Knot guide · Beginner
Palomar Knot: How to Tie It
The palomar knot ties hooks, swivels and lures to mono, fluorocarbon or braid, and it is the one knot to learn if you only learn one. It is quick, nearly impossible to tie badly, and it is the knot that finally stops braid slipping at the hook.
Published by the GilledIt editorial team · Last reviewed 2026-08-19 · Part of the fishing knot library
Step by step
How to tie the palomar knot
- 1
Double the line through the eye
Double about 15cm of line and pass the loop through the hook eye.
- 2
Tie a loose overhand knot
Tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled line, keeping the hook hanging in the middle of it.
- 3
Pass the hook through the loop
Pass the hook (or swivel) all the way through the remaining loop of doubled line.
- 4
Wet and tighten
Wet the knot, then pull both the standing line and the tag end slowly until the knot seats neatly against the eye.
- 5
Trim the tag
Trim the tag end to about 2mm and give the knot a firm test pull before casting.
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
Doubling too little line. If the loop is short, you fight to pass the hook through it in step three and end up distorting the wraps. Double a generous 15cm and the knot ties itself.
Letting the doubled strands cross as the knot seats. The two strands should lie parallel against the hook eye; if one crosses over the other, the line can cut into itself under load. Ease the knot closed slowly and straighten the strands before the final pull.
Tightening the overhand knot before the hook has passed through the loop. The overhand must stay loose and open until the final step, or the knot seats in the wrong place and loses its shape.
Leaving the loop sitting over the bend instead of above the eye. After passing the hook through, bring the loop up so it closes above the eye alongside the standing line, not trapped around the hook itself.
Trimming the tag flush on braid. Braid creeps a little under repeated load, so leave 2 to 3mm of tag rather than shaving it to nothing.
How strong is it?
Retains around 95% of line strength, with some tests on braid putting it higher still. 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 palomar knot
Any time you tie a hook, swivel or snap link to mono, fluorocarbon or braid. Its only real weakness is practical rather than structural: the whole hook or lure has to pass through the loop, which gets awkward with big lures and treble hooks.
Which lines does the palomar knot suit?
On braid the palomar is close to unbeatable, which is why lure anglers treat it as the default: the doubled line through the eye gives slick, thin braid twice the grip a single-strand knot offers. On mono it ties easily and seats cleanly at any sensible diameter. Stiff fluorocarbon is the one line that asks for care: above roughly 15lb the doubled strands want to cross as the knot closes, and crossed fluorocarbon cuts into itself under load. Wet it generously, close it slowly, and check the two strands sit parallel against the eye before you trim.
The bigger picture
How does it compare?
Where the palomar knot 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(this guide) | 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 | 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 |
Palomar Knot: common questions
For tying a hook or lure to your line it is widely regarded as the strongest simple option, retaining around 95% of line strength and sometimes more on braid. The snell knot can match or beat it on eyed and spade-end hooks because it whips around the shank rather than relying on the eye.
Yes, and that is one of its biggest advantages. Braid is thin and slick, and knots designed for mono, especially the improved clinch, have a reputation for slipping on it. The palomar grips braid reliably, which is why it is the default hook knot for braided line.
Because the final step passes the whole hook or lure through the loop of doubled line. With a small hook or swivel that is trivial; with a big lure or a treble hook it gets fiddly. For those, a grinner knot avoids the problem while giving up very little strength.
Yes, every time, as with any fishing knot. Pulling a dry knot tight creates friction heat that weakens mono and fluorocarbon at the exact point you need strength. Wet it with saliva, tighten slowly and steadily, then test with a firm pull before you cast.
Keep learning
Related knots
Grinner 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 guideImproved Clinch Knot
Everyday hook and swivel connections on mono and fluorocarbon, especially lighter lines. Use 7 wraps on light line under 6lb and 5 wraps on heavier mono. Skip it on braid, where it has a reputation for slipping; that is palomar or grinner territory.
Read the guideSnell Knot
Spade-end hooks, where it is the only option, and any time you want the pull of the line aligned straight along the hook shank, which improves the hooking angle on bigger baits. Worth knowing on eyed hooks too.
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.
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