VIDEO: What Knot to Use and How to Tie

 

Arbor 

I use this knot to connect backing to my fly reels and mono, fluoro and braid to the spools of my conventional gear. Most people prefer to back braided lines with mono because it slips on the spool at the connection point. I solve this problem by tying the arbor knot then adding a half hitch to each side of the spool. This locks the line securely and doesn’t allow it to slip.

Albright

The Albright is my knot of choice for connecting braided line to leader materials. It is the most effective when using braid and leader material that do not have a major dissimilarity in diameter. I only use this type of setup for freshwater fishing so it is not relevant to discuss using other knots to compensate for the difference.

Palomar 

The Palomar knot is very strong. According to numerous studies it retains the highest amount of line strength and it is very simple to tie. The Palomar is my knot of choice when I am tying on my lure when the forward-facing tag end is not a concern. When the Palomar is finished, the tag end will be facing forward and make a small V that catches onto vegetation easily. If it causes me to pick up trash on the line, I will switch over to an improved clinch knot and trim the tag end very close.

Improved Clinch

This knot is used when the lure is not going to articulate during the presentation. It provides a direct pull and is very strong, easy to tie and can be modified for different line diameters by simply using more or fewer twists.

Loop 

This knot is a must for topwater lures, crankbaits that do not have a split ring, some jig presentations and other applications where you desire the lure to articulate. When finished, it leaves a small loop that allows the lure to articulate or swing during the retrieve. It makes walking the dog for topwater lures easier and usually widens the wobble of lipped baits.

Excerpts taken from Kayak Bass Fishing by Chad Hoover. Videos from Animated Knots on YouTube.