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Diagram

NanoFil Knot

Double Palomar · Nano-Fil knot · Nano Knot

Doubled-line terminal for slick fused superline (Berkley NanoFil and similar); Palomar plus a second overhand pass.

Terminal · Intermediate · Braid · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
NanoFil Knot, finishedNanoFil 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. Double about 15 cm of line and push the end of the loop through the hook eyeThe line is folded in two and the fold pushed through the hook eye. Beyond the eye the fold opens into a long loop that reaches past the whole hook; the two ends stay on the near side.
    1Fold of the loop
    2Tag end
    Move 1 of 1Double about 15 cm of line and push the end of the loop through the hook eyeYou should now see: Both strands through the eye side by side with no twist, and the loop reaching well past the hook point.

    Step 01

    Double about 15 cm (6 in) of line into a loop and push the end of the loop through the hook eye.

    You should now see

    Both strands pass through the eye together without twisting, and the loop reaches well past the point of the hook.

    If it goes wrong

    The two strands twisting around each other as they go through the eye. On fused line this shows as a crossed pair right at the eye.

    Fix: Pull the loop back out, lay the strands flat side by side and feed them through again. Pull more line through if the loop will not reach past the hook.

    Why: The loop has to pass over the whole hook or lure at step 4, and the extra pass in step 3 uses up more line than a plain Palomar, so start with the full length.

  2. Tie a loose overhand with the doubled line, letting the hook hang from itThe doubled line is tied in a loose overhand beside the eye: it arcs over, goes once round the two strands, comes up through the middle and out over the arc, leaving a clear hole. The hook hangs from the overhand (drawn lying flat), and the end of the loop is free past the hook.
    1First turn round the two strands
    Move 1 of 1Tie a loose overhand with the doubled line, letting the hook hang from itYou should now see: A loose overhand in the doubled line with a clear hole in its middle, the hook hanging from the overhand, and the end of the loop still free.

    Step 02

    Tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled line, letting the hook hang from the bottom of it.

    You should now see

    A loose overhand in the doubled line with a clear hole in its middle, the hook hanging below, and the end of the loop still free.

    If it goes wrong

    Pulling the overhand snug now, or letting the two strands cross inside it. A snug overhand leaves no room for the second pass.

    Fix: Open the overhand with a fingertip until you can see a clear hole in the middle, with the two strands lying side by side.

    Why: The hole in this overhand is where the second pass goes in step 3. Strands that cross inside it bed unevenly when the knot is tightened.

  3. Pass the end of the loop through the middle of the overhand a second timeThe end of the loop has gone round the two strands a second time, through the same opening and lying beside the first turn, so the overhand is now a double overhand of two parallel turns. The end of the loop, still open, hangs past the hook.
    1First turn
    2Second turn, beside it
    Move 1 of 1Pass the end of the loop through the middle of the overhand a second timeYou should now see: Two parallel turns of doubled line through the overhand, and the end of the loop still hanging open.

    Step 03

    Pass the end of the loop through the middle of the overhand a second time, following the first pass, to turn it into a double overhand.

    You should now see

    Two parallel turns of doubled line through the overhand, and the end of the loop still hanging open below the hook.

    If it goes wrong

    Skipping the second pass, which leaves a plain Palomar, or taking the loop through the wrong opening, which shows as strands crossing instead of two parallel turns.

    Fix: Back the loop out and pass it through the same opening it used the first time, laying the new turn beside the first one.

    Why: The second turn gives the knot more grip on slippery fused and braided line. That extra grip is the whole difference between this knot and a standard Palomar.

  4. Hold the double overhand, pass the loop over the hook and slide it toward the eyeThe open loop has been taken down over the whole hook, so the hook now passes through it; it lies round the shank partway along. This is on the way, not the set position: it must slide all the way up to the eye.
    1Hook through the loop, still to slide up
    Move 1 of 3Hold the double overhand, pass the loop over the hook and slide it toward the eye
    Slide the loop above the eye, wet the knot and pull the standing line and tagThe loop has slid up the shank and closed round it just below the eye; pulled from the standing line and the tag, the double overhand draws down on the other side of the eye.
    1Loop closed round the shank at the eye
    Move 2 of 3Slide the loop above the eye, wet the knot and pull the standing line and tag
    Test the knot with a hard pull on the standing line, then trim the tagThe finished NanoFil knot: a double overhand of two parallel turns in the doubled line, seated against the hook eye, its loop girthing the hook right at the eye with one leg in front of the shank and one behind, and the tag trimmed short.
    1Loop girths the hook at the eye
    Move 3 of 3Test the knot with a hard pull on the standing line, then trim the tagYou should now see: The double overhand sits on top of the eye, both sides of the loop even, and nothing moved under the test pull.

    Step 04

    Hold the double overhand between thumb and forefinger, pass the loop over the hook and slide it above the eye. Wet the knot, pull the standing line and tag end to tighten, test it, then trim the tag.

    You should now see

    The double overhand sits on top of the eye with both sides of the loop drawn up evenly, and it does not move when you pull hard on the standing line.

    If it goes wrong

    The loop catching on the hook shank below the eye as it tightens, so the knot sets partly down the shank with one side of the loop longer than the other.

    Fix: Loosen it, lift the loop back above the eye and pull again. If it creeps under the test pull, cut it off and tie it again.

    Why: Test before you trim. Slick fused line that creeps under a hand pull will creep further under a fish.

HTH · Reference layout

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

NanoFil 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.

HTH · Advanced failure modes

NanoFil Knot — what fails and what to do

NanoFil Knot — what fails and what to do
Hook the Horizon reference plate
Clinch family

Wraps down the standing part, then a tuck that jams the barrel to the eye.

  • !Wraps walked or crossed — load on one turn of the barrel
  • !Barrel never jammed to the eye, so the tuck is decoration
  • !Tag never tucked, or the extra Improved / Trilene pass missing
Fails when
  • !The loop caught on the shank below the eye, so the knot set partly down the shank with one side of the loop longer than the other
  • !Only one pass went through the overhand, leaving a plain Palomar without the second turn's extra grip on slick line
  • !The second pass took a different opening, so the strands cross and bed unevenly instead of lying as two parallel turns
  • !The knot creeps under a hard test pull on slick fused line
Geometry

  • Crossed doubled NanoFil in the eye

    Walks like a failed Palomar

    NanoFil wants the double Palomar path, not a single overhand · step 02

  • Single Palomar used on NanoFil

    Will slip — that is the wrong knot for this fibre

    The extra pass is why the NanoFil knot exists · step 03

  • Hardware caught in the large loop

    Cinch traps the lure; structure never forms

    Keep the hook/lure out of the tying loop until the passes are in · step 02

If you saw this

  • Walks under load like a failed Palomar

    Check

    • ?Two overhand passes visible
    • ?Compact seat at the eye

    Then

    • →Retie the double Palomar
    • →Do not fish a single Palomar on NanoFil

  • Doubled strands cross before the overhand.

    Check

    • ?Look for: Doubled strands cross before the overhand.

    Then

    • →Keep strands parallel; retie if crossed.

  • Overhand loop traps lure hardware incorrectly.

    Check

    • ?Look for: Overhand loop traps lure hardware incorrectly.

    Then

    • →Retie sending only the free loop over the hardware.

  • Knot sits crooked at the eye after the first pull.

    Check

    • ?Look for: Knot sits crooked at the eye after the first pull.

    Then

    • →Draw both legs evenly while seating.

  • Tag frays at the seat after a few casts.

    Check

    • ?Look for: Tag frays at the seat after a few casts.

    Then

    • →Inspect the eye, leave a safer tag, retie if abraded.

  • Finished check failed — ordinary single-overhand Palomar is substituted

    Check

    • ?fused line remains doubled through the Palomar-style structure
    • ?double-overhand section is clean
    • ?hardware passes through the loop without twisting the doubled strands

    Then

    • →Retie. slip in slick fused superline.

  • Crossed doubled NanoFil in the eye

    Check

    • ?Walks like a failed Palomar
    • ?Inspect step 02

    Then

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

  • Single Palomar used on NanoFil

    Check

    • ?Will slip — that is the wrong knot for this fibre
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

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

  • Hardware caught in the large loop

    Check

    • ?Cinch traps the lure; structure never forms
    • ?Inspect step 02

    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
  • When the manufacturer of a different line specifies another knot
  • Tiny eyes that will not take doubled fused line
Common mistakes
  • Letting the two strands twist around each other as they go through the eye
  • Pulling the overhand snug before the second pass, so there is no room for it
  • Skipping the second pass, or taking the loop through a different opening from the first pass
  • Letting the loop catch on the hook shank below the eye while tightening
Alternatives
  • Palomar KnotBeginner

    Ties line to a hook or lure with the line doubled through the eye

  • Berkley Braid KnotIntermediate

    Tying a hook or lure to braided line with the line doubled through the eye, when the eye is large enough to take doubled braid

  • Uni KnotBeginner

    Tying a hook, lure or other terminal tackle to braided or monofilament line

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