The only 6 fly-fishing knots you ever need to know

IMPROVED CLINCH KNOT

For connecting the fly to the leader

There are many knots for tying on a fly, including the Palomar, Trilene, uni-knot and a dozen or so obscure ones. Some of those test stronger than the improved clinch, but that’s not the only way to measure a knot’s worth. The improved clinch is easy to tie, and it works on any size of fly. Plus, you can tie it with mono up to 20-pound-test. I’ve experimented with numerous terminal knots, but when conditions are challenging and I really needed to be sure of my knot, I always turn to the one I learned when I was seven years old—the improved clinch.