Triple Surgeon's Knot

Joining two lines is not terribly difficult; unless of course you require the joint to exhibit the same strength characteristics as the lighter of the lines being joined, the knot must never slip, it must be slim enough to pass smoothly through rod guides and oh, by the way one of the lines is about twice the cross-section of the other and they are of very dissimilar materials. OK- so maybe it's not terribly easy, either.

The Triple Surgeon's Knot is an excellent method for splicing fluorocarbon leader to nylon monofilament and braided super lines. It is easy to tie, very secure, and possesses excellent strength properties. Finished properly and trimmed, it slips through rod guides almost unnoticeably. As with any knot, a little practice is in order before going fishing.

Step one: Cut leader of desired length, plus about 12-inches. Place the extra 12-inches alongside the tag end of main fishing line.

Step two: Form an overhand knot, pulling the entire length of leader material through the loop.

Step three: Repeat step two twice. Make sure to keep the successive loops running smoothly around the original, not overlapping.

Step four: Moisten the wraps and begin tightening by grasping both strands on each side of the tripled overhand and pull smoothly.

Step five: Trim the tag ends and test by pulling both lines. Caution: Wear gloves; fishing line can leave a nasty cut.