Tying spades

I was recently reaquainting myself with tying spade-end hooks and after a few using the whipping knot I used many years ago I thought I would check against some of the sites on the net. Perhaps not suprisingly I found two other ways of tying. There may well be more but here are the three and I should be interested in thoughts on which is best. Although the most fiddle the last seems inherently more secure.

1) Lay loop along shank in normal way pointing toward hook end and whip tag from spade to loop, pass through loop and pull tight.

2) Whip in the other direction ie point to spade and pass tag over winding and through loop as before and pull tight.

3) Form a loop and err........ well see http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/how2fish/knots.shtml

I use a hook tyer, dont think I could tie spades without one

They've scrambled their labels: the top diagram is the Domhof knot.

It's best because both the standing part and the tag-end are trapped under every turn of the whipping; and because it's the tag which is pulled through to tighten - so you dont get "pig-tailing" or friction-burns of the hooklength.

Down-side: It is a pig to tie on small hooks!

Thanks Alan, that confirms my impression but I can imagine what you mean re small hooks!

Have been usingyour knot1 for the last 32 years and it is extremely reliable.

I use it with 10 turns and also use it to attach eyed hooks passing theline through the eye from front to back before making the loop.

Nice picture Yacko .............

How do you do it stupid frog?.

One thing I would say about the top picture in the link, showing the spade end knot, is thatthe line meets the hook off the back of the spade.

That has always been a big no-no for me, as it is qite likely that the back of the spade end will sheer the line off when put under pressure.

I always have the line coming off the front of the spade. It's a better presentation and ensure the line can't be damaged by the sharp part of the spade end.

Like Andy Dumhof for me for both hook types. I've used it for a little longer than Andy at about 45 years and could count on one hand when it let me down. Great knot!

Which one do you get from a Drennan hook tyer? The top one?

I do yet another variant which is to make a loop down the shank and then back across the neck of the hook, below the spade, then pinch that in place with the thumb and forefinger of the one hand. Then with the other hand take the tag end around the shank, through the loop and then back over, six or seven times. Then slowly tighten by pulling the main line through your finger pinch,which closes the loop down on to the shank and the turns. Then finish by pullingthe tag end against holding the main line, then slide / rotate knot into correct place under spade head, final pull to set, then trim. Works for me and is easier to tie on the smaller hooks.

I do do number three, but my way of tying it is usually to use a needle laid alongside the shank, eye of the needle next to the spade. Take line down the shank, six or seven turns up, then through the eye of the needle. Then pull needle down and through the turns, tighten upand bingo, done. Is essentially the knotless knot but without going through the eye that isn't there. If you follow me. Not sure I do but that's the problem with trying to describe knots in writing - takes two seconds to show it rather than write it.