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Diagram

World Fair Knot

World’s Fair Knot · Worlds Fair Knot

Tying mono or fluorocarbon line to a hook or lure with a doubled loop through the eye. On a drop-shot rig the tag is left long to hold the weight.

Terminal · Beginner · Monofilament / Fluorocarbon · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
World Fair Knot, finishedWorld Fair 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 the end of the line into a loop and push the loop through the eyeThe end of the line is folded into a loop and pushed through the hook eye, so a long doubled loop stands out past the eye beside the tag and the standing line.
    1Doubled loop through the eye
    2Tag end
    3Standing line
    Move 1 of 1Double the end of the line into a loop and push the loop through the eyeYou should now see: A doubled loop standing out past the eye, long enough to fold back over the doubled line.

    Step 01

    Double the end of the line into a loop and push the loop through the hook or lure eye.

    You should now see

    A doubled loop standing out past the eye, long enough to fold back over the doubled line behind the eye.

    If it goes wrong

    Pushing through only a short loop. It looks fine at the eye but has no length to fold back over the doubled line.

    Fix: Pull more line through the eye now so the loop can fold back with some to spare.

    Why: The rest of the knot is built from this loop and the tag, so both need working length before you start.

  2. Fold the loop back over the doubled line and lay it flat on topThe loop that came through the eye is folded back and lies flat on top of the doubled line, which shows through the middle of the loop.
    1Folded loop, lying over the doubled line
    Move 1 of 1Fold the loop back over the doubled line and lay it flat on topYou should now see: The loop lies back over the doubled line, one side each side of it, with its two sides flat and not twisted.

    Step 02

    Fold the loop that sticks out of the eye back over the doubled line, laying it flat on top.

    You should now see

    The folded loop lies back along the doubled line behind the eye, with its two sides flat and not twisted.

    If it goes wrong

    Twisting the loop as you fold it, so its two sides cross. The weave in step 3 then goes over and under the wrong strands.

    Fix: Flip the loop back out, untwist it and fold it back again so both sides lie flat.

    Why: The fold makes the two sides of the loop that the tag weaves across next. If they are crossed, the knot closes into a tangle instead of a lock.

  3. Take the tag over one side of the loop, under the doubled line, over the other sideThe tag leaves the doubled line, curls out and back over the near side of the folded loop, under both strands of the doubled line and over the far side. Crossing under its own half closes a small loop in the tag.
    1Small loop the tag has just formed, closed where it goes under the doubled line
    2Over, under, over
    Move 1 of 2Take the tag over one side of the loop, under the doubled line, over the other side
    Bring the tag back over the knot and pass it through the small loop it just formedThe tag end comes back over the folded loop and the doubled line and drops down through the small loop the tag formed in the weave, leaving under its outer rim.
    1The tag's own small loop: the tag goes down through it
    Move 2 of 2Bring the tag back over the knot and pass it through the small loop it just formedYou should now see: The tag crosses the loop over, under, over, then comes out through the small loop the tag itself formed.

    Step 03

    Take the tag over one side of the folded loop, under the doubled line, and over the other side of the loop. Then pass the tag through the small new loop this has just made.

    You should now see

    The tag crosses the folded loop in an over, under, over pattern and comes out through the new small loop, with no strand caught in the wrong place.

    If it goes wrong

    Going under where the tag should go over, or leaving out the final pass through the new loop. When you pull the standing line the knot slides or falls apart.

    Fix: Back the tag out one crossing at a time and weave it again, checking over, under, over before making the last pass.

    Why: The weave binds the folded loop to the doubled line, and the last pass through the new loop traps the tag so it cannot pull back out.

  4. Wet the knot and pull the standing line firmly until it draws onto the eyePulled from the standing line, the folded loop shortens and the woven tag and its small loop close down snug on the doubled line against the hook eye.
    Move 1 of 2Wet the knot and pull the standing line firmly until it draws onto the eye
    Test it with a hard pull, then trim the tagThe finished World's Fair knot: the short folded loop and the woven tag seated against the hook eye, with the tag trimmed short where it leaves its small loop.
    Move 2 of 2Test it with a hard pull, then trim the tagYou should now see: A compact knot on the eye with its crossings side by side, and no movement under the test pull.

    Step 04

    Wet the knot and pull the standing line with gentle but firm pressure until the knot draws down onto the eye. Test it with a hard pull, then trim the tag.

    You should now see

    A compact knot on the eye with its crossings lying side by side, and no movement under the test pull.

    If it goes wrong

    Pulling fast on dry line, so one crossing rolls over another and the knot sets lumpy. Fluorocarbon also shows a curled, rough patch near the eye.

    Fix: If a crossing has rolled or the line looks curled or rough near the eye, cut it off and tie it again instead of pulling harder.

    Why: Moisture lets the crossings slide into place without heating the line. For a drop-shot rig, NetKnots notes the tag is left long to hold the weight, so skip the trim there.

HTH · Reference layout

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

World Fair 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.

Palomar family

Doubled line through the eye, overhand lock seated to the hardware.

  • !Eye too small for the doubled pass — the stack never sits
  • !Doubled overhand not seated against the eye
  • !Tag pulled into the doubled coils so the lock becomes a hinge
Fails when
  • !The tag went under where it should go over, and the knot slides or falls apart when the standing line is pulled
  • !The final pass through the new loop was left out, so nothing traps the tag and it can pull back out
  • !The folded loop was twisted, so the knot closes into a tangle instead of a lock
  • !It was pulled fast and dry, so a crossing rolled over another and the knot set lumpy
Geometry

  • Rolled crossing instead of a folded lock

    The lock opens under load

    World Fair is a folded return through both openings, not a twist · step 04

  • Missed one return opening

    Unfinished — crossings will not lock

    Both openings must be taken · step 03

  • Used on braid

    This compact fold is a nylon knot

    Braid needs a braid-capable terminal · step 04

If you saw this

  • Crossings roll or the lock opens

    Check

    • ?Stacked crossings
    • ?Compact lock at the eye

    Then

    • →Retie wet on mono/fluoro
    • →Do not use on braid

  • Finished check failed — Incomplete figure

    Check

    • ?Completed figure geometry seated at the eye
    • ?Tag controlled
    • ?No open segments

    Then

    • →Retie. Incomplete World Fair geometry fails early under tippet loads.

  • Rolled crossing instead of a folded lock

    Check

    • ?The lock opens under load
    • ?Inspect step 04

    Then

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

  • Missed one return opening

    Check

    • ?Unfinished — crossings will not lock
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

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

  • Used on braid

    Check

    • ?This compact fold is a nylon knot
    • ?Inspect step 04

    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 lineQuick to tie
Not ideal for
  • Braid (not verified)
  • Oversized stiff leader
Common mistakes
  • Pushing too short a loop through the eye for it to fold back over the doubled line
  • Twisting the loop as it is folded back, so its two sides cross
  • Taking the tag under where it should go over, or leaving out the final pass through the new loop
  • Pulling fast on dry line to close the knot
Alternatives
  • 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

  • Trilene KnotIntermediate

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

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