Knot guide · Beginner
Figure-of-Eight Loop: How to Tie It
The figure-of-eight loop makes the loops used for loop to loop connections, hooklengths, feeders and method rigs. It is the loop knot UK match and feeder anglers reach for by default because it is fast, neat and dependable for connections that are not under direct hook load.
Published by the GilledIt editorial team · Last reviewed 2026-08-19 · Part of the fishing knot library
Step by step
How to tie the figure-of-eight loop
- 1
Double the line
Double over the last 10 to 15cm of line to form a loop.
- 2
Make the figure of eight
Twist the doubled line back over itself to make a closed loop, then take the end of the loop around the doubled standing line one full turn, so the shape looks like a figure of eight.
- 3
Pass the loop through
Pass the end of the loop back through the first eye of the eight.
- 4
Wet and seat
Wet the knot, then pull the loop and the standing line in opposite directions to seat it.
- 5
Trim
Trim the tag end so the finished loop sits neat and inline.
Two rules apply to every knot: wet it with saliva before pulling it tight, because dry friction weakens mono and fluorocarbon at the exact point you need strength, and tighten slowly, then test with a firm pull before you cast.
Get it right
Common mistakes to avoid
Making an overhand loop by accident. One half-turn short of the full figure of eight leaves you with an overhand loop, which is weaker and jams solid after a fish. If the finished knot looks like a simple circle rather than an eight, retie it.
Tying the loop too big. A hooklength loop only needs to be big enough to pass the hook through; a long flapping loop tangles around the hooklength and spins on the cast.
Seating loop-to-loop as a girth hitch. Drawn together wrongly, one loop strangles the other and the connection loses real strength. The two loops should sit in a square, interlocked handshake; if you see a choke, re-seat it.
Pulling only one side to seat it. Pull the loop and the standing line in opposite directions so the eight closes evenly; a lopsided eight has a weak strand doing all the work.
Trimming the tag before the knot is fully seated. The tag can draw in slightly as the eight beds down, and a flush-cut tag can end up inside the knot.
How strong is it?
Retains around 80 to 85% of line strength, which is plenty for a connection that is not under direct hook load. Exact figures vary with line type, diameter and how well the knot is tied, so treat any percentage as a guide, not a guarantee.
When to use the figure-of-eight loop
Any time you need a loop: hooklength connections, feeder attachments and method rigs. Loop to loop is the quickest way to change hooklengths on the bank; just make sure the loops seat in a square handshake, not a strangling girth hitch, which costs you strength.
Which lines does the figure-of-eight loop suit?
Mono and fluorocarbon are the figure-of-eight's natural materials, and in the hooklength diameters UK coarse anglers actually use it behaves impeccably. On very light hooklengths under 2lb, tie it with extra care and pull the seat slowly; fine line magnifies any unevenness in the eight. In soft braid the knot holds but can deform under sustained load, so anglers making braided loops often add an extra turn before seating for insurance. Stiff, heavy mono above 15lb resists folding into a neat eight; there a spliced or crimped loop is usually the tidier answer, though few coarse situations ever call for it.
The bigger picture
How does it compare?
Where the figure-of-eight loop sits among the ten knots in the library, by the line types it suits, how much strength it keeps, how bulky the finished knot is, and how hard it is to tie.
| Knot | Best for | Strength retention | Bulk | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palomar Knot | Mono, fluorocarbon and braid | ~95% | Compact | Beginner |
| Grinner Knot (Uni Knot) | All line types | 90–95% | Moderate | Beginner |
| Improved Clinch Knot | Mono and fluorocarbon (not braid) | 90–95% | Slim | Beginner |
| Knotless Knot (Hair Rig) | Braided and coated hooklinks | ~90% | Slim (spread along the shank) | Beginner |
| FG Knot | Braid to fluorocarbon or mono leader | 90–95% (of the braid) | Very slim | Advanced |
| Figure-of-Eight Loop(this guide) | Mono and fluorocarbon hooklengths | 80–85% | Moderate | Beginner |
| Snell Knot | Mono and fluorocarbon (braid also snells well) | ~95% or better | Slim (spread along the shank) | Intermediate |
| Albright Knot | Two lines of clearly different diameters | 80–90% | Moderate | Intermediate |
| Surgeon's Knot | Two lines of similar diameter | ~90% (more in triple form) | Bulky | Beginner |
| Arbor Knot | All line types (braid needs backing or tape) | n/a — grip matters, not strength | n/a (buried on the spool) | Beginner |
Figure-of-Eight Loop: common questions
Making loops for loop to loop connections: attaching hooklengths, feeders and method rigs. It is the default loop knot in UK match and feeder fishing because it ties quickly, sits neatly inline, and holds reliably at connection points that never take direct hook load.
Pass one loop through the other, then pass the hook (or the whole hooklength) through the first loop and draw them together so they seat in a square handshake shape. If one loop strangles the other in a girth hitch, the connection loses strength, so re-seat it.
It retains around 80 to 85% of line strength, which sounds modest but is plenty for its job: loop connections sit away from the hook, and the hooklength itself is usually lighter than the mainline, so the system still breaks where it should.
Speed and flexibility. Loop to loop lets you change hooklengths in seconds on the bank, without retying or shortening your rig, which is why match anglers build everything around it. Tied direct connections are marginally slimmer but cost you that convenience every change.
Keep learning
Related knots
Surgeon's Knot
Joining two lines of similar diameter quickly, attaching tippet to a fly leader, or building a paternoster link, especially mid session when speed matters. It is bulkier than a blood knot and sits slightly off axis, so it is not the join for repeated casting through small rings.
Read the guideGrinner Knot (Uni Knot)
Hooks, swivels and leads on any line type, especially when you need a dependable knot tied by feel in the dark or in heavy mono. Tie two grinners facing each other on overlapping lines and you have the double grinner, a sensible alternative to the FG knot for joining braid to a leader.
Read the guideKnotless Knot (Hair Rig)
Every hair rig you will ever tie, which in practice means most carp fishing and plenty of barbel and specimen work. Hair length is the adjustment that matters: shorter for small pellets, longer for big boilies.
Read the guideFor all ten knots in one long read, see the fishing knots guide, or browse the full knot library. Ready to put it to work? The carp rig library shows what to tie next.
Practise at home, log the results on the bank
Find UK venues with species, prices and facilities, then log every catch your knots land in the GilledIt app.