One of the most important aspects of catching more fish is having the right gear. Everything from your line and hook to your rod and reel dramatically impact whether you land the fish. They are all important, but the knots you use are a critical link to getting that fish in the boat. Bass anglers use many different knots depending on the lure or situation, and there are many other reasons why anglers have favorites.
To get a complete picture of the variety of knots used, we asked three top pro anglers about their favorite knots and why they prefer them. Here's a rundown of the knots used and why.
Connecting Lures to Line
Bass Pro Tour angler John Hunter prefers something other than the standard Palomar knot to connect a fluorocarbon line to a lure. The Palomar is very popular, but Hunter chooses not to use it because of what he's seen from how the knot performs with certain hooksets.
"If you snap set and make strong hooksets, a lot of times, the Palomar will burn itself and fail," he said. "For all of my fluorocarbon lines, I use the Improved Fisherman's knot, which is a modification of the old-school Clinch knot, the Improved Clinch of Fisherman's Knot. Instead of the standard knot, you double over your line when tying it, and fluorocarbon lines hold up much better when setting the hook hard."
Bass Pro Tour angler Bryan Thrift keeps things simple. "I use Palomar for almost all of my knots connecting directly to a bait," he said. "It's a great knot that's very strong and quick to tie."
Another Bass Pro Tour angler who prefers the Palomar is Marshall Robinson, son of fellow Bass Pro Tour angler Marty Robinson. "Pretty much the only knot I use to tie to a lure, whether braid, mono, or fluorocarbon, is the Palomar," he said. "Casey Ashley taught me that knot when I was about six years old, and since then, I've never broken it on a fish."
Braid to Fluorocarbon Connection
When connecting two line types, Thrift uses the FG Knot for his P-Line SPIN-X Braid to SPIN-X Fluorocarbon leader material. He switched to this knot four years ago, having previously tied the Alberto Knot.
"I switched over a few years ago because the Alberto was affecting my casting," he said. "When you tie that knot, you have a little tag end that hangs out and will get caught on your guides once in a while and affect your casting accuracy and efficiency. There are no fluorocarbon tag ends sticking out with the FG Knot, and it comes through the guides much better."
Robinson also uses an FG and says it hasn't let him down yet. "I've never had a knot break or come apart on me; it's never given me any trouble regardless of the size of the line I use," he said. "Most of the time, with spinning gear and light line, I use the SPIN-X braid with a Shinsei leader. The line is made for use as a leader and comes in small spools, but it's a premium fluorocarbon for finesse fishing."
The Snell and Loop Knots
Thrift relies on two other specialty knots in specific situations: the Loop Knot and the Snell Knot. Each has a dedicated purpose for his fishing.
"The only time I will snell my knot is when I am setting the hook vertically, like when punching heavy vegetation or fishing in laydowns," he said. "These are the times when I set the hook straight in the air and the only time that I will tie a Snell Knot."
Thrift added that the Snell Knot is not a given just because he's using a straight shank flipping hook. "If I'm pitching to cover or flipping boat docks, I'll still use a Palomar knot when I am making a longer cast because I'm setting the hook with the bait out there horizontally," he said. "I still only tie the Snell Knot in topped-out vegetation when setting the hook straight up from the fish."
Another knot that Thrift sometimes employs is the Loop Knot. This knot is usually lure-specific and nearly always for topwater baits with P-Line Topwater, a high-performance co-polymer line designed especially for topwater lures.
"I'll use a Loop Knot when fishing the Topwater line," he said. "For a walking bait or popper, when I want it to walk a little more freely, the Loop Knot really helps. I'll use a 12 or 15-pound test for a popper, and for a walking bait, I will use 15-pound when I go with the Topwater line instead of braid."
The knot you use is critical for landing more fish, and there are many opinions on which one is best. Much of it comes down to personal preference, but choosing the right knot for the lure, type of line, and situation is always the best approach.