How to Tie a Palomar Knot (Mono, Fluoro and Braid)
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To tie a Palomar, fold about 6 in. of line into a doubled loop and push it through the hook eye. Tie a loose overhand knot with the loop. Pass the hook through the loop. Wet the knot, pull both ends tight and trim the tag. That's 5 steps.
A Palomar takes 5 steps and about 6.5 in. of line when you tie it to a small hook. Bigger lures cost more, because the loop has to pass over them. A 4 in. crankbait needs about 12.5 in. per tie.
That matters on a short leader. Start with 24 in., stop retying at 18 in., and you don't get a single retie out of it.
Spec card
Palomar knot
- Connects
- line to hook, lure, swivel or snap
- Line types
- mono · fluoro · braid
- Through the eye
- 2 strandsCheck the doubled diameter, not the spool label.
- Turns
- none, it's an overhand tied with the loop
- Line per tie
- 6.5 to 12.5 in.1 in. hook to 4 in. crankbait, our calculator
- Don't use for
- line to line; tiny hook eyes; long plugs with 2 or 3 trebles
The 5 steps
Form a bight. Fold the end of the line back on itself. Make the loop longer than the lure plus 2 in.
Step 1. Form a bight. Tap to enlarge. Pass the bight through the eye. Both strands go through together.
Step 2. Pass the bight through the eye. Tap to enlarge. Tie an overhand knot with the bight. Leave the hook hanging below it.
Step 3. Tie an overhand knot with the bight. Tap to enlarge. Pass the bight over the hook or lure. Then slide it up and down around the knot.
Step 4. Pass the bight over the hook or lure. Tap to enlarge. Wet it and pull tight. Pull the standing line and the tag together. Trim the tag.
Step 5. Wet it and pull tight. Tap to enlarge.
Steps follow the Animated Knots Palomar sequence. Their diagram shows the finished loop seated around the line just under the eye. That leaves the hook free to swing.
Step 4 is where most ties go wrong. The loop has to clear the whole hook or lure. If it snags a hook point, back it off and open the loop wider. Don't force it.
In step 5, keep the overhand from twisting as it seats. Pull slowly. A Palomar that cinches crooked often has 1 strand crossed over the other at the eye.
Braid tags need a clean cut. Dull nail clippers chew braid and leave a fuzzy end. A pair of braid-rated line scissors cuts it flush in 1 snip.
Tool types are compared by job on our knot tying tools page.
How much line does each tie use?
The bight is doubled line. So a 3 in. bight uses 6 in. of line. Add the small piece you cut off above the old knot when you retie.
Our assumptions
- Bight: length of what passes through the loop + 2 in. to tie the overhand.
- Trim on a retie: 0.5 in. above the old knot.
- Shortest leader you'll fish: 18 in. Change this to your own number.
| Passes through the loop | Bight | Line used per tie | Reties on 24 in. leader | Reties on 36 in. | Reties on 48 in. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in. (hook) | 3 in. | 6.5 in. | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 in. | 4 in. | 8.5 in. | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 in. | 5 in. | 10.5 in. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 in. (crankbait) | 6 in. | 12.5 in. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Read it this way. Line used = 2 × bight + 0.5 in. Reties = (leader − 18 in.) ÷ line per tie, rounded down.
A 36 in. leader with a hook gives you 18 in. to spend. At 6.5 in. a tie, that's 2 reties with 5 in. left over.
Big lures are where the Palomar gets expensive. Each tie with a 4 in. plug costs nearly twice the line of a bare hook. A 36 in. leader runs out after 1 retie.
Want more reties? Tie a longer leader, or switch knots for big baits. The uni knot passes 1 strand through the eye and doesn't need a loop that clears the lure.
Will the doubled line fit the eye?
Two strands go through the eye at once. Check the doubled diameter, not the single strand printed on the spool.
PowerPro Spectra braid, from the maker's chart on the Tackle Warehouse product page:
| Braid | Single strand | Doubled for a Palomar |
|---|---|---|
| 10 lb | .005 in. | .010 in. |
| 15 lb | .007 in. | .014 in. |
| 20 lb | .009 in. | .018 in. |
| 30 lb | .011 in. | .022 in. |
| 40 lb | .013 in. | .026 in. |
| 50 lb | .014 in. | .028 in. |
| 60 lb | .016 in. | .032 in. |
Small eyes on light wire hooks are the usual problem. Finesse hooks in sizes 1 to 4 and small jig heads can get tight with heavy line doubled. If 2 strands won't pass cleanly, use a knot that goes through the eye once.
Mono, fluoro and braid: what changes
The steps are the same for all 3 lines. The tying feel isn't.
| Line | What changes | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Mono | stretches and seats easily | wet it before you pull; friction heat curls mono |
| Fluorocarbon | stiffer, slower to seat | wet well, pull slowly, check for a kinked overhand |
| Braid | thin and slick, doubled braid fits small eyes | cut the tag with scissors; some anglers add a turn (variant) |
Fluorocarbon over 12 lb is where the overhand gets stubborn. Tie the overhand loose and work it down in 2 or 3 short pulls.
Palomar or another knot?
Pick by the connection, then by the line. Here's the short version.
- Hook, jig or drop shot hook on any line: Palomar. It's 5 steps and easy to check by eye.
- Hook with a small eye on 15 lb fluoro or heavier: uni knot, 1 strand through the eye.
- Crankbait or jerkbait with 2 or 3 trebles: uni or improved clinch on mono or fluoro. The loop doesn't have to clear the bait.
- Barrel swivel: Palomar or uni. Both are compared on the swivel knot page.
- Braid to fluoro leader: not a Palomar job. Use the FG or double uni.
The Palomar is a common hook knot on braid. The reason is practical. You have no turns to count, and braid stays thin even doubled. On the chart above, 30 lb doubled is .022 in.
One habit helps on every line. After you seat the knot, pull hard on the hook with pliers before the first cast. If you seated it badly, you want to find out on the dock, not on a fish. Then retie.
When to skip the Palomar
- Long lures with several trebles. The loop has to clear the whole bait. The line cost climbs fast (see the table).
- Tiny hook eyes. Doubled line may not fit.
- Line to line. The Palomar ties to an eye. For braid to leader, go to the FG knot or the double uni.
- Short leaders you want to keep. Each retie with a big lure eats 10 in. or more.
Braid variant
Some anglers take an extra turn through the eye when they tie with slick braid. That's a variant, not the standard knot, so label it that way in your own notes.
The "double Palomar" is another variant. The bight goes through the eye twice before the overhand. It needs a bigger eye and more line, so check the doubled diameter first.
Drop shot use
Tie the Palomar to a #1 drop shot hook with a long tag, then clip the weight to the tag. The drop shot rig page covers how long to leave it, from about 4 in. to 18 in. or more.
Common Questions
Can you tie a Palomar to a snap swivel?
Yes. The loop just has to clear the swivel and the snap. In our table, a 2 in. snap swivel needs about 8.5 in. of line per tie. A bare hook needs 6.5 in.
If you retie often on a short leader, that difference adds up. Our knots for swivels page compares the Palomar with 2 single-strand options.
What if the loop catches on a treble hook?
Open the loop wider and pass the lure through point first. If it still snags, the lure is too long for a Palomar on that leader. Each tie will burn 10 in. or more.
Switch to a knot that passes 1 strand through the eye, like the uni, and keep the Palomar for single hooks and jigs.
Is the Palomar too bulky for a small jig head?
Sometimes. A 1/16 oz jig head often has a small eye. Doubled 20 lb braid is .018 in. on the chart above, which usually fits.
Doubled heavy fluorocarbon is thicker and may not. Try it at home first. If both strands won't pass, use a uni knot on that jig.
Gear for this page
Rapala RSD-1 Line ScissorsTrims the tag close after you seat a Palomar on braid.
Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot Hook-Pack Of 25 (Black, 1)A #1 hook for the nose-hooked bait on a drop shot rig.
SpiderWire Stealth Braided Fishing Line, 10lb, 125 yd, Moss Green, 1 CtLight 15 lb braid that the Palomar holds well.
Seaguar Invizx Freshwater 100% Fluorocarbon Fishing Line 12lbs, 200yds - 12VZ20012 lb fluoro for a Palomar tied straight to a hook.
Next knots
- Fishing knots by connectionwhich knot for line, hook, leader and reel
- Uni knot1 strand through the eye
- FG knotbraid to leader
- Knot tying toolsscissors, clippers and tyers by job
- Swivels and snapstypes and size numbers
Sources: Animated Knots, Palomar Knot. PowerPro Spectra diameter chart on Tackle Warehouse. Line-use table from our calculator on the methodology page..