Knots

Introduction

https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-knots/ is a good page. It's odd, but I notice that all knot books and almost all plant identification books I've ever come across are pitifully bad and written by people with zero imagination or intellectual capacity. They are mere collectors, sans brains.

The three-turn surgeon's knot works for me as a bend for tying together 10lb monofilament fishing line. https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/surgeons-knot/ has a good video. The problem is that this only works if one of the lines is short, because you have to put the whole line through the loop. See https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/surgeons-knot/.

A second useful knot is to tie a line to a metal circle, like tying to a fishhook or a lure. The Palomar knot is the classic for this. See https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/strongest-palomar-knot/ with its video and discussion. Double up your line, putting spit on it so it sticks together, since the biggest probelm is to have the two lines that are supopsed to be close together flopping around separately. Get teh loop to be as small as possible- twisting and spit may help here too--- so you can stick it through the metal circle. Stick it through, and tie an ordinary, basic, overhand knot, the most simple of knots, but don't tighten it yet, because we want to have a tag-end loop sticking out. This already connects the line to the metal circle, but it is a very weak knot and will slip away instantly if you tighten it up and pull on it. So add the secret ingredient: push the metal circle and its fishhook or lure through the tag end. THEN, tighten it.

Another useful knot to tie a line to a metal circle is a Loop Knot, which won't tighten all the way. The reason this can be good is that then the metal circle can flop around the loop, instead of being tied tightly and not being able to move much, and for fishing it may be good to have your lure able to flop around in a variety of ways so it looks more like natural food to the fish.  See 

https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/non-slip-loop-knot/.

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Bends

The Sheet Bend

To tie two ropes together. Very likea square knot, which is dangerously slipping, so be careful that you tie a sheet bend correctly.

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The Alpine Bend

This is a fun one.

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Hitches

The Pipe Hitch

The Pipe Hitch is for tying a rope to a vertical pole when you want to pull up or down have it hold.

Use: This is another knot that is called the "pipe hitch". Form a bight in the rope. Wind the doubled rope the vertical pole four or five times. Put the standing end (which is doubled) through the end of the bight.

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The Tautline Hitch

A useful and fun knot.

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Constrictor Knot

Jamming, but very tight.

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Prusik Loops

For climbing a rope using two other rope loops for footholds.

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Loops

The Bowline Loop

A classic knot, easy to tie, nonjamming.

Hangman's Knot

Dangerous but useful.

Stopper Knots

The Stevedore Knot

This is non-jamming. Wind a couple loops, and then thread back into the bight that's formed to tighten. 

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