Blood Knot Basics Essentials:
The Blood Knot, sometimes referred to as The Full Blood Knot, is one of those essential basic knots that will prove useful in a variety of situations.
The Blood Knot is used primarily to join two lengths of line together and works most effectively when the lines concerned are a similar diameter.
By leaving one of the tag ends long you can also use this knot to make a dropper coming off a leader.
Make sure that once you make enough turns on each side at least 5 to ensure it works reliably.
When to use the Blood Knot when fishing
- Any situation when joining two pieces of line of similar diameter
- Making tapering leaders that step down in diameter gradually.
- Adding droppers or hook snoods
A Step by Step Guide on how to tie a Blood Knot
Step 1:
Take your line and double it back on itself to give you around a six inch double length.

Step 2:
Wind one line at least five times around the other. Pass the tag end back under itself.

Step 3:
Repeat the process on the other side with the same number of turns.

Step 4:
Hold the first part between thumb and forefinger where shown. Then pass the tag end through the central loop in the opposite direction to the first tag end.

Step 5:
Now gently draw the knot down tight lubricating it before you do so. Trim off the tag ends (or leave one long if you want to use a dropper) Leave a couple of mm in case of any slippage in bedding down.
