One of the more difficult tasks I've encountered while writing about fishing is describing in words how to tie a knot. It's one thing to explain a technique to a fellow angler. The terminology is usually shared knowledge, which makes for a more fluid explanation process. Try to teach someone with zero knowledge about knots, and even the words themselves need explaining. So without further ado, let's see if practice has improved my descriptive abilities. I present to you, "The Palomar Knot".  

Using The Palomar Knot

Anglers often prefer the Palomar knot when tying line straight to a hook. The reason being is that it's easy to tie, and it doesn't compromise line strength. It's true that some knots can cause the line to become weaker. The knot is the weak link, and causes the line to break at a strain it would normally be able to withstand. With the Palomar Knot, anglers keep 100 % of their line strength. 

Disadvantages

Why not use such a strong knot all the time? One limitation of the Palomar Knot appears in its very method of tying. Part of the technique requires a loop that must flip over the hook. For this reason, the Palomar Knot isn't practical for tying to larger objects like lures. The loop has to be big enough for the object to pass through. The Palomar Knot is not effective with heavier fishing line, nor will it work for line to line connections. It's best use is for tying to small objects, like hooks or rings. 

Tying The Palomar Knot

Materials 

To begin, all you need is a hook and a decent length of fishing line. Another option for practice is to use cord and a small ring. The line should be at least 3 feet in length for working space.

Step 1

Take the line on one end and double it back upon itself. Give yourself a good 4 inches of doubled line to work with. You now have a new false doubled end to the line. This doubled end goes through the eye (hole) of the hook. It may take a slight pinch in the bend and some manipulation to pass the doubled line through.

 

Step 2

 

Let the hook hang at about the mid point of the doubled line. Now consider your doubled line as 1 combined line, and tie an overhand knot. That's once around and under, like starting to tie a shoe. Do not tighten it down. This leaves you with a loose overhand knot, a hook hanging in the center, and a loop sticking out. 

Step 3

To finish the Palomar Knot, flip the hook through the loop now sticking out one side of your overhand knot. Pull both the doubled strands on the opposite end of the overhand knot until it all tightens down on the hook. Clip the short excess end of line about 1'4 inch from the hook. That's it. You have successfully tied a very strong knot. The Palomar Knot! 

Completion Tips

The tying of the Palomar Knot is very straightforward. People tend to run into difficulty only during the final cinch down process. If you hold the hook or ring (or fasten it to something else) and pull steadily on both lines, the loop will draw in. The trick is not to let that loop catch on the eye of the hook, or the double strands created by the overhand knot. The loop should rest between the overhand knot and the hook when it tightens down all the way. 

As We Say In Terms All Anglers Understand - Tight Lines! 

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