Fisherman's knot

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Fisherman's knot
Fisherman's knot.png
Names Fisherman's knot, Waterman's knot, Angler's knot, Englishman's knot
Category bend
Origin Ancient
Related Overhand knot, Double fisherman's knot, Triple Fisherman's knot
Releasing Jamming
Typical use Joining thin, stiff or slippery lines
Caveat Difficult or impossible to untie
ABoK #293, #1414

The Fisherman's knot is a specialized bend. It consists of two overhand knots wrapped around each other.

It requires little dexterity to tie, so is often used in stubborn materials. When tightened, it becomes fairly compact, and the free ends can be cropped very close to the knot. These qualities make it very useful for fishing line--it is less likely to jam a fishing rod than many other bends, and is easier to tie with cold, wet hands.

To tie the fisherman's knot, lay the two ends to be tied alongside each other and facing opposite ways. Tie an overhand knot on the first rope and pass the second rope through the loop formed. Tighten the overhand knot, to prevent the line inside it from flopping around. Then tie another overhand knot on the second rope with the first rope passing through it.