Knots from the M&CGC

1. Mark.H.V.Corps
IFI Angling Advisor
Marine & Countryside Guiding
FETAC Level 6

2. Modern line
Most lines are man made from
materials including
• Nylon
• Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF or
fluorocarbon)
• Polyethylene
• Dacron &
• Dyneema (UHMWPE)

3. • Most common is monofilament made of
a single strand
• Anglers use monofilament because its
buoyant & able to stretch under load -
stretch can be is a disadvantage because
of less direct contact & hook-sets are
less powerful than with a non-
stretchable line

4. • Alternatives include copolymers or
fluorocarbon, or a combination
• Fluorocarbon valued for its refractive index
similar to water, so less visible to fish
• Fluorocarbon is more dense than
monofilament so used to fish baits / flies
deeper
• Braided lines, cofilament & thermally fused
lines, also known as 'super lines' used for small
diameter, lack of stretch & great strength
relative to monofilament

5. Knots
• Arbor knot - its primary use is to attach
line to the arbor of a reel
• Surgeon's loop or Double Loop - is bulky
but good for making quick, strong loops
at the end of lines & leaders for
connecting to other loops

8. • Surgeons or water knot - is a good knot for
joining lengths of leader material & can be
used for attaching a dropper to a leader
• Clinch or blood knot - probably the most
popular fishing knot used today. When tied
properly it is very strong & doesn’t slip. Can
be used with varity of lines including mono-
filament, fluorocarbon & braided

12. • Two lengths of nylon to be joined should be
overlapped.
• Tie an overhand knot & make sure the end of
the tippet & the leader itself are pulled
through the knot. Repeat procedure for a true
Surgeon's knot. (If you make two more
overhand knots, finished knot is a Double
Surgeon's knot or 4-turn Water Knot.)
• Moisten the knot, pull it tight & trim-off the
tag ends

13. Clinch or blood knot
• Pass the line through the eye of the hook
• Double back - make 5 turns around the line
• Pass line through the first loop, above the eye, then
through the large loop
• Pass the line through the first loop by the eye of the
hook
• Draw the knot into shape - slide coils tight against eye