5 steps
Pitzen Knot
Heads up: we checked this page against published instructions for this knot, and the steps here don't match. We're rewriting them from those sources. Until then, please don't rely on these steps.
Hook or lure on fluorocarbon or mono. The 16-20 and the Eugene Bend are this same knot. It slides tight to the eye and stays slim.
Use it for
Hook or lure on fluorocarbon or mono. The 16-20 and the Eugene Bend are this same knot. It slides tight to the eye and stays slim.
This line
Skip it on braid. The wraps slip. Tie a Palomar or a uni instead.
Avoid when
Braid as the main line, or so many wraps that the knot will not close.
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Pitzen Knot
These steps are being corrected. Don't follow them yet.
These steps are being corrected. Don't follow them yet.
Step 1
Pass 8 inches of tag through the hook eye.
Step 2
Tie a loose overhand with the tag around the standing line. Do not tighten it.
Step 3
Pass the tag through that overhand 3–4 more times.
Step 4
Wet the line and pull the tag to shape the knot away from the eye.
Step 5
Pull the standing line to slide the knot to the eye, then 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
- Pulling the standing line before the tag has shaped the wraps.
- Cinching dry fluorocarbon, which heats and weakens the knot.
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