InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

Blood Lines—Perfecting the Fishing Knot

August 10, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

By Steve Dougherty

Excited for the dawn of each day, as fishermen we’re always innovating and adapting rigging techniques to beat fish with the greatest efficiency and consistency. Whether we are catching bait or blue marlin, advancements in tackle and technology continue to offer an unfair advantage. Yet considering the many variables we have no control over, tying reliable knots and creating fortified connections rests at our very own fingertips.

Trolling dink ballyhoo has proven to be one of the most effective methods of catching billfish anywhere in the world. Whites, sails, stripes and blues all fall to the delicate presentation, but particular fisheries demand a different approach altogether. During the coming months, the waters off Miami and the Florida Keys provide one of the most exciting and accessible domestic fisheries. Off Key West, it’s an east wind against a current that is flowing from west to east that creates tailing conditions and brings sailfish to the surface. Here, cobalt blue water of the Gulf Stream mixes with green water from Florida Bay to create a powder blue paradise where sight casting to migrating sailfish proves to be the most exciting and effective approach. The formation of ideal conditions can vary greatly depending on location, but the parallel is wind and swell pushing against the current.

Tailing sails can travel by themselves, but I have seen as many as 20 fish swimming together. Making the cast easy for anglers is critical as extra-long casts usually result in baits flying off the hook or not reaching their target. If you get too close to the fish, then you risk spooking them. In this fishery we may scale down to as light as 16 lb. mainline and 20 lb. fluorocarbon leader. Although a double uniknot is a very suitable connection, it is bulkier than other options. The seated knot also positions tag ends where they can catch guides on the cast and retrieve.

A Bimini twist and no name knot provide increased knot strength and chafe protection when attaching mainline to leader material, but when playing fish with light drag a double line isn’t necessary. The simple blood knot is possibly the cleanest and most elegant fishing knot in existence, with tag ends that can be trimmed as tight as possible without risk of slipping. And a properly tied five turn blood knot retains approximately 80 percent of the line’s stated breaking strength, which is far superior to a surgeon’s knot.

Popular with fly fishermen who create custom tapered leaders, the blood knot self tightens when loaded and is also highly valued in big game fisheries when anglers need to connect mainline and leader of similar diameter. Another great use for a blood knot is to quickly splice parted line or remove a section of abraded monofilament. Regardless of application, preserving maximum tensile strength is in direct correlation to the number of wraps used for a particular line class. Light line below 30 lb. excels with six wraps, while 50 lb. seats perfectly with five wraps. Too many wraps won’t allow the knot to cinch fully and too few wraps could result in the knot slipping. With experience you’ll learn the blood knot’s specific tendencies regarding particular brands of line, the number of wraps used and even the way tension is applied.

How To

1. Overlap the two lines to be spliced together by about eight inches, with tag ends facing opposite directions.
2. Start by wrapping one tag end around the other standing line four to six times.
3. Feed the tag through the gap formed by crossing the two lines.
4. Repeat the process with the other tag end.
5. The two tags should project through the open loop in opposing directions.
6. Moisten the line with saliva and keep the knot a bit loose while pulling both working ends, alternating with gentle pulls on the tags. When you’re ready to snug it down, quickly apply equal pressure to the standing lines. The knot will compress while redistributing the twists, creating two short sections of wraps butted up to each other.
7. Make certain wraps are uniform, then trim tags with nail nippers. Have confidence in your abilities and don’t be afraid of trimming flush to the knot.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

    Filed Under: Featured Stories, Fishing, Tackle, Tackle Tips Tagged With: blood knots, Fishing Knots, fishing tackle, Offshore Fishing, trolling dink ballyhoo

    Recent News

    The Yamaha X450 overboard engine.

    Yamaha Introduces Upgraded 450-Horsepower XTO Offshore® Outboard

    KENNESAW, Ga., Jan. 17, 2023—Yamaha Marine kicks off 2023 with new product offerings, including an updated XTO Offshore outboard which delivers greater convenience, enhanced technology and 450 horsepower. Featuring the same 5.6-liter of big block d … [Read More...]

    Shifting Course: New Sonar Tactics

    By Steve Katz It seems that most everyone either has a scanning sonar or is getting a new scanning sonar. The upsurge in installations, along with a variety of brands and models, requires captains and ping jockeys to develop their technical skill … [Read More...]

    New Year, New Gear – A Few Items to Check Out for 2023

    Numerous fishing gear companies have kicked off 2023 with revolutionary new products. Here are a few items of interest early on in 2023. Links to each company's website provided in the heading. … [Read More...]

    Hiring a Captain For Your Center Console?

    By Adam Peeples As a current owner or prospective owner of a high-performance center console, hiring a captain may not be something that has been a consideration for the term of your boat ownership. After all, one of the main benefits of owning a … [Read More...]

    Blue Water Desalination Introduces the Fully Automatic Explorer XT Watermaker

    Signal Hill, California (January 5, 2023)—Blue Water Desalination (BWD) revealed its latest innovation in water purification during the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The all-new Explorer XT is a robust, expandable system designed to … [Read More...]

    Leave a Reply

    Connect With InTheBite

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

    InTheBite current cover image

    Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

    InTheBite Champion’s Cup

    InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

    New for 2022, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

    Captain of the Year Cup Standings

    COTY / ITB Cup Logo

    News

    • Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      By Carol M. Bareuther, RD The moon and stars shone brightly in the pre-dawn night as Capt. Eddie Herbert started the engines on the 80-foot Merritt Reel Tight. His destination, the Virgin Islands’ North Drop. Reel Tight owner Jim Lambert Sr. took his passion for fishing seriously. He wanted to be first off the dock so he could catch and... [Read More...]

    • Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Every boat built by Bayliss Boatworks is a truly custom project. In the case of Overtime, the newest 67’ 6’’ build to hit the water, the sportfisher is the weapon of choice for a Cabo-San-Lucas-based program. With the help of the experienced captain and owner team, Bayliss Boatworks designed a sportfishing yacht unique enough to meet the demands of conquering... [Read More...]

    • First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      By Nichole Osinski "If you’d asked me when I was 16 years old if I was going to build a boat, I would have told you you’re crazy," says Jarrett Bay Founder and President Randy Ramsey when recalling his 30-plus year career in the boat building industry. But to understand how the company has risen to where it is today,... [Read More...]

    • InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      In addition to the other products listed below, InTheBite is offering two amazing holiday gift deals: a free gift subscription and a hat, shirt and sticker bundle. Act now before the offer ends on December 24th at midnight! Christmas Special: Hat, Shirt & Sticker Bundle (While Supplies Last) Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the fisherman in your life?... [Read More...]

    • Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Capt. Bill Buckland, Fisherman’s Center Supplies Needed: L-Bar, 250 lb mono, 11/0 circle hooks, three-way swivel, deep drop gang rig and sash weight. The L-Bar is an excellent accessory to utilize when deep dropping for bottom fish. It is especially effective for catching tilefish. With a traditional five-hook gang rig, the hooks are suspended in the water column. Utilizing the... [Read More...]

    Search InTheBite

    Copyright © 2023 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.