A Twist on Tying the Improved Clinch Knot

Have you ever wondered how your guide can change your fly and get you back fishing so quickly?  The answer to this is  practice, but with this little trick, you’ll be rigging up faster than your fishing buddies!   Here are my steps to tying the Improved Clinch Knot with a little twist.

• First off, these instructions are for a right handed person.
• Start with the leader or tippet in your left hand, palm up with a short tip of the leader or tippet extending from your closed thumb and index finger.
• Next grab the bend of the hook between your right thumb and index finger, the fly should be “belly up”.  Next, put the tip of the line through the eye of the fly by cupping your hands together and placing the fly on the tip of the line, pass the tip of the line to your right thumb and index finger.
•  Pull the fly approximately 1.5 inches from your right hand, and place your left thumb and index finger on the line about 1.5 inches from the fly.  The fly should be in-between your hands.
•  Now, with only your right thumb and index finger, roll the tippet down your right thumb by using the tip of your right index finger.  Check out this video .   Estimate 5-7 twists in the line.  Grasp the top junction of the twists with your left thumb and index finger.
• Push the tip of the line through the loop formed just in-front of the hook eye and pass the tip of the line into your right thumb and index finger.
• Reach through the newly formed loop with your left thumb and index finger, and pass the tip of the line to your left thumb and index finger through the loop.
• By grasping the fly in your right hand (hook between your right thumb and index finger) and the tip of the line in your left thumb and index finger, gently pull the tip of the line and fly in opposing directions until the tip is secure but not tight.
• Wet down the start of the knot with a bit of saliva.
• Pull the knot tight by grasping just the line (not the tip of the line) in your left hand and bend of the fly in your right, pull until knot comes tight.
• Trim excess tag end and your done!

To take a look at how I use the same technique to attach a dropper to the bend of the hook, check out this video.

With a little practice you’ll get this down and be switching flies like a pro.  Hope to see you on the water!

Trey Scharp, Guide, Grand Teton Fly Fishing