A ‘how-to-tie’ guide for some of the most popular fishing knots
EDITOR’S NOTE: With fishing action ramping up, we thought now would be a great time to introduce a series on several basic fishing knots that can be used by a variety of anglers.
Read the instructions below, then watch the accompanying video for great step-by-step visuals.
Today, we go over the the arbor knot, which is used to tie your line to both spinning and baitcasting reels. (Last week, we featured the slim beauty knot, in case you missed it.)
Remember braided line is slick and will slip when fighting a fish without a mono backing. To prevent braid from slipping on non braid-ready spools, be sure to tie a monofilament backing to the spool with the arbor knot. Fill the spool with several wraps, and then connect the mono backing to the braid with a double-uni knot or a blood knot. More backing may be required on larger reels.
Here’s how to tie an arbor knot:
1. Loop the line around the spool.
2. Tie an overhand knot around the standing line to form a loose slip knot.
3. Tie an overhand knot in the free end and snug it up.
4. Pull firmly on the standing line until the knot in the free end snugs up against the slip knot. The arbor knot will not slip when you wind line onto the spool.
