Fishing Knots

 Jansik Special
Another beautifully simple knotthat can be tied in the dark, The Jansik Special is a high strength knot tied as follows:

1. Put 15cm of line through the eye of the hook.
2. Bring it around in a circle and put the end through again.
3. Making a second circle, pass then end through a third time.
4. Holding the three circles of line against each other, wrap the end three times around the circles.
5. Either hold the hook steady with pliers, or make it fast to boat's rigging or safety lines.
6. Holding strain on the hook, pull on both ends of the line to tighten. 

Palomar Knot
The Palomar Knot is another very simple knot for terminal tackle. It is regarded by the International Game Fish Association consistently as the strongest knot known. It's great virtue is that it can safely be tied at night with a minimum of practice.

1. Double about 12.5cm of line, and pass through the eye.
2. Tie a simple Overhand Knot in the doubled line, letting the hook hang loose. Avoide twisting the lines.
3. Pull the end of loop down, passing it completely over the hook.
4. Pull both ends of the line to draw up the knot.]

Hangman's Knot
There are at least 6 variations of the Hangman's Knot, - all of them excellent for terminal tackle, swivels and hooks. The "standard" Hangman's Knot holds only five turns when tied in monofilament nylon. If tied in rope, and used for its stated purpose, it takes eight turns.

1. Pass a 15cm loop of line through the eye.
2. Bring the end back on itself, passing it under the doubled part.
3. Make five loops over the doubled part.
4. The formed knot is worked into shape.
5. The knot is sent down the line, against the eye of the hook or swivel. 

Scaffold Knot
This is a much simpler variant. In all likelihood, this Grant's Uni-Knot. I have used it for more than fifty years and it has never failed me, whether tied in 1kg or 50kg monofilament. It was taught to me by the late Wally Kerr, a top flathead fisherman.

1. Pass a 15cm loop of line through the eye.
2. Lock the upper part between thumb and forefinger, making a loop.
3. Make two more loops over the double part, holding them too, between thumb and forefinger.
4. Pass the end through the two loops just made, plus the first loop made in step2.
5. The formed knot can now be drawn into shape, and worked down against the eye of the hook or swivel. 

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Snelling A Hook
One small problem is the variety of names that may be applied to the one knot, for example, a Granny is a False Knot, a Clove Hitch is a Waterman's Knot, an Overhand Knot is a Thumb Knot. But when we come to snelling a hook, the length of nylon attached to the hook may be a snell or a snood.
I now find that the actual job of tying the snood may be called snoozing, while snelling is often jealously thought of as an art restricted to the fly fisherman. I have fished with bottom-fisherman on the Great Barrier Reef who routinely snell their hooks.
Restricted to lines of breaking strength less than about 20kg, the process is a simple one.

1. Pass the end of the line, trace or tippet through the eye twice, leaving a loop hanging below the hook.
2. Hold both lines along the shank of the hook.
3. Use the loop to wind tight coils around the shank and both lines, from the eye upwards. Use from 5 to 10 turns.
4. Use the fingers to hold these tight coils in place. Pull the line (extending from the eye) until the whole loop has passed under these tight coils.
5. With coils drawn up, use pliers to pull up the end of the line.