Palomar knot
What is a Palomar knot?
A fishing knot tied with a doubled strand of line through the hook eye. Quick to tie, very strong, and the usual knot for braid.
Palomar knot at a glance
- Ties
- Line to a hook, lure or swivel
- Strength
- About 95%
- Take Me Fishing's figure
- Best with
- Braid and light line
- Uses
- About six inches of doubled line
How do you tie a Palomar knot?
Double about six inches of line and push the loop through the hook eye. Tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled line, so the hook hangs in the middle of it. Pass the hook through the loop, wet the knot, and pull the main line and the tag end tight together. Trim the tag.
Why is the Palomar knot so strong?
The line goes through the eye twice, so two strands share the load at the point where most knots fail. Take Me Fishing puts it at about 95 percent of the line's rated strength, which is near the top of any knot an angler is likely to tie by hand.
When is it the wrong knot?
The whole lure has to pass through the loop, which gets awkward with a big crankbait carrying two treble hooks, and the doubled line uses more of it. For bulky lures on mono or fluorocarbon, an improved clinch is quicker.
On braid, tie a Palomar every time. A clinch knot slips on slick braid under load, and the doubled wrap of a Palomar does not.
Common questions
Does the Palomar knot work with fluorocarbon?
Yes. Wet it well before you pull it tight, because fluorocarbon heats up and weakens if a knot is cinched down dry.
Palomar knot or improved clinch knot?
Palomar for braid and whenever you want the strongest tie to a hook. Improved clinch for mono or fluoro when the lure is too bulky to pass through a loop.
Where this is defined
- How to Tie a Palomar Knot, Take Me Fishing (Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation)
Where this comes up
The guides that use palomar knot and show it on real gear.
Last reviewed . Palomar knot is one of 222 terms in the fishing glossary.