How to Tie the Snell Knot
By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026
The snell knot is a hitch that grips the hook shank rather than the eye. That keeps the hook in line with the hooklink, so it pulls straight and turns point-first when a fish takes.
Snelling a hook suits stiff mono carp hooklinks, spade-end and short-shank hooks, and the top hook of a sea pennel rig.
Below is how to snell a hook in six steps, on eyed and spade-end patterns alike. The FAQ covers the snell versus the knotless knot, the reverse snell and how many turns to use.
Step 1: Match the Line and Pick Your Turn Count
One turn count copied for every hook and line is a common reason a snell slips or bunches. Settle both before the first wrap.
Use mono or fluorocarbon. It forms a firm collar on the shank and holds the hook in line. Braid holds, but the hook can rotate more.
Then pick your turns:
| Situation | Turns | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General use | 5 to 7 | Outdoor Life, Tackle Warehouse |
| Stiff mono carp hooklink | 7 on a size 5, 8 on a size 4 | Terry Hearn, Carpology |
| Sea hooks, varied line | 4 to 10, more on lighter line | Planet Sea Fishing |
A bigger hook or finer line pushes you towards the top of the range. For a stiff mono hinge or Choddie rig, start with Hearn’s counts.
Step 2: Thread the Eye from the Point Side
The same snell knot can help your hooking or ruin it, depending on which way the line enters the eye.
Pass the line through the eye from the hook point side, leaving a tag long enough for a two-finger loop. This gives the hook its kick-out.
Thread it through the back of the eye and you have tied a reverse snell, which badly hinders hooking.
A spade-end has no eye, so lay the line along the inside of the shank and go to Step 3. The spade-end knot guide covers eyeless hooks in full.
By now the line should be through the eye, with a long tag.
Step 3: Form the Loop Along the Shank
A neatly laid loop makes the wraps in Step 4 far easier to keep in order.
- Lay the tag along the shank towards the bend.
- Let a loop hang below the hook, big enough to slip two fingers into.
- Pinch both lines flat against the shank between your thumb and forefinger, close to the eye.
Keep a finger in the loop until the last moment. Left alone, it tends to twist on itself, and a twisted loop gives you crossed wraps.
Check your hands before moving on. You should have two lines lying flat along the shank, the loop hanging free below and everything held in one pinch.
Step 4: Whip the Turns Neatly Towards the Eye
Crossed or stacked turns look fine until you pull them tight. Then they pinch, bunch and slip.
- Take the side of the loop nearest the eye.
- Wind it around the shank and both lines, laying each turn beside the last.
- Count until you reach the number you chose in Step 1.
- Move your pinching fingers over the finished turns so they cannot spring loose.
Terry Hearn points out that a snell’s last wrap does not cross all the turns, so it sits neater than a knotless knot. The knotless is easier to learn, though, which matters with cold fingers.
You should now have your full count of tidy, side-by-side turns, held firm.
Step 5: Wet the Knot and Pull the Main Line, Not the Tag
The move that feels natural here, yanking the tag, is the one that ruins a snell knot. Pulling only the tag makes the wraps overlap and pinch.
- Moisten the turns with water or saliva.
- Pull the main line slowly so the loop draws down under the wraps.
- Keep the wraps in order with your fingers as they tighten.
On carp hooklinks, Hearn teases the turns down towards the eye with a fingernail, then uses a baiting needle for the final tightening. On heavy sea line, pliers give you the grip to bed the knot down fully.
The turns should now be bedded tight against the shank, with no gaps and no crossed wraps.
Step 6: Check the Kick, Then Trim or Finish the Tag
Test the snell before it goes in the water. Pull the hooklink: the point should flick out from the line. If the hook sits flat or points back, re-tie, as it is probably a reverse snell (Step 2).
Then finish the tag:
- Coarse and sea: trim the tag close.
- Carp: pass a rig ring onto the tag, take the tag back through the eye and blob the end with a lighter. Hearn notes a pop-up loop finished this way stays put on the cast.
Best for: stiff mono, spade-ends and a pennel’s top hook. Skip if: you want a quick knot on an eyed hook, where the Palomar knot or knotless is simpler, or you thread small worms up the shank, which the bulky turns can damage.
For more hook and line connections, browse the fishing knots guides.
Frequently asked questions
Is the snell knot better than the knotless knot?
Not always. The knotless knot is simpler to learn and teach. Terry Hearn prefers the snell for thick, stiff mono on Choddie and hinge rigs, because passing that line through the eye several times is awkward.
What is a reverse snell?
It is a snell tied with the line through the back of the eye instead of from the point side. It badly hinders hooking. See Step 2 above.
Can you snell a hook with braid?
Yes, but the hook can move and rotate more on braid. Mono or fluorocarbon forms a firmer collar and keeps the hook better aligned.
How many turns for a snell knot?
Five to seven suits most hooks, and 4 to 10 covers most sea work, with more on lighter line. Hearn uses 7 on a size 5 and 8 on a size 4 carp hook. See Step 1 for the full table.
How strong is a snell knot?
Strength figures quoted online come without a named, independent test, so treat them with caution. Bed it down wet and test every snell with a firm pull.