The egg loop is the steelhead and salmon angler's bait knot. Instead of piercing your bait with the hook — which destroys soft baits like single eggs or sand shrimp — you trap it inside a loop of leader tied to the hook shank.
Why it matters: a clean, intact bait drifts more naturally and stays on the hook through multiple casts. A pierced bait flags as fake to pressured fish and tears off quickly.
The knot tightens around the shank when you set the hook, so the bait is held firmly until the fish bites — then it slides off as the hook penetrates the fish's jaw. The standard tie uses 8-15 wraps of leader around the shank, with the tag end passing through the eye twice to lock.
If you fish eggs or shrimp for migratory fish, this is the knot. Learn it before you go.