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Diagram

Jansik Special

Jansik knot · Jansik

Tying mono or fluorocarbon line up to about twenty pound test to a hook or lure, with three passes through the eye when the eye has room for them.

Terminal · Intermediate · Monofilament / Fluorocarbon · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
Jansik Special, finishedJansik Special, finished

Finished structure

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

  1. Run 15 cm of tag through the eye, round in a circle, and through the eye againThe tag has gone through the hook eye, round in one circle, and through the eye a second time in the same direction, its end hanging out beside the first pass.
    1Pass 1, from the standing line
    2Pass 2, the same way
    3First circle
    Move 1 of 2Run 15 cm of tag through the eye, round in a circle, and through the eye again
    Make a second circle beside the first and pass the end through the eye a third timeA second circle of the same size lies beside the first, and the tag has gone through the eye a third time, so three passes sit in the eye.
    1First circle
    2Second circle, beside it
    3Pass 3, the same way
    Move 2 of 2Make a second circle beside the first and pass the end through the eye a third timeYou should now see: Three passes through the eye, all the same way, and two circles of about the same size side by side.

    Step 01

    Run at least 15 cm (6 in) of line through the eye, bring it round in a circle and through the eye again, then make a second circle beside the first and pass the end through a third time.

    You should now see

    Three passes of line through the eye and two circles of about the same size lying side by side above it.

    If it goes wrong

    Stopping after two passes. There is only one circle, and the wraps in step 3 have less to grip.

    Fix: Pass the end through the eye once more to make the second circle before going on.

    Why: The three passes spread the load across the eye, and the two circles become part of the bundle the tag wraps around.

  2. Bend the standing line up over the two circles and pinch all three togetherThe standing line is bent up from the eye, crosses over the two circles and lies along their lower side, so there are three parallel lines held together.
    1Standing line over the circles
    Move 1 of 1Bend the standing line up over the two circles and pinch all three togetherYou should now see: The standing line lying across the two circles, three lines side by side in one pinch, none twisted.

    Step 02

    Bend the standing line up and over the two circles and hold the circles and the standing line together, side by side.

    You should now see

    The standing line lying across the two circles, giving three lines held in one pinch, with none twisted over another.

    If it goes wrong

    The two circles twisting around each other or ending up different sizes. The three lines no longer lie flat together in the pinch.

    Fix: Loosen the circles, even them up so they lie side by side, then bring the standing line over them again and pinch.

    Why: The tag wraps these three lines as one bundle in the next step. Lines lying flat together close evenly, and a twisted circle makes the knot hard to draw up.

  3. Take the tag round in a third loop, then wrap the three lines three timesThe tag comes round the far side of the circles in a third loop and wraps three times round the two circle strands and the standing line together.
    1Three wraps round all three lines
    2Third loop
    Move 1 of 1Take the tag round in a third loop, then wrap the three lines three timesYou should now see: Three even wraps of tag round both circles and the standing line, side by side and held in place.

    Step 03

    Bring the tag end round in a third loop, then wrap it three times around the three parallel lines, holding the wraps together as you go.

    You should now see

    Three even wraps of the tag around the two circles and the standing line, lying side by side and held in place.

    If it goes wrong

    Wrapping only the standing line, or only the two circles, instead of all three lines. The wraps slide loose when the knot is pulled.

    Fix: Unwind the wraps, gather the two circles and the standing line in one pinch, and wrap all three together three times.

    Why: Wrapping all three lines binds the two circles to the standing line, so the circles cannot open when the knot is loaded.

  4. Wet it, pull hook, standing line and tag three ways, slowly, and trim the tagDrawn tight, the two circles close down on the eye with the three wraps binding them to the standing line, and the tag trimmed short.
    Move 1 of 1Wet it, pull hook, standing line and tag three ways, slowly, and trim the tagYou should now see: A compact knot seated evenly at the eye, the circles and wraps drawn down tight, and a short tag.

    Step 04

    Wet the knot. Hold the hook with pliers and pull the pliers, the standing line and the tag end in three directions at once, slowly, until the knot seats. Trim the tag.

    You should now see

    A compact knot seated evenly at the eye, with the circles and wraps drawn down tight and a short tag.

    If it goes wrong

    Pulling only the standing line, or pulling fast. The circles close unevenly and the knot draws up lopsided or stays loose on one side.

    Fix: If the knot has closed lopsided, cut it off and tie it again, pulling in all three directions together, slowly, with the knot wet.

    Why: The circles, the wraps and the standing line all have to close together, which is why the pull goes three ways. NetKnots suggests the knot for lines up to about twenty pound test.

HTH · Reference layout

Jansik Special — finished-state checks, on the shared reference layout

Jansik Special — 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.

Jam-hitch terminal family

A compact hitch or jam at the eye — fewer wraps, a different lock than a clinch barrel.

  • !Lock never jammed to the eye — it is a loose hitch in disguise
  • !Used on a small eye that cannot take the bulk of the jam
  • !Confused with a clinch: the tag path is not a barrel tuck
Fails when
  • !Wraps take in only some of the three lines, so they slide loose when the knot is pulled
  • !Circles twisted over each other, so the knot will not draw up evenly
  • !Pulled tight from the standing line alone or too fast, so it closes lopsided or loose on one side
Geometry

  • Twisted triple pass scoring the line

    Fails at the eye

    Jansik is three clean eye passes, then a lock around the parallel bundle · step 02

  • Eye too crowded to close

    Will not finish — pick another terminal

    If the triple pass will not close, the eye is too small · step 01

  • Tag missed one of the three loops

    Unlock — two passes is a different knot

    All three loops must be captured in the finish · step 03

If you saw this

  • Will not close or fails at the eye

    Check

    • ?Three parallel eye passes
    • ?Both loops captured

    Then

    • →Retie on roomier hardware
    • →Use Trilene or Orvis instead

  • Finished check failed — Lost eye-pass count

    Check

    • ?Multiple eye passes ordered
    • ?Compact final structure
    • ?Parallel strands where intended

    Then

    • →Retie. Lost pass count on a Jansik Special is a sudden failure mode.

  • Twisted triple pass scoring the line

    Check

    • ?Fails at the eye
    • ?Inspect step 02

    Then

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

  • Eye too crowded to close

    Check

    • ?Will not finish — pick another terminal
    • ?Inspect step 01

    Then

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

  • Tag missed one of the three loops

    Check

    • ?Unlock — two passes is a different knot
    • ?Inspect step 03

    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
Hook to lineHigh strength
Not ideal for
  • Braid
  • Tiny eyes
  • Heavy stiff leader that cannot close the compact lock
Common mistakes
  • Stopping after two passes through the eye, which leaves only one circle
  • Circles twisted around each other or made different sizes
  • Tag wrapped around the standing line only, or the circles only
  • Seating the knot by pulling only the standing line, or pulling fast
Alternatives
  • Trilene KnotIntermediate

    Tying monofilament or fluorocarbon line to a hook, swivel, snap or lure, with two passes through the eye

  • Eye Crosser KnotIntermediate

    Snug terminal with doubled eye contact across mono, fluoro, and braid when the hardware has room for two passes

  • Orvis KnotBeginner

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

Related knots