Tying knots is probably one of the hardest things to figure out when you first start fly fishing. Ask five different people what knots they use and you’ll probably end up with a plethora of knots and a whole lot of confusion to muddle through. I know when I first started I spent countless hours trying to figure out what to tie, when to tie it, and why.
Think about it… first you have to get the backing line on the reel… then the backing line attached to the fly line… then the leader attached to the fly line… then the tippet to the leader… and we haven’t even secured our first fly yet… LOL!!!
I’m not here to walk into the fray of what’s right or wrong when it comes to each step of the knot tying universe as you’ll get more opinions than raisins on raisin toast. But if I’ve learned anything with fly fishing it’s that confidence does a few things for you: speeds things up, takes the guessing out of the process, and lets you spend more time fishing and less time frustrated. So let’s get to the part of attaching a fly to your line with a simple and effective knot… the Clinch Knot.
I’ve been asked a few times about some of the tools I use and one that is my absolute favorite is the THREE-in-One Knot Tying Tool. 
This handy little tool ties something like 14 different knots (I use it for one and that’s the Clinch). Easy to use, fast, and consistent I just don’t hit the water without it. And let me say on those extremely cold winter days when your fingers are numb, the nymphs are small, and your joints just don’t want to cooperate, this tool is about as cozy as it gets.
Here’s a great link to a video on the THREE-in-One that shows you the Clinch, the Improved Clinch and I believe even a Surgeons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxZUptwiZgg
For about $15 you just can’t beat this handy little trinket.
Oh and for my go-to knots:
#1 is the Clinch when attaching fly’s
#2 is the Surgeons when adding tippet to my leader
#3 is the Perfection Loop (rarely used and only when my welded loop has been cut or damaged)
#4 the Nail Knot for the same reason as #3 if for some reason my welded loop gets cut off, damaged, or I just decide I don’t want a welded loop in my fly line, which helps the fly line/leader glide through the rod eyes much smoother.
Hopefully this helps you find confidence and speed things up on the water. More time fishing is a lot more fun than time playing with knots.
Happy fishing!
Chris Sloan
Gold Rush TU Member