Arbor Knot

Tying an Arbor Knot

When it comes to fly fishing knots, the arbor knot is the first knot you need to master. You really should use backing when fly fishing. Most fly lines are less than 100 feet long and backing will provide your reel with more capacity.

To attach the backing to your reel, you will need to use an arbor knot. The following four steps will take you through the entire process of tying this type of knot.

Step 1 – Thread the Backing

The first thing you need to do when tying an arbor knot is thread the backing around the reel arbor. The reel arbor is the spool of your fly reel. Below is a picture of how the backing will look when it is threaded around the arbor (Arbor Knot Picture A). Please note, actual backing is much thinner than the string we are using in the photos. We are using this string because it is easier to see in pictures.

Arbor Knot Picture A

Step 2 –The First Knot of the Arbor Knot

After you have threaded the backing around the reel arbor, you need to tie an overhand knot around the backing itself to continue the creation of the arbor knot. To do this, tie the overhand knot around the backing as shown in the picture below (Arbor Knot Picture B). Please note, we have taken the reel out of the remaining pictures so you can better see the actual formation process of the arbor knot.

Arbor Knot Picture B

Step 3 – The Second Knot of the Arbor Knot

After you have tied the first overhand knot, you need to tie a second knot in the free end of the backing to prevent it from sliding out of the knot. Tie the knot as shown below in Arbor Knot Picture C.

Arbor Knot Picture C

Step 4 – Snug the Knot Down

After you have tied the second knot, snug the first knot down around the reel arbor and pull back on both ends until the two knots touch. The final knot will look like the knot in Arbor Knot Picture D. You have now tied your very first arbor knot.

Arbor Knot Picture D

As a side note, there are some people who think it is best to wind a loop around the arbor twice before tying the first half hitch. In reality, you don’t need to do this unless your reel is highly polished.

It may take a couple of tries before you master the arbor knot, but you will be tying them like a pro before you know it. The arbor knot really isn’t complicated once you understand the fundamentals and it is one of the easiest knots to learn.