I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen anglers lose a trophy fish because of a bad knot. The tell-tale sign of the line ending in a pigtail will always wrench at your gut, knowing it was your fishing knot that failed. I’ve assembled a list of the top 5 fishing knots all kayak anglers should learn to tie. There is no one perfect knot- each of these five fishing knots serves a purpose and in my opinion the 5 best fishing knots.

The Palomar Knot – When connecting leader material to your lure or hook, the best fishing knot for the job is the Palomar knot. The Palomar was the champion in the 2013 Knot Wars series, beating out the Improved Reverse Clinch Knot. I’ve been using this knot since watching the 2013 Knot Wars championship, and have yet to have it fail.

Double 6 inches of line and pass end of loop through eye of hook. Tie a loose overhand knot with hook hanging from bottom. Holding overhand knot between thumb and forefinger, pass loop of line over the hook. Slide loop above eye of hook. Pull on both the standing line and tag end to tighten knot down onto eye. Clip tag end close.

The Modified Albright – Many kayak anglers have moved away from swivels, and opted to join their main line directly to their leader with a line-to-line knot. The Modified Albright knot tested strongest in the 2013 Knot Wars series, and has been my knot of choice for the past several years. When line with this knot breaks, it’s usually right in front of the Modified Albright, not the knot itself.

Form a loop in the heavy mono and insert the tag end of the braid through the loop. Make eight tight wraps up the leader loop. Make eight tight wraps down the leader loop. Pass the tag end of the braid through the mono loop in the same direction as it entered. Pull on all four legs of the lines. You may have to push the braid with your fingertips. Pull on the main line and the leader to firmly set the knot. Trim the tag end before fishing.

The Canoeman Loop –Lures often perform better on a loop knot versus a standard cinch-type of knot. Loop knots allow the hook or lure to move freely without restriction, often adding greatly to the lures action. The Canoeman Loop in my opinion is the best fishing knot for this situation, and has been my go-to loop knot since learning how to tie it from a D.O.A lures seminar when I was a kid. The knot is very easy to master and is great when fishing cover, because the tag end points towards the hook or lure, so grass won’ catch on it.

Run the tag end thru the eye of the hook. Make two backward loops on the side closest to the rod. Push the second loop thru the first loop. Pull the tag end (end farthest from the rod) thru the second loop and bring the tag end of the line down to the side of the lure. While holding the tag end and the lure pull on the end of the line going to the rod.

The In-Line Dropper – Not just for kayak fly fishermen, the In-Line Dropper loop knot has a multitude of uses for all kayak anglers. Use this knot any time you require your leader, hook, or lure to stand off your main line at a 90° angle. I’ve used the In-Line Dropper loop when tying drop shot rigs, attaching multiple small hooks for panfish, making sabiki-style bait rigs with gold hooks, and to attach additional flies to your line.

Form a loop in the line at the desired location. Pass line from one side of loop through and around that side of loop. Make 5+ wraps and keep new loop, which is formed, open. Push bottom of original loop up through new opening and hold with teeth. Wet knot with saliva and pull both ends in opposite directions. Pull ends of line evenly until coils tighten and loop stands out from line.

The Arbor Knot – The last knot all kayak anglers should know is the Arbor Knot. Use this knot to quickly attach your monofilament line to your fishing reel. This knot will only work with lines that stretch, which has always worked out for me because I always add a few yards of monofilament backing prior to putting braid on my reels.