The Steve Huff double figure 8 is a loop knot that hangs perfectly straight, making it excellent for tarpon applications where you run a heavy line to a light fly, jig, or lure. It is generally used for heavier lines, but on this audio How 2 Tuesday I test it with lighter line to get a clean percentage of its knot strength. I walk through tying it step by step, then break it on 12 pound monofilament. Press play above and follow along.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The Steve Huff double figure 8 is a loop knot that hangs perfectly straight, which makes it great for tarpon applications where you are connecting a heavy line to a light fly, jig, or lure. That straight hang keeps the offering aligned and moving right. The knot is generally used for heavier lines, but in this episode I test it with a lighter 12 pound monofilament specifically to measure a clean percentage of its strength. It is named for legendary guide Steve Huff and is a trusted loop knot in that heavy-to-light situation.
Tie a double overhand in the standing line, pass the tag end through the fly or lure, then pass that tag end back through the double overhand. Next, tie a double overhand around the standing line: go around once, twice, and back through those two loops to create another figure 8 over the standing line. Pull the tag end, then pull the two knots together to form your loop. It is very easy to tie once you have the sequence, and it produces that straight-hanging loop the knot is known for.
Very strong. Tested on 12 pound monofilament, it averaged 11.47 pounds, which is 95.5 percent breaking strength. I broke three identical knots: the first at 11.28, the second at 11.53, and the third at 11.61 pounds. Retaining better than 95 percent of the line's strength is excellent for a loop knot, and remember this is generally a heavier-line knot, so I tested it light just to get the percentage. That kind of strength is why it is trusted for tarpon work with heavy line to a light fly or lure.
I tied three identical knots in 12 pound monofilament and broke each one. The first broke at 11.28 pounds, the second at 11.53 pounds, and the third at 11.61 pounds, for an average of 11.47 pounds. That is 95.5 percent breaking strength. The three results were very tight, within about a third of a pound of each other, which gives me confidence in the average. Testing three times rather than relying on one pull is how I get an honest read on any knot's real strength.
The Steve Huff double figure 8 is generally used for heavier lines, but testing it with lighter 12 pound monofilament lets me get a clean percentage of the knot's strength relative to the line. On a scale that records the break, that percentage, 95.5 percent here, tells you how much of the line's rated strength the knot preserves, which carries over as a useful comparison even when you fish it on heavier line. It is a way to grade the knot itself rather than just the line it happens to be tied in.
The Steve Huff double figure 8 is a loop knot that hangs perfectly straight, which is exactly what you want for tarpon when you are running heavy line to a light fly, jig, or lure. That straight hang keeps everything aligned and moving right. It is generally a heavier-line knot, but I tested it light to get a clean strength percentage. I explain where it shines in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps I walk through in this How 2 Tuesday. I cover the detail behind each one in the episode.
I unpack each of these in the episode. Press play in the player above and follow along.
It is very easy once you know the order. Double overhand in the standing line, tag end through the fly and back through the double overhand, then a double overhand around the standing line, around once and twice, and back through those two loops for a second figure 8. Pull the tag, pull the knots together, and your loop is formed. I walk through every move in the episode, so press play in the player above.
I broke three identical knots in 12 pound mono: 11.28, 11.53, and 11.61, for an average of 11.47 pounds, which is 95.5 percent breaking strength. That is outstanding for a loop knot, and remember this is one that usually gets fished on heavier line. The three breaks were tight, so I trust the number. I read them out in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The Steve Huff double figure 8 is a standout: 11.47 pounds average on 12 pound mono, 95.5 percent breaking strength, with a loop that hangs perfectly straight.
For tarpon work running heavy line to a light fly, jig, or lure, that combination of straightness and strength is exactly what you want. Press play above to tie and test it with me.
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 double figure 8 knot · Steve Huff · loop knot · tarpon · monofilament · fly fishing · Knot Wars · 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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