Best Knots for Salmon Fishing

Salmon are the most sought-after fish in the Pacific Northwest and one of the most iconic targets in North American fishing overall. Pacific species — chinook, coho, sockeye, pink, and chum — range from 4-pound pinks to 60-pound king salmon, each requiring slightly different tackle and knot strategies. Atlantic salmon add fly fishing tradition and a unique river-based pursuit. This guide covers the complete knot system for every salmon technique.

Salmon Species and Tackle Overview

The Core Salmon Knot System

Knots by Salmon Technique

Trolling (Chinook, Coho, Sockeye)

Trolling for salmon uses a flasher or dodger ahead of the lure to attract fish with flash and vibration. The knot system must handle the constant tension and rotational forces that trolling generates.

Main line to leader: Use a FG Knot or Alberto Knot to connect 30lb braid to your 20-30lb fluorocarbon leader. The leader should be 6-10 feet long between the main line and the flasher swivel.

Flasher to leader: Use an Improved Clinch Knot through the snap or swivel at the front of the flasher. For the shorter leader behind the flasher (18-24 inches for a standard flasher), use a Palomar Knot to attach a spoon, hoochie, or baitfish imitation.

Spoons: Use a Non-Slip Loop Knot for spoons trolled without a flasher — the loop allows maximum flutter action. Behind a flasher, the flasher drives the action and a Palomar Knot is fine.

Drift Fishing and Back-Bouncing (Chinook, Coho)

Drift fishing presents roe, cured salmon eggs, or sand shrimp to salmon holding in current seams and deep holes. Back-bouncing works the same baits vertically down a deep current seam from a boat.

Setup: 20-30lb braid main line, 8-12 inch leader of 15-20lb fluorocarbon, size 1-3/0 single egg hook.

Terminal knot: Use a Palomar Knot for single egg hooks and bait hooks. For bait hook presentations with large spawn sacs, consider the Snell Knot for better hook angle alignment.

Weight: Pencil lead or slinky sinker on a dropper attached with a Palomar Knot to a three-way swivel. The dropper breaks off on snags to save the rest of the rig.

Casting Spinners and Spoons (Coho, Pink, Sockeye)

Casting bright spinners and spoons is a high-action salmon technique that works particularly well on coho and pink salmon staging in rivers and estuaries.

Use a Non-Slip Loop Knot for all spinners and spoons to maximize wobble and rotation — a tight Palomar Knot against the spinner blade eye dampens the lure’s action noticeably.

Line: 15-20lb monofilament or 20lb braid with a 15-20lb fluorocarbon leader works equally well. Many salmon anglers use straight monofilament for casting spinners — the line memory is a non-issue with the larger spinner hardware.

Float Fishing / Bobber Fishing (All Pacific Species)

Float fishing suspends roe clusters, shrimp, or artificial eggs at the exact depth fish are holding. It is deadly in clear, pressured rivers where drift fishing gets ignored.

Setup: A slip float rigged at depth, with 12-18 inches of 15-20lb fluorocarbon leader below the terminal weight, and a single egg hook.

Knot: Palomar Knot for the hook. Improved Clinch Knot for the snap swivel.

Fly Fishing for Salmon

Atlantic Salmon Fly Fishing

Atlantic salmon fly fishing is one of the oldest traditions in angling. Fish are taken on traditional wet flies, bombers, and dry flies swung across the current.

Leader setup: 9-12 foot tapered leader, 10-16lb tippet. Connect to fly line with loop-to-loop (welded loop on modern lines) or a Nail Knot.

Fly connection: Non-Slip Loop Knot for streamers and bombers; Improved Clinch Knot for smaller wet flies.

Turle Knot: The traditional Turle Knot is still used by some Atlantic salmon anglers for up-eye and down-eye salmon hooks — it aligns the fly directly behind the hook rather than off to the side.

Pacific Salmon on the Fly

Coho and chinook take streamers and large attractor patterns well, particularly in estuaries and tidal rivers. Pink salmon on light fly gear (3-5 weight) with small pink or chartreuse flies is outstanding sport.

Leader: 9-foot tapered leader, 12-15lb tippet for coho and chinook. Drop to 8-10lb for pink salmon on light rods.

Fly connection: Non-Slip Loop Knot for all streamer patterns — the loop gives the fly maximum life in the water.

Salmon Setup by Species

Chinook (King) Salmon — Trolling Setup

Coho (Silver) Salmon — River Casting Setup

Pink Salmon — Light Tackle Setup

Related Guides

• Best Knots for Fly Fishing — complete fly system for Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon on fly
• Best Knots for Braided Line — braid basics for salmon drift fishing and trolling
• How to Set Up a Trolling Rig — complete salmon trolling rig assembly
• Best Knots for Steelhead — the steelhead fishery shares habitat, rivers, and many techniques with salmon