A fixed loop lets a crankbait wobble properly, a fly swim naturally and a soft plastic fall freely — things a knot clamped tight against the eye kills. The non-slip loop is the one worth learning, and it takes about fifteen seconds.
A knot pulled tight against the lure eye locks it in place. For some lures that is fine. For others it strangles the action: a crankbait cannot wobble, a spoon cannot flutter, a fly cannot move.
A loop leaves the lure hanging free so it does what it was designed to do. Use one for crankbaits with a line tie, spoons, topwater walkers, flies on a stream, and soft plastics on a light jig head. Do not use one where you want the lure pinned, such as a jig you are punching through cover.
1. Pass the line through the eye and leave a long tag — you need more tag than you think.
2. Tie a loose overhand knot in the standing line above the eye, but do not tighten it.
3. Take the tag end and pass it through that loose overhand knot, going in the same direction the line was already traveling.
4. Wrap the tag around the standing line three to five times, working back toward the eye. More turns for heavier line.
5. Bring the tag back and pass it through the overhand knot again, from the same side it came out of in step 3.
6. Wet the knot, then pull the standing line and the tag slowly apart. The overhand knot cinches down over the wraps and locks them — which is exactly why it does not slip.
Passing the tag back through the wrong way. Step 5 has to go back through the overhand knot from the same side it exited in step 3. Go through the other side and you have built a knot that slips under load, which is the one thing this knot exists to prevent.
Tightening too fast. Pulling hard and dry builds friction heat and weakens the line at the wraps. Wet it first, seat it slowly, then test it with a firm pull before you cast.
You cannot seat a loop knot properly with cold hands and teeth.
Needed to hold the loop open while you seat the knot, and to trim the tag flush afterwards.
Check current price on Amazon →Fluorocarbon holds a loop knot well and is nearly invisible underwater. The most common material for this knot.
Check current price on Amazon →You cannot see a loop form in glare. Half of knot tying is being able to see what you are doing.
Check current price on Amazon →The lures this knot exists for. Anything with a line tie rather than a split ring swings properly on a loop.
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A non-slip loop gives a lure or fly its own action. The uni knot makes a loop with a different method, the knot strength calculator shows what the loop keeps, and the fly leader length calculator covers the leader side.
It retains roughly 85 to 90 percent of line strength, slightly less than a palomar. You give up a little strength for a great deal more action, which is almost always the right trade on the lures it suits.
Yes, but use more wraps — five or six rather than three — because braid is slippery. Seat it slowly and test it before you cast; a braid loop knot tied carelessly can slip.
Both make a fixed loop. The non-slip loop is generally stronger and more reliable at holding its size under load, while the perfection loop is simpler and quicker to tie. For lures, the non-slip loop is the better choice.
Three for light line up to about 8 lb, four or five for 10 to 20 lb, and five or six for braid or anything heavier. More wraps grip better but make a bulkier knot.
Skip it for lures on split rings where the ring already gives free movement, for very small flies where the loop adds bulk, and for heavy cover where you want maximum strength right at the eye.
It creates a fixed loop at the end of the line that lets a lure, fly or hook swing freely instead of being held rigid. That freedom is the whole point: a crankbait wobbles wider and a fly moves more naturally when it is not tied solid. The knot also stays small enough to pass through rod guides without hanging up.
It retains roughly 85 to 95 percent of line strength when tied correctly, which is less than a Palomar but more than enough for most presentations. The failure mode is a loop that collapses under load, so check the loop after every fish and retie if it has pulled down tight against the hook eye.
Knot strength chart · Palomar knot · Uni knot · Best bass lures
How to Tie a Palomar Knot · How to Tie an Improved Clinch Knot · How to Tie a Uni Knot · How to Tie an FG Knot · How to Tie a Blood Knot · How to Tie a Double Uni Knot · How to Tie a Surgeon's Knot · How to Tie a Snell Knot · How to Spool a Spinning Reel · Spooling Without Line Twist · How to Set Drag on a Reel
Numbers to go with it: Knot Strength Calculator · Line Diameter Converter · Shock Leader Calculator
Please note: every figure on this page is an estimate, not a measured result. Tolerances between brands, wear on your gear and your own setup all change the outcome. TackleCalc has no connection to any brand mentioned here, and this content is for reference only.