6 steps
Needle Knot
A nail knot that starts inside the fly line. The leader enters the core at the end and exits the side, then the wraps seat over that exit.
Use it for
A nail knot that starts inside the fly line. The leader enters the core at the end and exits the side, then the wraps seat over that exit.
This line
Not a braid main-line knot. This joins a mono or fluoro leader to a fly line.
Avoid when
A fly line with a core you cannot open. Use a nail knot or a loop instead.
All steps visible
Needle Knot
Step 1
Bring the leader tip to the end of the fly line.
Step 2
Run the leader up inside the fly line and out the side.
Step 3
Wrap the leader tag around the fly line.
Step 4
Pass the tag back under those wraps.
Step 5
Cinch the wraps. The standing leader should exit the end of the fly line.
Step 6
Trim the tag.
The drawing follows this tying order. Pause, step, or scrub to stay with the words. The standing line runs to the reel. The tag is the short end you trim. Skin-hook means the point lies flat in the plastic, not out where grass can grab it.
Common mistakes
- Wrapping before the leader has exited the side of the fly line.
- A leader that still leaves from the side after you cinch, which means it never went up the core.