How to Tie a Spade End Hook

The answer to how to tie a spade end hook is a whipping knot. You lay tight, neat turns of line down the shank, lock the tag, then slide the knot up under the spade so the line leaves the front of it.

Angling Times calls tying spade ends by hand fiddly, and a poor tie can kink the hooklength or leave a weak spot. This guide covers the spade end knot with a hook tyer first, then by hand, then how to check the whipping before it goes on a rig.

Step 1: Pick Your Hook and Hooklength Before You Start

Why choose a hook with no eye? A flattened spade in place of the eye keeps small hooks light and neat for small baits on fine line.

The line is whipped to the shank below the spade, which stops the knot sliding off. Spade ends are a common choice for small hooks in float, pole and feeder fishing, including most pole rigs. For matching hook to bait, see maggots and casters. On bigger hooks and heavier line, an eyed hook with a snell knot may suit better.

Before you start:

• Cut a hooklength with plenty of spare tag.
• Check your tyer’s range. The Drennan Hook Tyer ties spade ends down to size 26.

If you tie a lot of small hooks, a tyer pays for itself in time. For the odd one, tie by hand (Step 6).

Step 2: Load the Hook into the Tyer with the Point Hidden

Line catching on the point halfway through the turns is where most tyer jobs go wrong. The fix is how you clamp the hook.

1. Clamp the hook so the point can’t catch the line. The Angling Times method hides the point in the clamp, while Drennan’s instructions clamp it point up. Follow your own spade end hook tyer’s instructions.
2. Run the main line behind the prongs or round the clamp, and keep it tight.
3. Pin the tag against the tyer with your thumb while you rotate.

The Matchman tyer uses prongs, and the Drennan uses a clamp and a brass peg. Both need tight line and nothing to snag on.

By now the hook is clamped, the line tight and the tag pinned.

Step 3: Whip the Line Along the Shank in Neat Turns

The two best-known tyer guides disagree on turns. The Matchman method uses 7 or 8, and Drennan says 10 to 14. Both are right for their tool.

Tyer	Turns	How they go on
Matchman	7 or 8	Rotate up the shank towards the spade
Drennan	10 to 14	One full rotation under the spade, then angle the line down the shank

With either tool:

1. Keep tension on the line for every turn.
2. Lay each turn beside the last, with no overlaps.

These turns are the whipping knot. Neither guide gives turns by hook size or line diameter, so don’t invent a chart. Stay within your maker’s range.

Step 4: Lock the Tag, Wet the Knot and Pull It Tight

Wet the knot before you tighten it. Both tyer guides call for saliva, and it takes seconds.

1. Lock the tag: behind the front prong (Matchman) or round the brass peg (Drennan).
2. Wet the turns with saliva.
3. Pull steadily on the main line until the turns bed down. With the Drennan, depress the clamp and pull gently until the largest loop is tight. With the Matchman, tease the knot down under steady pressure.
4. Release the hook from the tyer.

Use steady pressure, not a snatch. The whipping should now be snug on the shank and the hook out of the tyer.

Step 5: Check the Whipping and Fix Common Faults

A whipping can look neat and still be wrong. Angling Times stresses that the line must leave the front of the spade, not the back.

Run these checks:

• Slide the knot up to the spade, then trim the tag close.
• Check the line leaves the front of the spade, on the point side.
• Look for even, uncrossed turns.
• Give a steady pull by hand.

Fault	Fix
Line off the back of the spade	Retie, starting with the line on the point side
Loose or crossed turns	Retie with more tension
Kinked line above the hook	Cut back past the kink and retie

If in doubt, retie. A hooklength costs pennies, and a failed knot can leave a hook in a fish.

Step 6: Tie a Spade End by Hand When You Have No Tyer

Left the tyer at home? The same rules as Steps 3 to 5 apply, just with fingers.

1. Hold the hook by the bend, spade up. Lay the line along the shank on the point side of the spade.
2. Form a loop along the shank, with the tag hanging below the bend.
3. Wrap the loop round the shank and both lines towards the bend, each turn beside the last, pinching as you go.
4. Pass the tag through the loop. Wet the knot, then pull the main line slowly so the loop closes and the turns bed down.
5. Slide the knot up under the spade and trim.

Neither tyer guide gives a hand-tied turn count, so aim for their 7 to 14 (Step 3). It is fiddly on small hooks, where a tyer earns its place. Run the Step 5 checks.

Best for the odd hook on the bank or larger spade ends. Skip it for dozens of tiny match hooks. For other hook and line knots, see the fishing knots guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can you tie a spade end hook without a tyer?

Yes. Form a loop along the shank, wrap neat turns towards the bend, pass the tag through and pull the loop closed. Wet it first and slide it up under the spade. It is fiddlier on small hooks. See Step 6 above for the full method.

How many turns should a spade end knot have?

Follow your tyer. The Matchman method uses 7 or 8 turns and Drennan recommends 10 to 14. There is no universal number, so stay within your maker's range and keep each turn tight and beside the last.

Which way should the line come off a spade end hook?

From the front of the spade, on the point side, so the hook sits correctly. If the line leaves the back, cut it off and retie with the line starting on the point side.

What is the smallest spade end hook you can tie with a tyer?

The Drennan Hook Tyer ties spade ends down to size 26. Other tyers have their own limits, so check the stated range on yours.

Sources

• Drennan Hook Tyer instructions and size range (Drennan)
• How to tie a spade end hook with a Matchman tyer (Angling Times)