The Palomar is the standard knot for tying lures to braided line. It holds 95%+ of the line's stated strength — much better than a clinch on braid. It also works fine on monofilament and fluorocarbon.
The steps:
- Pull about six inches of line through the hook eye, then back through, creating a doubled section near the hook.
- Tie a loose overhand knot in the doubled section. Don't tighten yet.
- Pass the hook through the loop of the overhand knot.
- Wet the knot, then pull both the standing line and the tag end at the same time to tighten.
- Trim the tag.
The trick: the hook has to pass through the loop after the overhand is tied, not before. Get the order wrong and you get a tangle that won't seat.
Why it beats the clinch on braid: braid is too slick; clinch knots slip on it. The Palomar's loop-through-loop design grips through friction rather than wrap pressure.