Best Fishing Knots Made Easy! 5 Knots You Need To Know!

Learn a couple of these easy knots and you'll be able to catch fish anywhere in the world! We choose our knots based on ease of tying and consistent results. You don't need special tools and you don't need to use your knees and toes to help tie them. These knots are EASY! 

Today Tim is showing the 5 knots we use for all of our fishing. The 3 "Line-To-Lure" knots are the San Diego Jam knot, Palomar Knot, and Uni Knot. The two "Line-To-Line" (leader) knots are the Double Uni Knot and the Double Blood Knot. 

Every time "knots" come up everyone seems to have an opinion. Some people insist on tying incredibly complex knots. Others prefer knots that require special tools. Some anglers just tie whatever knot their grandpa taught them because it works... most of the time. We choose our knots based on a handful of variables. The knot must be easy to tie on the water and can't take an excessive amount of time. It must work with a variety of lines and line sizes. And most important, you must be able to visibly verify that it is tied correctly.  

Now that you know the knots to tie, let's talk about line. There are different lines for different purposes. Below is a breakdown of all our favorite fishing lines for different circumstances. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each line. 

Braided Lines... We use these lines for the vast majority of our fishing. Braided line is incredibly strong, has very little stretch, and is very thin. The downside of braid is that its highly visible in the water. For power fishing techniques like frogging, topwater, flipping, etc braid is amazing! It gives you incredible power to set the hook hard and drag the fish away from cover. In these situations its okay to tie the braided line direct to your lure. If you're fishing slower or in clearer water you'll want to add a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader to reduce visibility. 

-Favorite Braid (Ultra Thin)- Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

-Budget Braid- Power Pro Original: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

-Finesse Braid (Spinning Rods)- Sunline SX-1: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

-Smooth Braid- Sufix 832: http://bit.ly/2ae93Ji

Fluorocarbon Lines... Fluorocarbon is the best of both worlds between braid and mono. It has good sensitivity, strength, and is virtually invisible in the water. Its a great stand alone line for all fishing applications (except for topwater because it tends to sink) but it truly shines as a finesse line. It can be used as a main line or as a leader (Sniper for finesse leader, FC100 for power fishing leader). 

-Finesse Applications- Sunline Sniper FC: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

-Power Applications- Sunline Assassin FC: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

-Leader Material- Sunline FC100 System Leader: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Monofilament... Mono is what most anglers start with. Its incredibly forgiving, has a lot of stretch, is very strong, and its relatively cheap. Traditionally monofilament shines for topwater and crankbaits where stretch is a plus. Over the years we have shifted to braided line and currently only use monofilament as a leader material. 

-Favorite Mono- Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

-Budget Mono- Berkley Big Game: http://bit.ly/2vZGjSb

Line Size Recommendations By Technique... 

Dropshot- 10 lb Braid or 6 lb Fluorocarbon

Crankbait- 12-17 lb Fluorocarbon or 30 lb Braid

Topwater- 40 lb Braid or 15 lb Mono

Frog- 65 lb Braid

Jig- 50 lb Braid, 15-20 lb Fluorocarbon, 15-20 lb Mono Leader

Ned Rig- 8 lb Braid or 6 lb Fluorocarbon

Senko- 30 lb Braid, 10-15 lb Mono leader, 12 lb fluorocarbon

Shakey Head- 20 lb Braid, 10-12 lb fluorocarbon, 10 lb mono leader

Spnnerbait/Chatterbait- 15-20 lb fluorocarbon, 40-50 lb Braid

Big Swimbait- 80 lb braid, 25-35 lb mono or fluorocarbon leader

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Best Fishing Line: Braid, Mono, or fluorocarbon?

When should you use mono? What about braided line or Fluorocarbon? Matt explains what each line is for, how to use it, and when to avoid it. We also discuss leader materials and how to tie connection knots. 

This video goes in depth about all 3 fishing lines. We ignored copolymer for the sake of time as its really just an "in between" between fluorocarbon and monofilament. All of these different styles of line are important. Each one has a place and will increase your success while fishing. But use the wrong line for the wrong purpose and it will drive you insane! A perfect example that we forgot to cover in the video is that fluorocarbon sinks. Use it for topwater and it will drive you insane! But use it in ultra deep water and it will make it easier to keep bottom contact. 

Below is a break down of the different lines that we use on a regular basis. 

Braided Line...
Power Pro: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b
Power Pro MaxCuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ
Sufix 832: http://bit.ly/2ae93Ji

Monofilament...
Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9
P-Line CXX: http://bit.ly/2alLm0l

Fluorocarbon...
Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm
Sunline Sniper: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju
Seaguar AbrazX: http://bit.ly/2aaBBDX
Seguar Red Label: http://bit.ly/2LOVEwA

Connection Knots...

 Blood Knot- This is my core knot for all connections between braid and mono or braid and fluoro. If connecting to fluorocarbon its CRITICAL that the knot is wet when cinching up or the fluoro will be burned. 

Blood Knot Video: https://youtu.be/XKn9Pgl1sYI

Nail Knot- This is an extremely strong knot but requires an extra tool or straw to tie it effectively on the water. 

My applications...
Finesse in crystal clear water: 10 lb braid (use 15 lb if on a low end reel) to 5-8 lb fluoro
Finesse in clean water: 10 lb braid to 6-10 lb mono
Texas Rigs: 40 lb braid to 12-17 lb mono
Finesse Jigs: 30 lb braid to 10-15 lb mono or 12-15 lb fluoro
Jig Fishing: 50 lb braid to 15-20 lb mono
Crankbait option 1: 12 lb fluorocarbon (Assassin)
Crankbait option 2: 20 lb Braid (Sufix 832) to 12 lb mono
Swimbait: 80 lb braid to 30 lb mono
punching: 65 lb braid (no leader)
Frogging: 50-65 lb braid (No leader)
Jerkbait option 1: 20 lb braid to 10 lb mono leader
Jerkbait option 2: 12 lb fluorocarbon
Shaky Head: 30 lb braid to 10 lb mono
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Braided Line and Leader Length

Many anglers have made the switch to braided line for their bass fishing but many still struggle with the specifics. The main struggles are when to tie a leader, how long should a leader be, what knots to use for braided line, When to use a leader and when to tie direct to braided line. 

In this video Matt focuses on when to tie a leader and how long that leader needs to be for different techniques like flipping, pitching, crankbaits, jigs, finesse fishing, topwater, etc. Leader length for flipping is vastly different than leader length for reaction or finesse techniques. The only aspect of the leaders that remains the same is the knot. 

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Matt's connection knot of choice to connect braid to mono or fluoro leader material is a blood knot. Here is the video on how to tie the blood knot if you're not familiar with it: https://youtu.be/XKn9Pgl1sYI

Matt's preferred Lines...

Sufix 832 Braided Line
Power Pro Maxcuatro Braided Line
Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon
Maxima Ultragreen Monofilament

**We do not advocate Maxima Ultragreen as a main line because it is stiff and has excessive stretch. However, as a leader material it is phenomenal! It has strength, shock absorption, and abrasion resistence. 

King Sling: A Loop Knot Every Angler Should Know

This week we break down how to tie the "King Sling", a simple knot that every angler should know. Its quick, its easy, and it can save you from the headaches of split rings and snaps on your hardbaits.

Personally, I use it in place of a snap on all of my big swimbaits so that I know I've got a positive connection that allows the bait to move freely without the risk of opening and failing. Topwater is another prime time to use a loop knot.

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When tying to a "walk the dog" style bait with a traditional knot like a palomar you create a very rigid connection that limits the bait's ability to move freely. Tying a loop allows you to create a strong connection without limiting the bait's ability to move.

There are many loop knots out there but the King Sling is our personal favorite. Its quick and easy to tie and has been a work horse for us for many years. We hope it helps you this summer, good luck out there!