The Nail Knot is a perfect knot to attach your leader to fly line.

Slightly more complicated than the Albright Knot, the Nail Knot offers a smooth finish which helps your leader slide through the eyes and guides on your fly rod. You may use the Albright Knot for the leader to line but the Nail Knot offers a smoother connection between your leader and line.The Nail Knot requires a small diameter tube, such as the barrel of a ballpoint pen, a nail knot toot or other similar object about twice the diameter of the fly line. Using a small diameter tube makes the knot easier to tie.

1. Hold the tube and the end of the fly line with your left thumb and forefinger so about two inches of the fly line and the tube sticks out to the right.
2. With your right hand, form a 2" loop in the heavier end of your leader. Pinch down and hold this loop with your left thumb and forefinger next to the tube and fly line.
3. Use your right hand to grasp the short leg of the leader loop and make 5 snug wraps over the tube and fly line. These wraps should butt against each other, and be at least 1/2" to 3/4" from the end of the fly line. Then slide your left thumb and forefinger forward to hold the wraps so they don't unwind while you work the tag end of the leader butt through the tube from right to left. Carefully remove the tube by sliding it to the left.
4. Semi-tighten the knot by pulling gently on both ends of the leader. Don't pull on the fly line! Moisten the knot area, inspect the knot wraps for smoothness, and tighten the knot by simultaneously pulling on both ends of the leader so it "bites" into the fly line. Then pull hard on the fly line and leader to "seat" the knot. Finally trim the leader tag end and the fly line end.

Some anglers like to put some Pliobond ( a rubber based cement) over the knot to make it even smoother and decreasing the chances that the knot will get hung on a guide when passing through the rod guides and maybe breaking a light tippet. Optional and up to you.

Now you are ready to attach your tippet to your leader. The easiest and fastest knot for attaching the tippet to the leader in all kinds of conditions is the Double Surgeon's Knot next.

Click on a Link Below to view the appropriate fly-fishing knots

1. Arbor Knot - Used to for connecting your backing to the fly reel.
2. Albright Knot - For connecting your fly line to your backing.
3. You are here >> Nail Knot - For connecting your leader to your fly line.
4. Double Surgeons Knot - Used to connect your tippet to your leader.
5. Improved Clinch Knot - A knot for connecting your fly to your tippet.