Fly fishing knots every beginner needs

Which knots do you need for fly fishing?

Five knots cover almost everything: the arbor knot to tie backing to your reel, a loop-to-loop connection between fly line and leader, the surgeon's knot to add tippet, the improved clinch knot to tie on a fly, and the perfection loop for making your own loops. Most modern fly lines come with welded loops, which makes the connections even simpler.

Arbor knot: backing to reel

1. Pass the backing around the spool of the reel.
2. Tie an overhand knot with the tag end around the standing line.
3. Tie a second overhand knot in the tag end, just beyond the first.
4. Pull the standing line so the knots slide down and lock against the spool. Trim the tag.

Loop-to-loop: fly line to leader

Push the fly line's loop through the leader's loop. Then pass the whole leader, tippet end first, through the fly line's loop and pull the two together. Done right, the loops sit like two interlocked rings rather than one loop choking the other.

Surgeon's knot: adding tippet

1. Overlap the end of your leader and the new tippet by about six inches.
2. Holding them together, make a loop.
3. Pass the tippet and the leader's tag end through the loop twice.
4. Moisten the knot and pull all four ends evenly to tighten. Trim both tags.

Improved clinch knot: tying on a fly

1. Pass about six inches of tippet through the eye of the hook.
2. Wrap the tag end around the standing line five to seven times. Use fewer wraps with heavier tippet.
3. Pass the tag end through the small loop just above the eye.
4. Then pass it back through the big loop you just made.
5. Moisten, pull the standing line until the wraps snug down, and trim the tag.

Perfection loop: making your own loop

The perfection loop puts a neat, in-line loop in the end of a leader or a length of heavy monofilament, so you can make loop-to-loop connections anywhere. It's easier to learn from a demonstration than from a description, so it's one I teach in person.

Tips for tying strong knots

• Always moisten a knot before tightening. Friction heat weakens monofilament and fluorocarbon.
• Pull slowly and firmly, not with a jerk.
• Trim tags close, but leave a tiny stub so the knot can't slip.
• Test every knot with a firm pull before you fish it.
• Retie after a big fish, or whenever the line near the knot looks kinked or scuffed.

Can you learn knots in a lesson?

Yes. Knots, leaders and equipment setup are part of the fundamentals I teach, and they're much easier to learn with someone watching your hands.