The non-slip loop knot
The non-slip loop, also called the Kreh loop, leaves a small fixed loop at the eye of a lure or jighead, so it swings and moves freely instead of being held stiff by the line. That free movement improves the action. It is strong, it does not close up under load, and it holds in braid and fluorocarbon alike.
Tie a simple overhand knot in the line about 15 cm from the end, but leave it loose and open. Note which side the tag end is poking out of, you will come back to that side.
Pass the tag end through the eye of the lure, then bring it back and pass it through the open overhand knot, entering from the same side the tag came out of. The loop you leave now is the finished loop size, so set it small.
Wrap the tag end around the standing line a few turns. Use about four or five turns for the fine lines here.
Bring the tag end back and pass it through the overhand knot once more, entering from the same side it exited before. This is the rule that makes the knot non-slip, so check the side carefully.
Wet the knot. Pull the loop and the standing line apart slowly so the wraps gather and the knot seats firm, with the fixed loop standing open at the eye. Check the loop has not closed, then trim the tag close.
Five steps. The one rule: every pass through the overhand goes in from the same side. Wet it before you pull it tight.
What it ties
A lure or a jighead onto the line with a small fixed loop, rather than snugged tight to the eye. That loop lets the lure swing and kick freely, which gives a soft plastic on a jighead a more natural action than a knot pulled tight against the eye. It is sometimes called the Kreh loop, after Lefty Kreh, who made it popular. Tied properly it does not slip closed under load.
When to use it
Use the non-slip loop whenever free movement helps the lure: the jighead on the vertical jig, or a pike lure you want to work with an active, kicking action. When not to: if you would rather have a fixed, direct connection, a Palomar on the jighead is perfectly fine. The one rule that matters is that every pass of the tag goes through the overhand knot from the same side.
Strength and tips
Tied correctly the non-slip loop is a strong knot that keeps its loop under load. The single rule that makes or breaks it is that every pass of the tag through the overhand knot goes in from the same side. If you alternate sides you get a weaker knot that can slip closed. Keep the loop small, a few millimetres. Four or five wraps suits the lines here.
1Wet it
Wet every knot before you pull it tight. A dry knot drags against itself as it closes and the friction heat weakens the line.
2Seat it slowly
Draw it down slowly and evenly, then trim the tag end close, leaving a stub of a millimetre or two so it cannot slip back through.
3Test it
Pull the finished knot firmly against your hand or the rod before you fish it. Better it fails now than on the take.
Rigs that use it
The non-slip loop ties the jighead on the vertical jig, where the free movement gives the soft plastic a better kick as you lift and drop it. It is also the optional choice for a pike lure, any time you want the big shad or swimbait to swing on a loose loop rather than be held stiff by the knot.
Non-slip loop questions
A non-slip loop knot. It leaves a small fixed loop at the eye so the jighead or lure can swing and move freely, which improves the action. If you prefer a fixed connection, a Palomar on the jighead is fine; you lose a little movement but gain simplicity.
Because the loop lets the lure swing and kick freely at the eye, instead of being held stiff by a knot pulled tight against it. On a soft plastic worked with a lift and drop, that bit of freedom gives a more natural, livelier action, which can draw more takes from perch and zander.
Yes. The non-slip loop is often called the Kreh loop, after Lefty Kreh, who made it popular. It is a fixed loop knot that does not slip closed under load. The key to tying it right is passing the tag end through the overhand knot from the same side every time.