Fishing is a great way to spend your extra time. It is fun, entertaining and a wonderful way to get outside and enjoy some of what nature has to offer. Many people fish simply for pleasure and others take it very seriously. Regardless of which category you fall in one big important part of fishing is tying knots.



The knot is a lot more important than you may think. This is one of the main factors that determine how well your day goes. If you have a poorly tied knot you will probably lose your bait hooks and even worse, the catch. If the knot is not secure then the weight of the fish will pull it loose or if it snags on anything even the smallest tug can pull everything loose.

Now that you see how important a fishing knot is you need to know what some of the best fishing knots are and how to tie them. Here are the 5 best saltwater fishing knots and how to tie them.

Blood Knot

The blood knot is used to join two similar lines together. It is perfect for joining pre-strung hooks onto your line and so forth. It is a very easy way to securely tie two lines together. Follow these directions to learn how to tie the blood knot.

Overlap the two lines being joined together and twist them together for approximately ten turns. Keep the twist going in the same directions and symmetrical. Go to the center of where you began twisting the lines and make a hole between the two and then push the ends of the lines through the opposite side of the hole you just made. Pull the ends all the way through and cut off them off even.

Palomar Knot

The Palomar knot is a simple knot that works best with thin lines. It holds very well for smaller saltwater species but should not be used when fishing for large species of fish. Start by running the line through the hook and then double it back through the eye a second time while leaving a loop on the opposite side about four inches round.

Now you need to tie a knot into the double line right above the eye and leave it loose. Pull the loop end that you left earlier up and over the hook and pull tightly. Make sure you put the same amount of pressure on both sides of the line when pulling and then cut off any excess line.

Cinch Knot

Anglers like the cinch knot because it is very strong and when tied right it will not slip. In fact, it is regarded as the most reliable knot used for fishing. It is also very easy to tie so it is normally the first knot anyone learns how to do. Start by running the line through the eye of the hook and bring the end up and around the fishing line. Here you need to twist it around the standby line five times.