one of the most overlooked aspects of “fishing” are the knots that are used to attach our lures, hooks, and terminal tackle to our fishing line. Tying fishing knots is integral to fishing success and in this article I will outline some of the reasons why this is the case. I have been fishing for more than two decades and have caught all manners of freshwater fish from coast to coast and in that time I have never lost a fish due to my line breaking. I have however lost fish due to my knot not holding.
This is the main reason why tying knots is so important to fishing success. In many instances, when a fish is lost, it is due to your knot, rather than your line breaking, as many “rookie” or less experienced fishermen tend to think. With a little practice learning how to tie fishing knots is really quite simple and will help to ensure that a fish is never lost due to a faulty knot.
Learning how to tie knots is quite easy. Using the power of the internet is the easiest way to learn how to tie a few different types of knots. There are many diagrams and videos available on the internet that show you how to tie various knots and there are various versions of knot tying cards and books to help you learn how to tie fishing knots as well. As a matter of fact some knot tying cards are durable and waterproof and can be carried with you while you are fishing. This way you have a “cheat sheet” with you at all times while you are on the water.
You need to know a few different fishing knots and which knots that you need to know will depend on the style of fishing that you engage in the most. Fly fishermen need to know how to tie different knots than bass fishermen and an ultralight trout fisherman uses different knots than a carp fisherman does. The type of fishing line that you use has a lot to do with the type of fishing knots you need to know as well. For example the knots that are used with braided line are different than the knots that are used in mono filament line.
The bottom line is to avoid losing fish because of the knot that is used to attach your hook, lure, or other terminal tackle to your fishing line you need to be adept at tying a couple of different fishing knots. Think about your favorite style of fishing, do a little research and become proficient at tying a few of the most popular knots for that style of fishing and the type of line that is being employed.