The snell knot is a
hitch knot
A hitch knot is a type of knot used to secure a rope to an object or another rope. It is used in a variety of situations, including climbing, sailing, and securing loads. Hitch knots are classified based on their ability to be tightened or released ...
used in
angling
Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" (from Old English ''angol'') attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated via a fishing rod, although rodless techni ...
to attach a
fishing line
A fishing line is a flexible, high-tensile cord used in angling to tether and pull in fish, in conjunction with at least one hook. Fishing lines are usually pulled by and stored in a reel, but can also be retrieved by hand, with a fixed attach ...
to the ''shank'' (instead of the eye) of a
fishing hook
A fish hook or fishhook, formerly also called angle (from Old English ''angol'' and Proto-Germanic ''*angulaz''), is a hook used to catch fish either by piercing and embedding onto the inside of the fish mouth (angling) or, more rarely, by impal ...
. The line may still pass through the eye of the hook, but primarily fastens to the shaft. Hooks tied with a snell knot provide an even, straight-line pull to the fish. It is a very secure knot, but because it is easily tied using only the near end as the working end, it is used to attach a hook only to a leader, rather than directly to the main line.
Hooks can be bought pre-snelled.
Fishing knots
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