Here are some of the best knots you can learn for most types of fishing in Florida.

The first rule in tying good knots is to build a good foundation and always use fresh line! On light tackle especially, it only takes a few good fish or snags to fatigue the best light line and then you should replace it. Your line should lay straight and feel smooth. If your line is crinkly, chalky looking or your line brakes easily when pulling a knot tight, these are signs of played-out line. Some times you can correct this by pulling a few yards of line off your spool but whatever you need to do to have fresh line, do it, or the best tied knot won't help.

The next step in a good foundation is to double the end of your line. Three to four feet will do for light line. I do this with a Bimini Twist and I feel that this is the most important of all the knots to know for a good foundation. A Spider Hitch is often used for this but it is only second best. Although it is simpler to tie, it will cut itself if not pulled perfectly. I find that with a Bimini the line will often break well above the knot giving you a hundred percent line strength. Now all of your knots tied with the double line and leader will be stronger than your line test.

I use a 4 wrap Blood knot to join the leader to the double line. If I need a very heavy leader, I will graduate the size of leader in short sections using Blood knots. The last knot to tie your hook or artificial on with can be any of many good knots. I use an Uni-Knot for its smallness and leave a small loop for more action.

Most illustrations for the Bimini Twist are for big game and require 6-12 feet of double shock leader and seems like it warrants two people to tie. This is not so with light tackle fishing. With light tackle, you only need 3-4 feet of double line, a place to sit  and a rod holder close by.  click  Illustration