Tom Rowland | The Uni Knot Snell - Tie it! Test it!! | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 870

Tom Rowland, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, reveals two different methods for tying the snell knot in this episode focused on fishing knot techniques and strength testing. While many anglers know one way to tie a snell, Tom demonstrates a uni knot variation that wraps around the hook shank and compares its breaking strength against the simple snell from the previous week. This episode delivers precise knot-tying instruction, real-world breaking strength data with 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro, and a fascinating look at why the direction you thread the eye of a circle hook actually matters for hook sets. If you've ever wondered whether your snell knot is as strong as it could be, this episode gives you the numbers to know for sure.

Why the Direction You Thread the Eye Actually Matters

Most anglers don't think twice about which direction they thread the eye of a circle hook, but Tom reveals a critical detail that affects hook setting mechanics. When tying a snell with a circle hook, he threads through the front of the eye on the same side as the point of the hook rather than coming from the opposite direction. The reason is rooted in leverage and physics. When you set the hook, this orientation pulls the point toward the fish's mouth rather than away from it, giving you a mechanical advantage at the moment of truth. It's a small detail that separates intentional rigging from guesswork. Tom explains the threading technique starting at 2:23.

The Seven-Wrap Uni Knot Around the Hook Shank

After threading the line through the eye, Tom forms a loop exactly like he's tying a double uni knot, except this time the loop sits around the shank of the hook instead of around standing line. He passes the tag end through the loop and around the shank seven times, creating the barrel wraps that give the uni knot its strength. The critical moment comes next: many anglers let go too soon, and the loops hop over the eye and slide up the line, ruining the snell. Tom shows the exact hand position change that prevents this, holding the loops with one hand while pulling the standing line with the other. The knot slides into place at the eye of the hook, forming a clean snell with the tag end exiting from the bottom of the hook rather than the top. The full tying sequence starts at 2:06.

Breaking Strength Data: How the Uni Knot Snell Stacks Up

Tom doesn't just tie knots—he breaks them to find out what actually holds. Using 15 pound Daiwa J Fluoro that tested at 14.65 pounds on his scale, he tied three uni knot snells and broke each one individually. The results: 11.35 pounds, 10.73 pounds, and 10.53 pounds, averaging out to a 73.24% knot breaking strength. That number tells you exactly how much strength you're sacrificing when you tie this particular knot with this particular line. Tom points anglers to the free knot guide where they can compare this uni knot snell against the simple snell from last week and dozens of other knots tested under the same conditions. The data removes guesswork and shows which knots hold and which don't. Tom shares the breaking strength results at 5:25.

Uni Knot Snell vs Simple Snell: One Key Difference

Tom makes a clear distinction between the uni knot snell tested in this episode and the simple snell from the previous week's How 2 Tuesday. The difference comes down to where the tag end exits after the knot is tied. With the uni knot snell, the tag end comes out the bottom of the hook on the hook side rather than up near the eye. Last week's simple snell involved wrapping around and pulling the tag end back through a loop so it exits near the top. Both are legitimate snell knots, both create a straight-line pull from the eye through the hook shank, but they're constructed differently and may perform differently under load. Tom calls them by name—uni knot snell and simple snell—so anglers can reference the exact version they want to learn in the knot guide. Tom compares the two snell variations at 4:34.

Final Thoughts from Tom

I know a lot of you have your own preferred way to tie a snell knot, and that's great. The whole point of these How 2 Tuesday episodes is to test different methods and give you the data so you can make informed decisions. Last week we tied the simple snell, this week the uni knot snell, and the breaking strength numbers are right there for you to compare.

What really matters is that you understand not just how to tie the knot, but why certain details matter—like threading the eye from the front with a circle hook or holding those loops in place until the knot cinches down. These are the small things that separate knots that hold from knots that slip.

If you want to see how all the knots stack up side by side, download the free knot guide at tomrolandpodcast.com. And if you found this helpful, share it with someone who's still guessing about their knots. This episode is worth your time if you care about rigging right.