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Knots

Knots and navigation basics that fit in your pocket and work offline.

Three fishing knots for tying line to a hook, lure, or swivel. Practice them at the kitchen table first.

Print this set (3 cards)

1 card prints large

Start here

Improved clinch knot

Ties line to a hook, lure, or swivel. The best first knot to learn.

  1. Step 1: Pass 5 to 6 inches of line through the hook eye.
  2. Step 2: Wrap the tag end around the main line 5 or 6 times.
  3. Step 3: Tuck the tag end through the small loop, then the big loop.
  4. Step 4: Wet the knot and pull slowly until it seats.
  5. Step 5: Trim the tag end, leaving a tiny nub.
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All 3 knots cards· swipe

  • Knots

    Improved clinch knot

    Ties line to a hook, lure, or swivel. The best first knot to learn.

    5 stepsWallet size

  • Knots

    Palomar knot

    A simple, strong knot for hooks and swivels when a loop fits through the eye.

    5 stepsWallet size

  • Knots

    Snell knot

    Ties line along the hook shank for bait hooks, circle hooks, and rigs.

    7 stepsPrints large

How this works

Where the steps come from.Each card condenses one of our guides, and names it under Sources with the date we last checked it. Every card is reviewed by a person before it’s published, and rechecked by its review date.

Offline.Your first visit saves every card on this device in the background. A “Ready offline” chip shows once that’s done; after that, cards open with no signal. Phones can clear saved pages, so print the ones that matter.

Printing. Wallet cards are credit-card size, six to a page. Cards with more than five steps, or long steps, print large instead: 6 by 4 inches, two to a page. Cut along the dashed lines.

Sources & last checked

Source: Henricks Outdoors: How to tie a hook, easy fishing knots for beginnerslast checked

Every source we use is on the Credits page.

Next step

Field Dispatch

About this tool

Knots and navigation basics that fit in your pocket and work offline.

More about this tool

Pocket skill cards are short, step-by-step reminders for the outdoor basics: knots that hold and navigation with a map and compass. Each card fits on a phone screen. You can also print any card, a whole set, or just your saved cards at wallet size for your pack or glovebox.

Tap Save on the cards you want. They stay on this device, with no account. Once you’ve opened the cards on your phone, they usually keep working with no signal. Phones sometimes clear saved pages, though, so print the ones you can’t do without.

Every card says where its steps come from, and we recheck those sources on a schedule. The cards work best as reminders for skills you’ve already practiced at home.