Tie

PR Bobbin Knot

Braid wrapped onto a heavy leader by a weighted bobbin, then locked with half hitches. The bobbin's drag sets the wrap tension, which is what the strength rests on — hand-wrapped, it is a different and weaker knot.

Advanced · Braid / Monofilament / Fluorocarbon

Tie it · 5 steps Check the finishAll diagrams Applications

Connection card

PR Bobbin Knot

For braid → leader.

What it joins Braid → leader. In braid, monofilament, fluorocarbon.

Turns 20 to 40. Count them before you seat it; afterwards you are guessing.

Shape Two to three inches of tight braid wraps on the leader, locked with hitches

Tag end Leader stub trimmed short, optionally melted to a bump

Seated Stack immovable under an opposing pull

Start again if Wrap stack slides on the leader. The connection lets go progressively under a sustained run

This card does not say how strong the knot is. A retention figure comes from a bench, in one material, at one diameter, tied by somebody who ties it all day — and the line in your hand is none of those. What it does tell you is whether the thing you have just tied is the thing the record describes.

What this plate is telling you

Save this as a picture and it works with a dead signal and a nearly dead battery, which is when a joint is most often tied badly. The rest of this page — the steps, the seating sequence, the failure modes and the bench — is for the evening before.

Why this knot

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

Best for

Braid to leaderHigh strengthCasting

Not ideal for

Anywhere the bobbin tool is not to hand — this knot is defined by the tool
Quick leader changes on a drifting boat
Light lines where the wrap length is out of proportion to the job

Common mistakes

Letting the leader turn with the bobbin, so braid and leader twist together instead of the braid laying a spiral
Wrapping with the bobbin drag too loose, so the tight wraps go on with gaps or slack
Carrying the tight wraps well past 7.5 cm (3 in), making a section that knocks through the guides
Tying the half hitches loose, or a gap away from the end of the wraps

Alternatives

FG KnotAdvanced
Joining a braid main line to a leader, such as fluorocarbon, with a slim, tapered join that runs through the rod guides
Alberto KnotIntermediate
Joining braid to a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader, or two other lines of different diameter
Yucatan KnotIntermediate
Joining a heavier mono leader to a lighter braid or mono main line that has first been doubled with a Bimini twist or spider hitch

Before you start

·You need a PR bobbin tool. It holds the braid, and its drag sets the tension every wrap goes on with.
·Salt Water Sportsman describes it for braid of 50-pound-test and heavier joined to a long monofilament or fluorocarbon leader.
·Loosen the drag to load 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 or 6 ft) of braid, then tighten it so braid pays out only under a firm pull.
·Leave about 25 cm (10 in) of leader overlapping the braid, so there is room for 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) of tight wraps.

Line + hardware: Braided main line, Monofilament or fluorocarbon leader, PR bobbin toolTools: PR bobbin with adjustable drag, Clippers, Lighter for the leader stub

How to tie it — Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1

1Braid, held tight

2Leader's end, laid across

swipe to step

01.1

Spool braid onto the bobbin, set its drag, and lay the leader alongside

Hold:: The braid is held tight between the rod and your teeth, or pinned under a foot
Move:: Right hand lays the leader's end across the braid at a shallow angle

You should now see: A tight, straight braid with the leader crossing it close to the braid's tag end.

Written step 01

Loosen the bobbin drag, load 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 or 6 ft) of braid onto the bobbin, then tighten the drag. Lay the leader alongside the braid with about 25 cm (10 in) of overlap just above the bobbin.

You should now see

Braid pays out from the bobbin only when you pull firmly, and the leader lies parallel to the braid with about 25 cm (10 in) of overlap above the bobbin.

If it goes wrong

Starting with too little overlap. It shows up later, when the end of the leader arrives before the tight wraps have covered 5 cm (2 in).

Fix: Slide the leader back to give a full 25 cm (10 in) of overlap before any wraps go on.

Why: The PR bobbin tool sets the tension every wrap goes on with, through its drag. The overlap is the working length those wraps are laid along.

arrow keys work

Tying procedure — PR Bobbin Knot

Step 01 / 4
Loosen the bobbin drag, load 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 or 6 ft) of braid onto the bobbin, then tighten the drag. Lay the leader alongside the braid with about 25 cm (10 in) of overlap just above the bobbin.
You should now see: Braid pays out from the bobbin only when you pull firmly, and the leader lies parallel to the braid with about 25 cm (10 in) of overlap above the bobbin.
If it goes wrong: Starting with too little overlap. It shows up later, when the end of the leader arrives before the tight wraps have covered 5 cm (2 in).
Fix: Slide the leader back to give a full 25 cm (10 in) of overlap before any wraps go on.
Why: The PR bobbin tool sets the tension every wrap goes on with, through its drag. The overlap is the working length those wraps are laid along.
1Braid, held tight
2Leader's end, laid across
Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1
Spool braid onto the bobbin, set its drag, and lay the leader alongside
Hold: The braid is held tight between the rod and your teeth, or pinned under a foot
Move: Right hand lays the leader's end across the braid at a shallow angle
You should now see: A tight, straight braid with the leader crossing it close to the braid's tag end.
Step 02 / 4
Pinch the overlapping lines in two places so the leader cannot turn, then spin the bobbin around the leader 10 to 12 times so the braid lays a loose, open spiral down the leader.
You should now see: An open spiral of braid running down the leader with gaps between the turns, and the leader still lying straight between your pinches.
If it goes wrong: The leader turning with the bobbin. Instead of an open spiral you see braid and leader twisting together, and few real turns are laid.
Fix: Unwind back to the start, pinch the leader more firmly at both points and spin the bobbin again while the leader stays still.
Why: This loose spiral is the base layer. The tight wraps in the next step go back over it and do the gripping.
1Fold, where the lines crossed
2Tag, wrapping back
Step 2 of 4 · move 1 of 2
Spin the bobbin around the leader in loose turns away from the pinch
Hold: The braid stays tight while the leader is held straight
Move: Right hand takes the tag round the leader, first from one side, then the other
1Weave, about 1.5 to 2 cm
Step 2 of 4 · move 2 of 2
Reverse the bobbin and come back over those turns with tight wraps
Hold: The braid stays tight; squeeze the wraps together every five or six pairs
Move: Right hand keeps taking the tag round, one side then the other
You should now see: A tight woven section climbing the leader, each wrap snug against the last, with no leader showing between wraps.
Step 03 / 4
Keep both pinches firm, reverse direction and spin the bobbin back over the spiral, laying tight wraps snug against each other until 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) of leader is covered.
You should now see: A solid band of wraps 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) long with no leader showing between them, which does not move when you pull braid and leader apart.
If it goes wrong: Wraps going on with gaps or slack, so the stack slides along the leader when you pull the lines apart. Carrying on well past 7.5 cm (3 in) makes a section that knocks through the guides.
Fix: If the stack slides, cut it off, tighten the bobbin drag and tie it again. If it is too long, tie it again and stop at 7.5 cm (3 in).
Why: The tight wraps squeeze the spiral and the leader along their whole length. Their tension comes from the bobbin drag, so a loose drag gives a stack that slides.
1Half hitches round both lines
Step 3 of 4 · move 1 of 1
Pinch the weave, then tie six half hitches with the tag round both lines
Hold: Left hand pinches where the lines meet so the weave cannot loosen
Move: Right hand ties each half hitch round the leader and the braid, pulling it down
You should now see: A row of half hitches locking the top of the weave, with the weave still tight underneath.
Step 04 / 4
Pull several inches of braid off the bobbin and cut it free. With that braid tag, tie two half hitches around the leader, then a half hitch with three wraps around the leader. Cinch it and trim the braid tag.
You should now see: Three hitches seated snugly against the end of the wrap stack, the last one bulkier from its three wraps, and a short braid tag.
If it goes wrong: Leaving the hitches loose or tying them a gap away from the stack. You see them slide along the leader, and the end wraps of the stack start to loosen.
Fix: Pick out the loose hitches, push the stack back together and tie the hitches again, cinching each one down before tying the next.
Why: The wraps end at the braid tag. Without hitches locking that end, the stack can unwind from there under repeated loading, however tight the wraps are.
Step 4 of 4 · move 1 of 2
Pull the braid and the leader hard in opposite directions
Hold: Left hand pulls the braid's standing part toward the rod
Move: Right hand pulls the leader the other way, hard and steady
1Half hitches round the braid alone
2Leader tag, cut close
Step 4 of 4 · move 2 of 2
Trim the leader tag close, tie three half hitches round the braid, and trim it
Hold: Left hand holds the knot with the braid kept tight
Move: Right hand trims the leader tag, ties the hitches round the braid and trims the tag
You should now see: A slim, tapered join, the leader tag cut close, and a short row of hitches on the braid above the weave.

What this is based onAccuracy check, not yet tied · 1 known limit

Record: Reviewed 2026-09-01. 2 sources are cited for this record.
Drawing: Passed an accuracy check, and a tying video is cited for it. Not yet tied from the drawing. Recorded 2026-09-23.
Strength: 84.3–99.5% of the weaker line, percent of the braid main line's measured unknotted break, three samples per entry — 84.3% on 15 lb braid to 30 lb fluorocarbon and 99.5% on 50 lb braid to 80 lb fluorocarbon, so the light-braid end of the range is the one to rig around. Measured — Sport Fishing (Doug Olander). From a published break test, on that tester's line, tying and pull rate.

What the drawing does not show

Step 3, move 1 of 1: The locking half hitches are drawn round the braid only; the leader is not inside them.

Watch the tie

PR Bobbin Knot: the unbreakable fishing knotSalt Strong · Opens on YouTube

External video from a creator we follow — not produced by us. Nothing on this page loads from YouTube until you follow the link.

Seating sequence — where failures are born

The step list compresses the finish. Run these phases in order, one at a time.

01 Moisten
Wet the structure before any load reaches it.
Zero. Nothing tightens yet.
02 Load
Take up slack slowly until the wraps begin to gather.
Light and even — both ends moving together.
03 Dress
Watch the wraps stack in order; stop and back off if any cross.
Hold, do not pull. Correction happens here or not at all.
04 Set
One continuous pull to full seat — no sawing, no jerks.
Firm, single direction, standing line against the terminal end.
05 Trim
Cut the tag square, leaving a short stub proud of the knot.
None. Never trim under load.

Finished structure — what correct looks like

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

Structure: Two to three inches of tight braid wraps on the leader, locked with hitches
Standing line: Braid and leader collinear through the wrapped section
Tag end: Leader stub trimmed short, optionally melted to a bump
Wraps: Even along the whole wrapped length
Seating: Stack immovable under an opposing pull

Verify before you load it

Every line is pass or fail. One fail means retie — do not load a knot you argued with.

01Two to three inches of tight braid wraps on the leader, locked with hitches
02Stack immovable under an opposing pull
03Leader stub trimmed short, optionally melted to a bump
04Even along the whole wrapped length
05No crossed or bunched wraps
06Two half hitches plus a three-wrap hitch over the stack

Something failed → open Diagnose

Field notes — dark, cold, gloves

·This is a dock knot. Building it on a moving boat with cold hands is how people lose confidence in it.
·Tie two before you leave. A spare rigged leader beats rebuilding a PR in a fish window.
·If the stack slides at all in the hand test, it will slide under a fish. There is no partial credit.

Failure modes

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

FG / Alberto family

Braid wrapped onto a heavier leader, then locked so the join cannot hinge.

!Hinge at the material transition — the join clicks, then parts
!Wraps not packed on the heavier line before the lock
!Lock or tag on the wrong side of the braid, so the column unzips

Fails when

!The tight wraps have gaps or slack, so the stack slides along the leader when braid and leader are pulled apart
!The leader turned with the bobbin while wrapping, so few real turns were laid to grip it
!The half hitches are loose, missing or tied away from the stack, so the wraps unwind from the braid tag end
!The flame scorched the braid wraps or the leader beside the melted bump

Geometry

Wrap stack slides on the leader
The connection lets go progressively under a sustained run
Grip is the product of wrap tension and wrapped length. Slack bobbin drag gives neither. · step 03
No half hitches over the wrap stack
The stack unwinds from the end once load cycles
The hitches are what stop the last wrap from backing off. · step 04
Leader spun with the bobbin, few real wraps laid
Looks wrapped, grips almost nothing
If the leader turns with the bobbin, no relative wrap is accumulating. · step 02
Wrapped section too long for the guide train
Knocks through the guides and costs casting distance
Guide passage is set by the length and taper of the wrapped section. · step 03

If you saw this

The wrap stack slides along the leader when you pull it
Check
- ?Pull the braid and leader apart and watch whether the stack moves at all
Then
- →Retie with more bobbin drag
- →Extend the tight return wraps to a full two to three inches
The wraps end without half hitches over them
Check
- ?Look for the locking hitches sitting on top of the wrap stack
Then
- →Add the half hitches and the three-wrap finish; the stack unwinds without them
The connection knocks or catches going through the guides
Check
- ?Draw it through the tip guide by hand before fishing
Then
- →Shorten the wrapped section
- →Trim and melt the leader stub flush
Wrap stack slides on the leader
Check
- ?The connection lets go progressively under a sustained run
- ?Inspect step 03
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
No half hitches over the wrap stack
Check
- ?The stack unwinds from the end once load cycles
- ?Inspect step 04
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Leader spun with the bobbin, few real wraps laid
Check
- ?Looks wrapped, grips almost nothing
- ?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

The bench · rep 1

Get it right with everything in your favour0/5 clean

Nothing logged on this knot yet, so it starts on the bottom rung.

Good light, dry hands, a table. Until the sequence is automatic here there is nothing for the harder rungs to test — you would only be learning that difficult conditions are difficult, which you already knew.

How · Tie it, check it against the list, log it. Five clean and the ladder opens.

Conditions for this rep

Main lineJoined to

What went wrong, if anything

Nothing marked. Log it clean, or mark what happened first.

Strength, and where the number comes from

84.3–99.5% of the weaker line

Measured

percent of the braid main line's measured unknotted break, three samples per entry — 84.3% on 15 lb braid to 30 lb fluorocarbon and 99.5% on 50 lb braid to 80 lb fluorocarbon, so the light-braid end of the range is the one to rig around

Strongest Fishing Knots Connecting Braid to Leader — Sport Fishing (Doug Olander)

Percentages come from published tests on their own line, their own knot-tyer and their own pull rate. Yours is a different system. Treat a figure as a reason to test, not as a result you already have.

Sources for this record

Record reviewed 2026-09-01

Vetted references

How to tie the PR Bobbin and Cat's Paw knots
Salt Water Sportsman
PR Bobbin Knot: the unbreakable fishing knot
Salt Strong

Test yourself

Take the Specialist quiz — can you recognise this knot's finished state and failure modes?

Related knots

Already tied it?

Check the finished knot against what correct looks like before you load it.