San Diego Jam Knot
San Diego Jam Knot
Born on the Southern California party boats, the San Diego Jam is a reverse-wrap terminal knot that locks tighter under load. A favorite among West Coast saltwater anglers for hooks, jigs, and iron.
Video by Sport Fishing Report on YouTube
About the San Diego Jam Knot
The San Diego Jam Knot was developed by West Coast tuna and yellowtail anglers who needed a terminal knot that would hold under sustained pressure of long fights with large pelagic fish. Its reverse-wrap design causes the knot to lock more tightly the harder a fish pulls.
It has become a standard knot on Southern California party boats among anglers targeting tuna, yellowtail, barracuda, and other hard-fighting saltwater species. If you fish the SoCal waters, this is a knot worth having in your arsenal.
Best Used For
Ideal applications
- ✓ Saltwater hooks and jigs
- ✓ Heavy monofilament and fluoro
- ✓ Tuna and yellowtail rigs
- ✓ Party boat fishing
- ✓ Iron jig connections
Not ideal for
- ✗ Light line under 8 lb — too bulky
- ✗ When a loop knot is needed for lure action
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these 5 steps to tie the San Diego Jam Knot. Watch the video above while following along.
Step 1: Thread through the eye
Pass 8 to 10 inches of line through the hook eye and bring the tag end back alongside the standing line creating a generous doubled section.
Step 2: Make 7 wraps away from eye
Wrap the tag end around both lines 7 times working away from the hook eye. Unlike the Clinch, you wrap away from the eye.
Step 3: Thread through the eye loop
Bring the tag end back and pass it through the small loop formed at the hook eye. Pull snug but do not fully tighten.
Step 4: Thread through the big loop
Take the tag end over the wraps then pass it through the large loop created between the wraps and hook eye. This is the defining Jam step.
Step 5: Wet and tighten
Wet thoroughly. Pull tag end and standing line simultaneously while holding the hook firmly. The wraps compress tightly. Trim to 1/8 inch.
Pro Tips
- 7 wraps works best for most line weights
- Final thread-through goes over the tag end then through the big loop
- Pull tag end and standing line together to tighten
- Named after the San Diego tuna fleet — proven on big fish
Common Mistakes
- Wrong direction for the final thread-through
- Too few wraps — use 6 to 7
- Not wetting before the final tighten