How to Tie a Palomar Knot (Step-by-Step for Bass Fishing)

Palomar knot guide — a fat bass catch

The knot that holds when a fat bass loads the rod. Six steps and one mistake to avoid.

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Key takeaways

  • Double the line, pass it through the eye, overhand, loop over the hook, wet, cinch — that’s the whole Palomar.
  • The loop must seat above the eye. A loop under the eye is the most common failure we see.
  • Wet the knot before you yank. Dry cinch = heat = weak mono/fluoro and a bad braid seat.
  • Palomar loves braid and works fine on fluoro/mono for bass hooks. Big trebles are a different conversation (see FAQ).
  • Pair it with needle-nose pliers that cut — you will retie more than you think.

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What you’ll need

Item Spec Must/Nice Why Link
Fishing line 12–17 lb fluoro or 30–50 lb braid Must What you’re knotting; braid is Palomar’s happy place Discount Tackle
Hook 3/0 offset worm hook, or whatever you'll fish Must Practice on the hook you'll fish Bass Pro
Needle-nose pliers With cutter Must Trim tag, hook-outs without killing fish Discount Tackle
Braid spool 30–50 lb backup Nice Reties in the bag Discount Tackle
Moisture Spit / wet fingers Must (free) Wet before cinch —

Why it works

  • Doubled line through the eye cinches two strands in a simple overhand — strength without a pile of wraps.
  • Loop-over-hook finish seats the knot cleanly on top of the eye so it doesn’t walk under load.
  • Fast on a friend's boat or a muddy bank with numb fingers.
  • Braid grips a wet-cinched Palomar; fewer mystery break-offs at the knot.
  • One knot for Texas rigs, wacky rigs, and lizards. Every other Guide links here.

How to tie it

Time: ~20–30 seconds once it’s muscle memory. First ten reps: a big hook and thicker line so you can see the loop.

Step 1 — Double ~6 inches of line and pass the loop through the eye

Pinch a doubled section. Push that loop through the hook eye so both strands pass cleanly.

STEP 1 — LINE THROUGH THE EYE

Step 2 — Tie a loose overhand with the doubled line

Simple overhand (start of a shoestring). Do not tighten. Hook hangs in the open loop.

STEP 2 — LOOSE OVERHAND loop endkeep it loose

Step 3 — Pass the loop over the entire hook

Pull the loop down over point, bend, and eye so the whole hook goes through. Knot bare hooks before Texas-rigging bait.

STEP 3 — LOOP OVER THE HOOK

Step 4 — Wet the knot

Spit or dip. Braid especially needs moisture so fibers don’t burn as they seat.

STEP 4 — WET, THEN CINCH

Step 5 — Cinch steadily, then trim the tag

Pull standing line and tag so the knot seats against the top of the eye. Firm, not panic. Trim tag ~⅛ inch — don’t shave braid flush.

STEP 5 — FINISHED trim the tag ~⅛ inch

Step 6 — Finished knot + failure mode

Good: Compact Palomar on top of the eye; neat doubled strands; short tag.
Bad: Loop or wraps under the eye — can slip or cut. Untie and redo.

WRONG — LOOP UNDER THE EYE

Where to use it

Texas-rig offset hooks, wacky hooks, and most single-hook soft-plastic rigs. It's the knot for wind, cold fingers, and retying after a brush pile.

Braid vs fluoro: Excellent on braid. Fine on fluoro/mono for single hooks — wet it, cinch smooth, don’t saw the line across itself. For big treble hardbaits, many anglers prefer an improved clinch or loop knot; for FatBassOnly soft-plastic work, Palomar stays default.

Biggest mistakes

  1. Loop under the eye — looks almost right; fails under a good fish.
  2. Dry cinch — friction heat at the exact spot that matters.
  3. Too little doubled length — not enough loop to pass over the hook.
  4. Cutting braid tag flush — leave a short tag.
  5. Only practicing on giant eyes — do five reps on a real 3/0 before you trust it.

Variations

  • Lure already attached: Same steps; pass the loop over the whole body carefully.
  • Extra “improved” passes: Unnecessary for pond plastics — standard Palomar is enough.
  • Skip it for: Tiny fly eyes / some micro hardware — use a clinch. Rare in a FatBassOnly bank kit.

FAQ

Palomar vs improved clinch for bass?

For single-eye soft plastics, Palomar wins for most of us — strong when tied right, fast once practiced. Clinch is fine for trebles and tiny eyes.

Palomar for braid to fluoro leader?

No — Palomar is hook/lure-eye. Use FG / Alberto / double uni for braid-to-leader, then Palomar the fluoro to the hook.

Spinning or baitcast?

Same knot either way.

How often do I retie?

After a good fish, after grinding cover, or anytime the knot looks fuzzy. Pliers live in the front pouch for a reason.

Why did it slip?

Loop under the eye, dry cinch, or you only pulled one strand. Redo.

Special pliers required?

Needle-nose with a cutter. Garage-sale set works. Cutting braid cleanly is not optional.

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Keep going

  • Talkin' Tackle — Mike walks the tackle bag this gear comes from: Episode 1
  • The Wall — caught a fat one? Submit it. Accepted photos earn a free Badge sticker.
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