Not all fishing knots are created equal. Some retain over 95% of your line’s rated breaking strength, while others drop below 80%. When you are fishing for big fish, in heavy cover, or with light line, knot strength can be the difference between landing and losing.
This guide ranks the most common fishing knots by their tested strength retention and explains why the top performers earn their place. For a quick-reference data table with all knot strengths, see our fishing knot strength chart.
Terminal Connection Knots Ranked
These knots connect your line to hooks, lures, and swivels.
| Rank | Knot | Strength | Difficulty | Best Line Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palomar Knot | ~95% | Beginner | All |
| 2 | Snell Knot | ~95% | Intermediate | Mono, Fluoro |
| 3 | San Diego Jam | ~95% | Intermediate | All |
| 4 | Orvis Knot | ~95% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 5 | Pitzen Knot | ~95% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 6 | Jansik Special | ~94% | Intermediate | Mono, Fluoro |
| 7 | Trilene Knot | ~90% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 8 | Uni Knot | ~90% | Beginner | All |
| 9 | World’s Fair Knot | ~90% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 10 | Improved Clinch | ~85% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 11 | Turle Knot | ~85% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 12 | Davy Knot | ~80% | Beginner | Mono, Fluoro |
| 13 | Berkley Braid | ~80% | Intermediate | Braid |
Line-to-Line Knots Ranked
These knots join two lines together — braid to fluoro leader, line to leader, or two similar lines.
| Rank | Knot | Strength | Difficulty | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PR Knot | ~99% | Advanced | Braid to leader |
| 2 | FG Knot | ~98% | Advanced | Braid to leader |
| 3 | GT Knot | ~95% | Advanced | Braid to leader |
| 4 | Bristol Knot | ~95% | Intermediate | Doubled line to leader |
| 5 | Crazy Alberto | ~92% | Intermediate | Braid to leader |
| 6 | Alberto Knot | ~90% | Intermediate | Braid to leader |
| 7 | Slim Beauty | ~90% | Intermediate | Different diameters |
| 8 | Double Uni | ~90% | Beginner | All line-to-line |
| 9 | Yucatan Knot | ~90% | Beginner | Braid to leader |
| 10 | Blood Knot | ~85% | Intermediate | Similar diameters |
| 11 | Surgeon’s Knot | ~85% | Beginner | Quick joins |
| 12 | Albright Knot | ~85% | Intermediate | Different diameters |
Loop Knots Ranked
| Rank | Knot | Strength | Difficulty | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bimini Twist | ~100% | Advanced | Doubled line |
| 2 | Australian Plait | ~95% | Advanced | Doubled line |
| 3 | Perfection Loop | ~90% | Intermediate | Fixed loop |
| 4 | Non-Slip Loop | ~90% | Intermediate | Lure loop |
| 5 | Spider Hitch | ~90% | Intermediate | Quick doubled line |
| 6 | Duncan Loop | ~90% | Beginner | Adjustable loop |
| 7 | Surgeon’s Loop | ~85% | Beginner | Quick loop |
| 8 | Dropper Loop | ~85% | Intermediate | Mid-line loop |
| 9 | Figure 8 Loop | ~80% | Beginner | Simple loop |
Key Takeaways
- The Palomar Knot is the best general-purpose terminal knot — it combines high strength, ease of tying, and compatibility with all line types.
- The FG Knot dominates line-to-line connections — nothing else combines its strength with its slim profile. The PR Knot is technically stronger but requires a special tool.
- The Bimini Twist is unmatched for doubled line — it is the only knot that retains essentially 100% of line strength.
- Simpler knots are not dramatically weaker — the difference between the best (95%) and a standard Improved Clinch (85%) is 10 percentage points. A well-tied simple knot beats a poorly-tied complex one.
- Always moisten before tightening — every knot on this list performs better when moistened. Dry knots can lose an additional 10-30% of their rating.
Related Guides
- Learn which knots work best with braid in our best knots for braided line guide.
- Compare all braid-to-leader knots in our braid to leader knots guide.
- Find out why knots fail to reach their rated strength in our why do fishing knots fail guide.