The Slim Beauty Knot

The slim beauty is one of the most popular fly fishing knots in use today. It is a great knot for connecting class tippets to shock tippets as well as tippet sections to butt sections. This knot is strong, easy to tie on the water, and has a very low profile.

Step 1

Tie a double overhand knot 4 to 5 inches from the end of the larger-diameter line.

Step 2

Slowly pull on both ends of the line until the double overhand forms a figure eight, leaving two openings. Make an 18- to 20-inch section of doubled tippet material and pass 12 inches of it through the openings in the figure eight. Tighten both ends of the figure eight with pliers. 

Step 3

Take the doubled line and wrap it around the heavier line four times, leaving a small gap between the first wrap and the figure eight. 

Step 4

Make three more wraps back toward the figure eight and pass the tag end through the gap.

Step 5

Grasp the standing part of the heavier material in one hand and the two strands of tippet that lead into the figure eight (not the tippet loop) in the other. Tighten by pulling in opposite directions.

Step 6 

Trim by clipping all but 1/16 inch of the loop, the short strand of doubled line, and the tag of the heavier material.

Author

Joe Mahler is one of the USA's leading fly casting instructors and author and illustrator of “Essential Knots & Rigs for Trout” and “Essential Knots & Rigs for Salt Water”. You can book a fly casting lesson with Joe via his website here

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