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Home > Take Me Fishing Blog > April 2018 > Improved Clinch Knot: Fishing Knot Tying Steps
The improved clinch fishing knot is an easy and reliable terminal knot to tie when attaching a hook, swivel, or fly to your leader line or tippet. Many anglers like to use this knot when light tackle fishing or freshwater fly fishing because it's best suited for lines up to 20-pound test.
If you're learning how to fish, don't let fishing knots intimidate you. Before you know it, you'll be tying a clinch knot faster than you can say, "its time to go fishing
You might be wondering about the clinch knot vs the improved clinch knot, in other words, what the difference is between the two. The difference is that the improved clinch fishing knot includes the extra step of bringing the tag end of your line back through the loop before tightening.
Fly anglers who fish with medium to large flies often prefer the improved clinch knot when fly fishing due to the additional strength this variation provides. You may find that, when fishing with small dry flies and nymphs, many fly anglers prefer to stick with a standard clinch knot.
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Debbie Hanson is an award-winning outdoor writer, women’s sport fishing advocate, IGFA world record holder, and freshwater guide living in Southwest Florida. Hanson’s written work has appeared in publications such as Florida Game & Fish Magazine, BoatUS Magazine, and USA Today Hunt & Fish. To learn more about her work, visit shefishes2.com or follow her on Instagram @shefishes2.
The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S. Learn more about how you can identify a largemouth bass, where to catch it and what bait and lures to use.
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