In fishing, as in life, your actions have consequences. If you constantly find that your fishing knots are unraveling, then you may be causing that to happen by cutting the tag end of your fishing knot too short. How short should it be? That is exactly what you will discover in this article.
Let’s back up a bit and first give some definitions.
When tying a fishing knot, the “main line” is the end of the line that connects to your fishing reel. So this is the bulk of your fishing line. Obviously, you don’t cut this end of the line, or you will have cut the knot you just made.
The “tag end” is the short end of the fishing line left after a knot is tied.
Now you can leave the end of the tag as long as it is after tying the knot and forget about trimming it completely to avoid mistakes. But, unfortunately, too long a tag ending can cause a whole new set of problems. The extra line gives your knot extra weight, as well as causing unnecessary drag in the water that can alert fish to your presence.
As you can see, it is not recommended to leave the end of the label untrimmed.
So my suggestion for the tag end goes back to the basic principles of tying a fishing knot:
Tie your knot with the correct number of turns required for the type and weight of fishing line you are using.
Make sure you lubricate the knot well before tightening it. It is recommended to use soap instead of saliva as it will not consume the line. You should have a small squeeze bottle of dish soap in your tackle box for this purpose.
Tighten your knot correctly. Using a small pair of pliers can help you tighten the knot evenly and securely. I keep a pair with a retractable drawstring in my fishing vest for this very purpose.
If you tighten the knot securely, it will not slip and may leave a short tag. A 1/16 “to 1/8” end of the tag in a tight knot is sufficient.
So as you can see, you may indeed have a problem with the knot tying technique, rather than the end length of your tag, that is causing your knots to come undone. Tighten it properly and your fishing knots will never slip again.
