Fishermans Guide: How to Tie an Improved Clinch Knot

You feel the hit, you set the hook, you can tell by the way this fish is fighting that he's a keeper. You reel, giving the fish slack when he needs it, pulling tension at just the right moment. There's no way this fish is going to get off. Then it happens, the tension is gone from the line. The reel is turning freely. You think to yourself that the fish must have broken your line, but did it? When you finally reel your line in, you see that your lure is gone, at the end of the line is just a crinkled few inches where your knot used to be. Your knot came untied. After muttering a few choice words under your breath, you reach into your tackle box to get another lure.

Don't let this scenario happen to you. By using the improved clinch knot, you can save yourself the frustration of not only losing a catch, but also losing an expensive lure. The clinch knot is one of the most secure knots for tying your lure. Used correctly, you'll never have to worry about losing the fish due to the line coming untied.

The clinch knot works best with line under twenty pound test. Thicker heavier lines make tying the not more difficult and can result in a less secure knot. To tie the improved clinch knot follow the simple steps below:

1. Pull the end of your line through the eye of your hook or lure. Leave three to four inches of line on the free end.

2. Wrap the free end of the line around the line coming from your rod five times.

3. Using your thumb and index finger, pinch the wrapped line. Use your free hand to pull the free portion of the line through the first loop you made.

4. Pull this piece over the top of the wound line and back through the loop that was created when you pulled the end piece through the first piece of coiled line.

5. To secure the improved clinch knot, moisten with either spittle or dip into the water. Using your thumb and forefinger push the coiled line toward the hook or lure while putting pressure on the line. Pull until tightened.

Follow these steps precisely to create a perfect improved clinch knot. Perfectly tied knots will prevent much stress from lost lunkers!