Fly Fishing Knots

1) Tying an Albright Knot
2) Arbor Knot
3) Tying Backing to the Fly Reel
4) Tying the Barrel Knot/Blood Knot
5)Tying a Catch and Release Knot
6) Tying a Double Surgeon’s Knot
7) Tying a Dropper Loop Knot
8) Tying a Duncan Loop / Uni-Knot
9) Tying a Figure Eight Knot
10) Tying an Improved Clinch Knot
11) Tying a Loop-To-Loop Connection Knot
12) Tying a Nail Knot
13) Tying a Perfection Loop

1) Tying an Albright Knot

 

Tying one Albright knot is critical if you are serious about fly fishing. It may not be the effortless fly fishing knot to master, but by no means is it the hardest.

Knowing how to accurately tie an Albright knot is critical if you’re serious about flyfishing. If you want to tie your backing to your fly line or you need to join together two sections of monofilament with enormously different diameters, you’re going to need to know how to tie an Albright knot. While the Albright knot isn’t the easiest fly fishing knot to master, it is by no means one of the most difficult.

Step 1 – Form Your Loop
The first thing you want to do when tying an Albright knot forms an open loop in your line and passes the backing through the loop as shown in picture A below. Please note that we are not using real backing or fly lines in the photos. We are using a much thicker string so you can see the real details of the knot-tying process.

Step 2 – Pass the Backing around the Fly Line
After you have passed the backing through your loop of line, take the backing and pass it around the fly line one time as shown in picture B below.

Step 3 – Wrap the Backing
In step 3, you need to take the tag end of your backing and wind it around itself and the fly line approximately eight to ten times as shown in the picture below.

Step 4 – Slide the Coils
Now take the coils of backing and slide them up the fly line towards the end of the loop, stopping approximately 1/8th of an inch away.

Step 5 – Tighten the Albright Knot
You now need to tighten the Albright knot by holding the two strands of the fly lining in one hand and pulling the tag end of the backing with the other, as shown in picture E below.

Step 6 – The Completed Albright Knot
When you are done tightening the Albright knot and trimming the tag end of the backing and the fly line, the consummate Albright knot should look similar to the one below in picture F.

2) Arbor Knot

If you are going to receive how to fly fish then you will exigency to master tying the arbor knot first.

Tying an Arbor Knot
When it comes to fly fishing knots, the arbor knot is the first knot you exigency to master. You really should use backing when to fly fishing. Most fly lines are less than 100 feet long and backing will provide your reel with more capacity. To attach the backing to your reel, you will exigency to use an arbor knot. The following four (4) steps will take you through the entire process of tying this type of knot.

Step 1 – Thread the Backing
The first thing you need to do when tying an arbor knot is threaded the backing around the reel arbor. Please note, the actual backing is much thinner than the string we are using in the photos. We are using this string because it is effortless to see in pictures.

Step 2 –The First Knot of the Arbor KnotAfter you have threaded the backing around the reel arbor, you need to tie an overhand knot in the vicinity of the backing itself to continue the creation of the arbor knot. To do this, tie the overhand knot around the backing as shown in the picture below (Arbor Knot Picture B). Please note, we have taken the reel out of the remaining pictures so you can improve and see the actual formation process of the arbor knot.

Step 3 – The Second Knot of the Arbor Knot
After you have tied the first overhand knot, you need to tie a runner-up knot in the free end of the backing to prevent it from sliding out of the knot.  

Step 4 – Snug the Knot Down
later you have tied the second knot, snug the first knot down around the reel arbor and pull back on both ends until the two knots touch. The end knot will look like the knot in Arbor Knot Picture D. You have now tied your first arbor knot.

As a side note, there are some people who think it is outstanding to wind a loop around the arbor twice before tying the first half hitch. In reality, you don’t exigency to do this unless your reel is highly polished.

It may take a duo of tries before you master the arbor knot, but you will be tying them like a pro before you know it. 

3) Tying Backing to the Fly Reel

Tying backing to the fly reel is a necessary knot that you must learn if you’re going to learn to fly fish.

Tying Backing to the Fly Reel

It doesn’t matter if you’re five years old or fifty if you want to begin fly fishing you have to learn the basics. Well, if you’re going to learn to fly fish, you have to learn to tie your backing to your fly reel before you head on out to the water.

Step 1 – Thread the Reel
Step one may very well be the easiest step you’ll ever take when tying a fly fishing knot. Simply thread the tag end of your backing around the spool hub of your fly reel. Do this two times and then bring the backing out between the rear pillars. Then tie a knot at the end of your backing just like in the picture shown below.

Step 2 – Tie the Overhand Knot
When tying the backing to the fly reel, step 2 is about as easy as step one. Simply take the backing and tie an overhand knot around the standing part of the line as shown below in pictures C and D.

Step 3 – Draw & Tighten
You now want to tighten the overhand knot (picture E) and draw the backing through the knot (picture F) so the knot tightens up against the hub of the flywheel (picture G).

Step 4 – Spool Backing to Fly Reel
Now that you’ve tied your backing to your fly reel, simply spool the backing tightly and you’re fly reel is ready to go. As you can see, while tying your backing to your fly reel is a very important process to learn, it’s also very and doesn’t take long at all to catch on to.

4) Tying the Barrel Knot/Blood Knot

Tying the barrel knot/blood knot comes in handy when you want to tie tapered leaders together or your leader to the tippet.

Tying the Barrel Knot/Blood Knot
If you exigency to join two sections of tapered leaders together or you want to tie the end of your leader to your tippet, the barrel knot/blood knot is an option you may want to consider. While the barrel knot-blood knot is not as secure as some of the other fly-fishing knots and it can be a bit too difficult to tie, it does offer more uniformity than too many of the other knots used for sport.

Step 1 – Make an “X”
Okay, here’s the easiest part of the entire knot-tying process when you’re forming a barrel blood/knot. Simply take your tippet and leader from the letter “x”.  We are using a much thicker string so you are able to see the all details of the knot-tying process.

Step 2 – Wind It
The next step in the barrel knot/blood knot process is to take one end of the backing and wind it around the tippet four or five times and then pass the end to the other side of the “x”.

Step 3 – Go the Opposite Way
Now you need to clamp down on the line with one hand as you use your other hand to wind the free end of the line around the standing piece in the opposite direction another 4 or 5 times. This time when you go through the loop, do it through the very same loop, but in the opposite direction.

Step 4 – Tighten the Knot
]Pull the standing parts well-adjusted to form the knot without putting any pressure on the short ends, as shown in the picture below. If you find it hard to pull the parts together, you can use lubrication to make the process very easier.

5)Tying a Catch and Release Knot

Tying a catch-and-release knot may well be one of the very easiest fly-fishing knots to tie. It should not take very long to master.

Of all of the fly fishing knots ever tied, the catch-and-release knot may very well be the easiest. In fact, the catch-and-release knot may very well be one of the very first knots you learned to tie as a child. If you’re planning on catching a very big fish, the catch-and-release knot probably isn’t a knot you want to use. However, if you just plan on casting a dry fly or giving a fish a good chance of getting away from you, the catch-and-release knot can come in handy.

 

Step 1 – Begin the Knot
Most of the knots you learn to tie when you begin fly fishing require a number of steps – each with varying degrees of difficulty. The catch-and-release knot, on the other hand, really only requires two very simple steps. Pictures A through D below will show you how to complete the first step in tying a catch and release knot – the step of beginning the knot.

Step 2 – Tightening the Knot
Some people call it a wind knot, others call it an overhand knot – when you break it down they are all the same exact knot. To complete the catch and release knot, simply grab the ends of the line and begin pulling them to tighten the knot, as shown in pictures E & F below.

6) Tying a Double Surgeon’s Knot

Tying a double surgeon’s knot is a very easy knot to master. It is principally used for tying two lines together that consist of different diameters.

The double surgeon’s knot is generally used when tying together two lines consisting of all different diameters and it’s really a great knot to use when tying your tippet to your leader. While it can look quite intimidating at first, the double surgeon’s knot is really quite a very easy knot to master once you get the hang of it.

Step 1 – Laying the Leader and Tippet Side-By-Side
The first thing you need to do when tying a double surgeon’s knot is to lay the leader and the tippet down with one right above the other, as shown in the picture below. Please note, we are not really using too leaders and tippets in the pictures provided. We are using a much thicker string so that you can actually see the process involved with tying the knot.

Step 2 –Tying an Overhand Knot

Now that your tippet and leader are lined up with one another, pick them up and begin tying an overhand knot so that the tagline and the tippet appear as they do in the picture below.

Step 3 – Pass the Tippet through the Overhand Knot

At this point in time, your tippet and your leader are starting to make the inception of an overhand knot. Now you need to pass the tippet completely through the overhand knot loop. Then grab the knot loop and pass the tippet and the leader through the knot a second time. At this time, your knot should resemble the knot in the picture below.

Step 4 – Pull Leader and Tippet and Complete the Knot

The next step is to grasp the tippet and the leader at the same time and begin pulling on both ends to form the knot, as shown in pictures D and E below.  Trim your tag ends and you’ve completed your first double surgeon’s knot.

7) Tying a Dropper Loop Knot

If you want to use a cast (a fly line set up with more than just one fly) you’re going to need to learn how to tie a dropper loop knot. The dropper loop knot is tied within the standing line and additional files can be attached to these loops. While the dropper loop knot may look complicated at first glance, it is actually a rather simple knot to form and it usually doesn’t take much time to learn this particular fly-fishing knot.

Step 1 – Make a Loop
To begin the dropper loop knot, select the place in the line where you want the dropper loop to be. Then form a loop in the line at that location, as shown in picture A.

Step 2 – Begin the Knot

Once you have formed your loop, pull the line from one side of the loop down and begin twisting it around that side of the loop, as shown in this picture B below.

Step 3 – Finish Formation of Knot

While you are twisting the line around that side of the loop new loop will be forming. Push the original loop through this second loop, as shown in pictures C and D below.

Step 5 – Tighten the Knot

At this time, you will want to either have someone hold down the smaller loop (as shown in picture E below) or you will want to grasp the smaller loop between your teeth as you tighten the knot. Gently pull the line until the knot tightens and the loop is sticking out from the line.

8) Tying a Duncan Loop / Uni-Knot

Tying a Duncan loop / uni-knot is a very easy knot to tie. It is one of the most popular fly fishing knots used.

The Duncan loop, also known as the uni-knot, is one of the most popular loop knots used when to fly fishing. The knot is easy to tie and it’s a very reliable knot, retaining about ninety-five percent of the line’s strength when tied properly. By tying your fly to your tippet using a Duncan loop / uni-knot you’ll improve the action of your lure and, as the result, will likely draw the attention of some more fish.

Step 1 – Passing the Tippet through the Eye
The first thing you need to do when tying a Duncan loop / uni-knot is passed the tag end of the tippet through the eye of your hook, as shown in picture A below. Please note, the pictures below do not actually all show a tippet being passed through the hook of a fly. Because a tippet and an actual fly would be too small to photograph properly, we used something thicker to represent the tippet and we used a dressed treble to represent the fly.

Step 2 – Create a Loop

Once you have placed the tag end of the tippet through the eye of the hook, you will want to create a loop with the tag end of the tippet, as shown below in picture B.

Step 3 – Wrapping the Loop

Now that you have created your loop, take the tag end of the tippet and pass it through and around the loop about four or five times, moving away from the fly as you do so.

Step 4 – Tighten the Knot

Now grab the front of the loop just above the eye of the fly with one hand and grab the tag end with the other. Very Slowly pull your hands away from each other to toughen the knot. When you have finished tightening the knot, your Duncan loop/uni knot should look similar to the one in the picture.

9) Tying a Figure Eight Knot

Tying a figure eight knot is another fly fishing knot that is very easy to master. Many fly fishing enthusiasts prefer the figure eight knot over the catch and release knot.

The figure eight knot, like the catch and release knot, is an easy knot to master. However, compared to the catch-and-release knot, the figure eight knot is much stronger and is easier to untie than the catch-and-release knot. Because of this, abounding fly fishing enthusiasts prefer the figure eight knot over the catch-and-release knot.

Step 1 – Begin the Knot
To begin the figure eight knot, take your fly line and create a ribbon shape as shown below in picture A.

Step 2 – Form a Figure Eight

Now take the tag end of the line and begin creating a figure eight shape as shown in pictures B, C, and D below.

Step 3 – Tighten the Knot

Now take the opposite ends of the line and very slowly begin tightening the knot as shown below in pictures E & F below.

10) Tying an Improved Clinch Knot

Tying an improved clinch knot is one of the easiest fly fishing knots to tie and it is stronger than the standard clinch knot.

The improved clinch knot is one of the easiest fly fishing knots to tie and it’s stronger than the standard clinch knot. If you tie a clinch knot, the knot may not be able to hold a heavy fish. However, if you use an improved clinch knot, it can withstand some of the strongest fish out there.

Step 1 – Threading the Tackle
The first thing you need to do when tying an improved clinch knot is threaded your tackle, as shown in the picture below. Please note, we are not using the actual fly line in the pictures below. We are using something thicker so you can see the steps involved with tying an improved clinch knot in detail.

Step 2 – Wrapping the Line

Now you need to take the tag end of your line and wrap it about five times around the part of the line going towards your rod. If you find it very difficult to actually wrap the tag end around the line, some people simply hold the tag end and the line and twist the tackle so the line wraps itself.

Step 3 – Passing Line through the Loops

Now you need to take your thumb and forefinger the coils together. Then take the tag end of the line in your other hand and run it through the first loop above the eye of your tackle and then over the coils and through the loop that was just created, as shown in the pictures below.

Step 4 – Tighten the Knot

Now pull on the tag end of your line and the line going towards your rod to tighten the improved clinch knot, as shown in the picture below. Once it is tightened, your knot should look similar to the improved clinch knot shown in picture F.

11) Tying a Loop-To-Loop Connection Knot

Tying a loop-to-loop connection knot is a simple knot to learn and easy to master. This knot is used to join 2 lines that have perfection loops on the end.

Tying a Loop-To-Loop Connection Knot
The loop-to-loop connection knot is a knot that is used to join two fly lines that have perfection loops on the end or two different lengths of leader together. For those who don’t like complicated knots, the loop-to-loop connection knot is a lifesaver. The knot is very simple to learn and very easy to master.

Step 1 – Pass One Loop through the Other
To begin your loop-to-loop connection knot, pass the loop of one line through the loop of the other line, as shown in pictures A & B below.

Step 2 – Passing the Other End

Next, Now pass the opposite end of the line with the loop that you passed over the loop of the other line and put it through that other line’s loop as shown in the pictures below.

Step 3 – Tightening the Knot

Now take the tag end of each line in slowly and pull them away from each other as shown in picture E below. When you have totally completed the loop-to-loop connection knot, it will look similar to the knot in picture F below.

12) Tying a Nail Knot

A nail knot is a versatile fly fishing knot and serious fly fisherman masters it sooner or later. The nail knot is perfect for tying your backing to your fly line or tying your fly line to your leader butt.

Step 1 – Lay Everything Out
When tying a nail knot, take a 1 to 2-inch nail and lay it down next to the end of your fly line. Then take your leader butt and lay it down above the nail facing the opposite direction of your fly line, as shown in the picture below. Please note, we’re not using the actual fly line, backing, or leader butt in the following pictures. We are using a much thicker string so you are able to see the all details of the knot-tying process.

Step 2 – Wrap the Nail

Now you need to hold the fly line and the nail in one hand. Then grasp the end of the leader and wrap it over itself, the nail, and the end of the fly line 5 or 6 times, moving from left to right. Keep the wraps you’ve completed in place by holding your thumb and forefinger.  

Step 3 – Pass & Tighten

Pass the leader butt down the nail and through the wraps you’ve just made (picture C). Then pull the ends of the fly line in opposite directions, tightening them at the top of the nail.

Step 4 – Remove the Nail

Now that you have begun to tighten the nail knot, it is time to remove the nail. Make sure you remove all the nails slowly, keeping the wraps of the knot in place with your fingers. Then pull the tag end of the leader until the wraps under your hand tighten and the nail knot pulls together.  

13) Tying a Perfection Loop

Tying a perfection loop is by no means the easiest knot to tie, but it is the best way to tie a too-small loop or a loop that needs to be in perfect alignment with a standing leader.

The perfection loop technique is used to tie a loop at the end of your leader. While the perfection loop is by no means the easiest loop knot to master, it is the best way to tie a very small loop or a loop that needs to be in perfect alignment with a standing leader. With some loops and knots, there are multiple ways of completing the tying process. While there are three or four different processes to tie the perfection loop, this is one of the most common and one of the easier methods of accomplishing this loop.

 

Step 1 – Create a “Pretzel Knot”
The first step in the creation of a perfection loop is the beginning of a “pretzel knot” as shown in pictures A & B below.

Step 2 – Create another Loop

You now have the first loop of the top best perfection loop created. You will now form a second loop behind this first loop by passing your tag end through the first loop as shown in the picture below.

Step 3 – Forming the Knot

Take the tag end of the loop you just created and pull it through the top part of the first loop and then back down through the bottom as shown in the pictures below.

Step 4 – Tighten the Knot

Now grab the tag in one hand and the front loop in the other and begin to tighten the knot as shown in pictures F & G below.  

 

See More: Types of Fly Fish