Fishing Frenzy

Fly fishing can be a hit-or-miss scenario, and this is especially true when it comes to making sure your knots are tied properly. Not only is it a matter of choosing the knot that would be appropriate for a certain setting, but tying it properly. Poorly tied knots will mean lost fish and frustration for you, so knowing about the right knots and how to tie them can be a huge part of the fly fishing experience.

The first thing to do would be to lubricate the knot with your saliva or fishing water. This aids the knot's ability to slip and slide to your liking. Another benefit of lubrication would be the fact that it prevents the monofilament from weakening due to overheating. If a knot is tied nice and taut, any friction could cause a lot of heat to build up. Moistening the knot will reduce this heat and allow you to have good, strong knots.

Tighten knots with a steady, continuous pull. In fishing terminology, this is seating the knot. The knot has to be taut enough and safely secured. Simply pull on the line and leader to see if the knot holds up. It's better to test its strength before you cast rather than to have it break once you get a hook.

There are plenty of books available that give step-by-step instructions on how to properly tie specific knots. You can even go on the Internet to get online tutorials on how to tie these knots.

You will need to know how to secure your line to the reel. This is called "Backing to the fly reel" and there is a specific knot as to how to achieve that. The Nail Knot and Albright Knots are the specific knots you have to tie to back to the fly line. When tying the fly line to the leader, you can also use the Nail Knot for this purpose.

The Surgeon's Knot or Barrel Knot can be used if you have to secure the leader to the tippet, another technique that can come in handy. We suggest using a Duncan's Loop or Clinch Knot for securing the tippet to the fly.

It has been said that the weakest part of a fly fisherman's equipment is his knots. Fish, when caught, will fight against every obstacle placed by the fisherman. If one of these link is lacking, the line will break and the fish will be lost. You should learn how to properly tie knots and prioritize this when learning fly fishing, unless you're the type who likes telling "one that got away" stories at the local bar.

No fly fishing knot is identical to the other, and some can be quite challenging to do. Before hitting the water, have enough practice tying knots the right way. Become proficient at it and be sure you can do it in low light in case you have a broken line. You are what you tie when it comes to knots, and no knot is best for any specific setting. But when you are fly fishing, you need to depend on your knots and it's worth taking the time to learn properly.