In my loop knot showdown the Steve Huff double figure 8 beat the Homer Rhode, breaking at 77.2 percent of line strength against the Homer Rhode's 68.14 percent. In this How 2 Tuesday I tie both of these loop knots, which give your lure or fly more action, step by step and break them to see which one holds more of your line's strength.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The Steve Huff double figure eight won this one. It broke at 77.2 percent of line strength while the Homer Rhode came in at 68.14 percent. That is roughly a nine percent edge to the double figure eight, making it the stronger of these two loop knots in my test.
A loop knot gives your lure or fly more action. Leaving an open loop at the eye lets the bait swing and move freely instead of being locked tight against the knot, and that extra movement can make a real difference in how a fly or lure swims and draws strikes.
Tie an overhand in the line, then pass the tag end through one more time to turn it into a figure eight. Run the tag through the hook eye, go up one side of the figure eight and down the other, then snug it near the eye. Hold the tag beside the line, wrap around twice, pass the tag through both loops, pull the figure eight tight, then draw both figure eights together with the standing line.
About six or seven inches down from the end, tie an overhand. Pass the tag end through the hook eye, then back through that overhand, and snug it down to the eye. With the leftover line, tie a second overhand around the standing line. Where that second knot tightens sets the size of your loop, so pull it down where you want the loop to be.
It is a loop knot I rely on to give lures and flies free movement at the eye. The double figure eight construction makes it both strong, at 77.2 percent here, and dependable, which is why it is one of the two loop knots that are most important in my fishing.
It can. With the Homer Rhode, where you tighten the second overhand determines how big your loop ends up, so you control it directly. A consistent loop size helps your lure or fly move the same way every cast, which is part of why I pay attention to how I seat these knots.
Two loop knots are very important in my fishing: the Homer Rhode and the Steve Huff double figure eight. I tie a loop knot when I want a lure or fly to move freely at the eye, so I wanted to know which of these two holds up better under load. I break it down in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps I walk through in this How 2 Tuesday, with the full demonstration in the episode.
I unpack each of these in the episode. Press play in the player above.
The Steve Huff double figure eight held 77.2 percent against the Homer Rhode's 68.14 percent, roughly a nine percent advantage. That gap matters when you are leaning on a loop knot for a hard-pulling fish. I explain where each one still fits in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The double figure eight is the stronger loop knot of these two, and it is the one I trust when I want both free movement and holding power.
The Homer Rhode still has its place and it is easy to control loop size with, but on raw strength the double figure eight wins. You can see how both stack up against every knot I have tested in the free knot guide. Press play in the player above.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
Steve Huff · Homer Rhode loop knot · double figure 8 knot · loop knot · fly fishing · lure action · knot strength test · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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