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Diagram

Double Davy Knot

Double Davy

Davy with an extra security pass for larger flies or slightly heavier tippet.

Terminal · Beginner · Monofilament / Fluorocarbon · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
Double Davy Knot, finishedDouble Davy Knot, finished

Finished structure

Drawn from a rope model of this knot: which strand passes over which comes from where the rope actually lies.

  1. Push 8 to 10 cm of tippet through the hook eye and let the fly hangThe tippet passes once through the hook eye with a long tag beyond it and the fly hanging on the standing line.
    Move 1 of 2Push 8 to 10 cm of tippet through the hook eye and let the fly hang
    Tie a loose overhand in the tag around the standing line, just ahead of the eyeThe tag comes up out of the eye, runs out along the line, goes down in front of the standing line and back up behind it, then out over its own leg: a loose overhand round the standing line, with a small open loop between it and the eye.
    Move 2 of 2Tie a loose overhand in the tag around the standing line, just ahead of the eyeYou should now see: A loose overhand sits ahead of the eye, with a small open loop between it and the eye and plenty of tag still free.

    Step 01

    Push 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) of tippet through the hook eye. Take the tag around the standing line and back through its loop to make a loose overhand just ahead of the eye.

    You should now see

    A loose overhand in the tippet above the eye, an open loop between the overhand and the eye, and plenty of tag still free.

    If it goes wrong

    Pulling the overhand snug. A closed loop has no room for two tucks, and the second one is the first to get skipped.

    Fix: Work the overhand open with a fingertip until the loop is clear. If the tag has grown short, pull more through and start again.

    Why: Two tucks go through this loop, so it has to stay open until both are in.

  2. Tuck the tag back through that loop, between the overhand and the hook eyeThe tag carries on round behind the top of the overhand, goes down behind its own first leg into the small loop between the overhand and the eye, comes forward through it, and up over that leg: one turn round the leg, a single Davy.
    Move 1 of 1Tuck the tag back through that loop, between the overhand and the hook eyeYou should now see: The tag comes out between the overhand and the eye, and the loop is still open. This much is a single Davy.

    Step 02

    Bring the tag back through the loop, passing between the overhand and the hook eye. This is a single Davy so far.

    You should now see

    The tag comes out between the overhand and the eye, and the loop is still open enough to take another pass.

    If it goes wrong

    Tucking on the far side of the overhand, or letting this tuck cross over the first turn so the turns stack unevenly.

    Fix: Pull the tag back out, lay the turn flat beside the first and tuck again on the eye side of the overhand.

    Why: Each turn lies beside the last. A crossed turn makes a lump that stops the knot closing evenly on the eye.

  3. Take the tag round the standing line and through that loop a second timeThe tag comes back down from the first tuck, in front of the standing line, under it and up behind it, then forward through the same small loop nearer the eye and up over its own leg: the second pass goes round the standing line, the way the overhand went round it.
    Move 1 of 1Take the tag round the standing line and through that loop a second timeYou should now see: Two passes lie side by side through the one loop, both between the overhand and the eye: the first round the tag's own leg, the second round the standing line. Stopping after one leaves a single Davy.

    Step 03

    Take the tag around the standing line again and pass it through the same loop a second time.

    You should now see

    Two tucks lying side by side through the loop, both visible before anything is tightened.

    If it goes wrong

    Stopping after one tuck, or sending the second tuck through a different opening. On a larger fly or heavier tippet, a single Davy can slip.

    Fix: Count the tucks before you pull. If only one is there, add the second. If it went through the wrong opening, back it out and retrace it.

    Why: NetKnots describes one extra pass through the loop, and also a variant where the second turn goes the same direction instead of reversing. Either gives the tag a second grip on the standing line.

  4. Pull the tag first, then the standing line, and trim the tag closeThe same overhand, tuck and pass round the standing line are drawn down into a compact knot against the hook eye, the trimmed tag coming out between the knot and the eye.
    Move 1 of 1Pull the tag first, then the standing line, and trim the tag closeYou should now see: A compact knot on the eye, a little longer than a single Davy, the trimmed tag coming out between it and the eye.

    Step 04

    Pull the tag first to draw the knot up, then pull the standing line to set it on the eye. Trim the tag close.

    You should now see

    A compact knot on the eye, a little longer than a single Davy, with the tag tucked under it against the eye.

    If it goes wrong

    Pulling the standing line first, or trimming before the knot is set. Either leaves the tag free to slide out from under the knot.

    Fix: Set the knot with the tag and then the standing line before cutting. If the tag has pulled away from the eye, cut the knot off and tie it again.

    Why: On light tippet, about 4X to 6X, tied to a large fly, NetKnots suggests the Orvis knot instead. Animated Knots notes that tippet much thinner than the hook wire cannot grip the final tuck well.

HTH · Reference layout

Double Davy Knot — finished-state checks, on the shared reference layout

Double Davy Knot — finished-state checks, on the shared reference layout
Hook the Horizon reference plate
Failure modes

When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.

Fly / tippet family

Fine tippet at the eye, or fly-line to leader with a tube or nail.

  • !Hitch path around the eye instead of through it
  • !Single pass where two were the job
  • !Gap at the tube or nail on a fly-line join
Fails when
  • !Tag end pulled away from the eye, out from under the knot
  • !Very light tippet, about 4X to 6X, tied to a heavy-wire hook
  • !Only one tuck made on a larger fly or heavier tippet
  • !Standing line pulled before the tag, so the tag can slide out
Geometry

  • Stopped after one pass

    That is a Davy — the usual pull-out on a larger fly

    The second pass is why this knot exists · step 02

  • Second pass never seated to the eye

    Opens under load on anything bigger than a small dry

    Incomplete second pass is the Double Davy failure · step 03

  • First pass cinched so the second cannot enter

    You cannot add the security pass after a hard first seat

    Leave the first hitch open enough to take the second pass · step 01

If you saw this

  • Opens under load

    Check

    • ?Both passes visible and tight

    Then

    • →Retie carefully

  • Finished check failed — Only one pass completed

    Check

    • ?Second pass completes before the final draw
    • ?Compact seat at the eye
    • ?Tag controlled and short

    Then

    • →Retie. Incomplete double structure reverts to a weaker single Davy.

  • Stopped after one pass

    Check

    • ?That is a Davy — the usual pull-out on a larger fly
    • ?Inspect step 02

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Second pass never seated to the eye

    Check

    • ?Opens under load on anything bigger than a small dry
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • First pass cinched so the second cannot enter

    Check

    • ?You cannot add the security pass after a hard first seat
    • ?Inspect step 01

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same family

Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.

This failed — start Diagnose

Why this knot

What it earns its place with, what it costs, and what to reach for instead.

Best for
Fly hooksQuick to tie
Not ideal for
  • Absolute smallest midges where a single Davy is enough
  • Heavy saltwater terminals and braid
Common mistakes
  • Pulling the overhand snug before both tucks are in
  • Tucking on the far side of the overhand instead of between it and the eye
  • Stopping after one tuck, which leaves a single Davy
  • Pulling the standing line first, or trimming before the knot is set
Alternatives
  • Davy KnotBeginner

    Tying a small fly to tippet with a quick, compact knot

  • Orvis KnotBeginner

    Ties tippet to a hook or fly with a small knot built on a figure eight

  • Pitzen KnotIntermediate

    Tying a hook, lure or fly to line or tippet

Related knots