The Crawford Knot can be tied exceptionally fast and is often used when one has to change a lure of fly in a hurry. It’s not a particularly strong knot compared to others, and seldom tests more than 90 percent.
To Tie a Crawford Knot:
| Hold the hook in your left hand. Insert about six inches of the tag end through the eye of the hook and grasp both the tag end and standing part at the hook eye with the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. |  |
| Pass the tag end behind and around the standing part to form an oval loop. Working back toward the eye of the hook, lay the tag end on a diagonal across both legs of the loop and pass it behind the loop. |  |
| Reverse direction with the tag end and lay it across the front of the loop to form a figure eight. Continue holding the strands with the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. |  |
| Pass the tag end over the top strand of the loop and then feed it back through the top of the loop as shown. Moisten the knot and pull firmly on the tag end until the loop closes. |  |
| Finish the knot by pulling on both the hook and the standing part at the same time. When the knot is seated, tug on the standing part two or three times to make sure the knot won’t slip. Then trim the tag end. |  |
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.