The snell knot
The snell knot whips the line to the shank of the hook rather than tying it to the eye. The wraps sit along the shank, so the pull comes straight in line with the hook, which gives a stronger, surer hook-set on bait. It is the classic knot for bait hooks on bottom rigs, and it holds in mono, fluorocarbon and braid.
Pass the tag end of the line through the eye of the hook and run it back down alongside the shank, then pass it through the eye a second time the same way so it lies along the shank. Leave a long loop of line hanging down below the hook to wrap with.
You now have the line running along the shank and a large loop hanging below the hook. Hold the line and the shank together with one hand, leaving the loop free in the other, ready to wrap. The bigger the loop, the more turns you can make before it runs out.
Take the loop and wrap it round both the shank and the line that lies along it, five to ten neat turns, working toward the eye. Keep the wraps tidy and in order, not overlapping, so they bed down evenly. Use more turns on lighter line, fewer on heavier.
Feed the tag end through what remains of the loop, from underneath, so the wraps cannot unravel. Wet the knot. Hold the hook firmly, ready to draw the wraps tight in the next step.
Pull the standing line steadily so the wraps slide up the shank and seat tight against the back of the eye, taking up the loop as they go. Pull it firm, check the wraps sit neat and the line leaves the hook in line with the shank, then trim the tag close.
Five steps. Each one is a panel in the diagram above. Wet it before you pull it tight.
What it ties
The line to the hook, but to the shank rather than the eye. Instead of knotting onto the eye, you whip a series of wraps along the shank of the hook, so the line leaves the hook in line with the shank. That straight-line pull is the point: when a fish takes the bait and you tighten, the force drives the hook point home rather than pulling it off to one side, which gives a stronger, surer hook-set. It is the classic knot for bait hooks on bottom rigs, for fish like snapper and catfish where a solid hook-set into a bony or tough mouth matters. It holds in mono, fluorocarbon and braid. It suits a hook with a turned-up or turned-down eye, where the in-line pull works best.
When to use it
Use a snell knot when you want the strongest, most in-line connection to a bait hook, which is most bottom and bait rigs. It is the knot for snapper hooks, catfish hooks and many bottom rigs where the bite is hard, the mouth is tough and a clean hook-set decides the fish. It also makes it easy to add a second snelled hook above the first for a two-hook bait presentation, since the line leaves the shank cleanly. Keep five to ten wraps, neat and in order, and pull the standing line so the wraps slide tight up against the eye. It is at its best on hooks with a turned eye; on a straight-eyed hook a Palomar to the eye is simpler and perfectly strong.
Strength and tips
Tied well the snell is a very strong connection, and its in-line pull is what makes it set hooks so well on bait. Two things make it. First, keep five to ten neat wraps in order, working toward the eye, with more turns on lighter line and fewer on heavier; overlapping or too few wraps and it can slip. Second, pull the standing line steadily so the wraps slide tight up the shank and seat firm against the eye, taking up the loop cleanly. Wet it before you seat it so the wraps do not nip the line. Check the line leaves the hook in line with the shank, which is the whole point of the knot. It holds in mono, fluorocarbon and braid, and is at its best on a turned-eye hook. On a straight-eyed hook, a Palomar to the eye is the simpler, equally strong choice.
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 snell knot whips the hook on the bait rigs, where an in-line pull gives the cleanest hook-set. It snells the hook on the inshore bait rig, for fish like snapper on the bottom, and on the catfish rig, where a strong, in-line connection drives the hook home in a tough mouth. It is the bait-hook knot on both.
Snell knot questions
Because snelling whips the line to the shank, so the pull comes straight in line with the hook. When a fish takes and you tighten, that in-line force drives the point home rather than pulling the hook sideways, which gives a stronger, surer hook-set. It is the classic knot for bait hooks on bottom rigs.
Five to ten neat wraps round the shank, working toward the eye. Use more turns on lighter line, fewer on heavier. Keep them in order and not overlapping, feed the tag through the loop, then wet it and pull the standing line so the wraps slide tight against the eye.
Yes. The snell holds in mono, fluorocarbon and braid. On slippery braid keep the wraps neat and toward the higher end of the count, and seat them firmly against the eye. It is at its best on a hook with a turned eye; on a straight-eyed hook, a Palomar to the eye is simpler and just as strong.