Egg Loop Knot

The Egg Loop Knot is an essential bait-holding knot used primarily by salmon and steelhead anglers throughout the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions. Unlike standard hook knots that only attach the line to the hook eye, the Egg Loop creates a series of wraps along the hook shank that form a secure loop for holding bait in place. Salmon eggs, roe sacs, sand shrimp, and other soft baits stay fastened to the hook without additional tools like bait thread or elastic bands. This knot has been a cornerstone of drift fishing and float fishing techniques for decades, and learning to tie it consistently is one of the most practical skills a bait angler can develop.

How to Tie

1. Thread the tag end through the hook eye from the top, pulling about 12 inches of line through to work with.
2. Hold the tag end along the hook shank and begin wrapping the standing line around both the shank and the tag end, working away from the hook eye toward the bend.
3. Make 10 to 15 tight, even wraps moving toward the hook bend. Keep the wraps snug and side by side without overlapping.
4. After completing the wraps, pass the standing line back through the hook eye from the bottom, threading it in the opposite direction of the original pass.
5. Pull the standing line gently to create a loop between the last wrap and the hook eye. This loop is where you will secure your bait.
6. Adjust the loop size by pulling the tag end while holding the wraps in place. The loop should be just large enough to hold your bait snugly against the shank.
7. Pull both the standing line and the tag end firmly to lock the wraps in place, then trim the tag end close to the wraps.

When to Use

• When drift fishing for salmon or steelhead with cured salmon eggs, egg sacs, or single egg clusters.
• When float fishing with roe sacs, spawn bags, or other soft baits that need to be held firmly against the hook.
• When bottom bouncing with sand shrimp, prawns, or nightcrawlers where the bait loop keeps bait centered on the hook.
• When fishing for catfish with soft cut bait or liver that tends to fly off during casting without a secure attachment method.
• When regulations require the use of single barbless hooks and you need a reliable way to keep bait from sliding off the smooth shank.

Pro Tips

• Use monofilament in the 10 to 20 pound test range for the cleanest wraps. Fluorocarbon works but can be stiffer and harder to wrap tightly, so warming it slightly in your hands before tying can help it lay smooth.
• The number of wraps affects both the loop size and the grip on the bait. For larger roe sacs, use fewer wraps to create a bigger loop. For single eggs or small pieces of bait, use more wraps to keep the loop tight and the bait secure.
• Always run the standing line back through the hook eye from the bottom on the second pass. If both passes go through from the same direction, the loop will not form correctly and the knot will pull apart under tension.
• Tie several hooks with egg loops at home before your fishing trip and store them in a leader wallet. Having pre-tied hooks ready means less time fumbling with cold, wet fingers on the riverbank and more time with your line in the water.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Holds soft baits firmly to the hook shank without needing additional supplies like bait thread, elastic, or mesh.
• Maintains approximately 85% line strength when tied with proper wraps, making it reliable for fighting strong salmon and steelhead.
• The bait loop is adjustable during tying, allowing you to customize the size for different baits from small single eggs to large spawn sacs.
• A proven and time-tested knot used by professional guides and tournament anglers across the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes fisheries.

Cons:

• Requires practice to achieve consistent, tight wraps along the hook shank, and sloppy wraps will cause the bait loop to fail.
• Takes more time to tie than a standard clinch or Palomar knot, which can be frustrating when re-rigging in cold weather or fast current.
• Not useful for lure fishing or any application where a bait-holding loop is unnecessary, limiting it to a specialized role.
• Wraps can loosen during extended use, especially when fighting multiple fish, requiring periodic inspection and re-tying to maintain bait security.