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This section will show you how to tie all of the knots needed to properly assemble your gear. In order to tie effective knots, you must realize that neatness counts. If a knot slips, it will probably break. Therefore, it is essential you completely tighten all knots. This is accomplished by lubricating the knot before you tighten it down. You can use water, saliva, or silicone fly floatant. One word of caution should be exercised here. You should never put any part of your line into your mouth to wet the knot. Many streams and lakes contain bacteria that can be harmful to you. If you use saliva, drip or spit it on the knot instead. When you tighten the knot, do so very slowly. What you are trying to do is tighten the knot without building up too much heat. If you tighten the knot quickly, friction will cause excessive heat, which in turn weakens the line. A smooth slow draw is best.
Arbor - used to attach your backing to your reel's arbor First loop the backing around the arbor. Then tie an overhand knot at the end of the tag end and tighten it. Then take the tag end and tie an overhand knot around the standing line. Start tightening the overhand knot around the standing line, while bringing the knot at the tag end closer. Keep tightening until both knots are touching and then snug them up against the arbor.
Nail Knot - used for attaching backing to flyline, and flyline to leader In order to tie this knot, you will need a small tube or nail. I find it easiest to tie by using a tube which is about the same diameter as the flyline. Hold the tube and the end of the flyline with your left thumb and forefinger, with the end of the flyline pointing to your right. Also hold the leader or backing, with the end pointing to the left.
Now wrap the end of the leader around the flyline and tube for five wraps. Make sure you leave a little bit of slack when you begin wrapping, so you will form a little loop as shown. Now insert the end of the leader through the tube.
Now you can remove the tube, and begin snugging down the knot. This is the tricky part. You cannot let the loops formed at both ends of the wrap slide under the wraps. You want to try and snug the wraps first, and then pull on both ends of the leader to snug the loops against the wraps. Do not pull on the flyline.
If you have snugged the knot down correctly, it will look like the illustration below. Notice how the wraps are still in neat order, and the former loops cleanly enter under the wraps. Once you see you done this properly, you can lubricate the knot and tighten it down by pulling on both ends of the leader.
Now simply trim the tag end of the leader and the flyline. That's it, you did it! Congratulations, this is about as difficult as it gets. If you made it through this, the others will seem easy.
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This page was last updated on Tuesday, April 3, 2001
