How to tie the Surgeon's Knot knot
Also known as Double Surgeon's Knot.
A fast, simple line-to-line knot made by tying a double overhand knot with two overlapped lines. It is one of the quickest ways to add a leader or tippet.
Best for
Quickly joining lines of similar diameter, such as adding a fluoro leader or tippet, when speed matters more than the slimmest profile.
Strength
Strong, around 85 to 90 percent of line strength
Difficulty
easy
Tying the Surgeon's Knot, step by step
- 1Overlap the ends of the two lines by several inches, running them parallel.
- 2Form a loop with both overlapped lines together.
- 3Pass both the leader and the tag through the loop twice for a double surgeon's knot.
- 4Wet the knot thoroughly.
- 5Pull all four strands evenly to seat the knot, then check that it is tight.
- 6Trim both tag ends close to the knot.
Tips
- • Pull on all four ends at once to keep the knot from seating unevenly.
- • Add a third pass through the loop for a triple surgeon's knot when joining lines of slightly different diameter.
Strengths
- + Very fast and easy to tie
- + Works well for similar diameter lines
Watch out for
- - Bulkier than an FG or blood knot
- - Weakens when diameters differ greatly