Knot tying tools: when they help and when to learn the knot
Notes from the counter at Coney Island Hook and Bait Shop in Brooklyn, NY.
What the tools actually solve
Knot tools mostly address three problems: cold hands, poor light and small hooks. They do not make a badly chosen knot stronger.
If knots fail in good conditions, the issue is knot choice or lubrication rather than dexterity.
Learn two knots properly
A reliable line-to-hook knot and a reliable line-to-line knot cover the large majority of situations. Knowing two knots well beats knowing eight badly.
Practise them at home with heavier line until the hands remember the sequence.
Lubricate before you tighten
Friction burns line as a knot cinches, and the damage is invisible. Wetting the knot before pulling it tight is the single biggest improvement most anglers can make.
This matters more with fluorocarbon than with monofilament.
Trim tags close but not flush
Leaving a long tag catches weed; cutting flush can let the knot slip. A short deliberate tag is the compromise every guide recommends.
Line clippers give a cleaner cut than scissors and are worth carrying.
Hook safety tools
Devices that shield the hook point while you tie protect fingers, and matter most with treble hooks and in a moving boat.
They are genuinely a safety item rather than a convenience.
Retractors keep tools findable
A tool on a retractor returns to the same place every time. Tools in a pocket migrate and end up on the pier.
Zingers cost little and save more than they cost within a season.
Where this sits in the shop
Coney Island Hook and Bait Shop groups its stock into 5 categories, so most of what is discussed above lives in one or two of them:
- Landing Nets — 2 items
- Pliers and Grippers — 10 items
- Tackle Kits — 3 items
- Tools and Knives — 8 items
- Towels and Storage — 3 items
Browsing by category is usually quicker than searching, because the groups follow how the goods are actually used rather than how a supplier lists them.
The largest group at the moment is Landing Nets with 2 items, and the smallest is Towels and Storage with 3. Those counts move as stock comes in and goes out, so they are worth checking rather than assuming.
From our shelves
A few items currently in stock that relate to this article:
- KastKing SteelStream 8pc Fishing Tool Kit, Fishing Gear and Gifts for Men
- RoundFunny 10 Pcs Fishing Tool Kit Fishing Gear Equipment for Men
- PLUSINNO 264/397pcs Fishing Accessories Kit, Organized Fishing Tackle Box with Tackle Included, Fishing Hooks, Fishing Weights Sinkers, Swivels, Beads, Fishing Gear Set Equipment for Bass Trout
- KastKing SteelStream Fishing Tool Set, Fishing Gear
Across the whole catalogue prices currently run from $5.86 to $51.24, with most of the range clustered around the middle of that span. Stock and prices on the product pages are live, so they are the figures to trust rather than anything quoted in an article.
Ordering, delivery and returns
Free US shipping on orders over $50; a flat $6.95 below that. Orders are picked and packed at the Brooklyn store on business days, and a tracking number follows by email once the carrier scans the parcel.
If something is not right, there are 30 days from delivery to send it back unused and in its packaging. The full detail is on the Shipping Policy and Returns and Refunds pages, and the FAQ covers the questions that come up most.
How we decide what to stock
Coney Island Hook and Bait Shop carries fishing tools, tackle kits and landing nets, and the range is deliberately narrower than a warehouse catalogue. A line earns its place by being asked for repeatedly at the counter in Brooklyn and by coming back without complaints — not by having the widest margin.
When something stops meeting that bar it comes off the shelf rather than being discounted until it moves. That is why the catalogue on this site changes slowly and why the specification tables on the product pages quote the maker rather than our own marketing.
Quick answers
What is a lip gripper for?
It holds a fish securely by the jaw so you can unhook it without squeezing the body. The non-puncture models we stock are the ones to use if you are putting the fish back.
Do the tackle kits include hooks?
The kits state their exact contents in the specification table — most include hooks, weights, swivels and rigs in a divided tray.
Related reading
Other notes from the same shelf that pick up where this one stops:
- Lip grippers: choosing one that does not injure the fish
- A tackle box that is actually organised
- Landing nets: rubber, knotless and the ones to avoid
Coming to the store
Coney Island Hook and Bait Shop is at 2879 W 24th St, Brooklyn, NY 11224. Opening hours are Mon-Wed 08:00-18:00 | Thu 08:00-18:30 | Fri-Sun 07:00-18:30, and it is worth calling ahead on +1 347-312-3868 if you are travelling specifically for one item, because stock on the shop floor and stock listed online are the same pool.
Anything discussed in this article can be looked at in person before buying. If you would rather order online, the same stock ships from this address — nothing is drop-shipped from a third party warehouse, which is why the despatch address on your parcel matches the shop.
Ask us directly
If this has not answered your question, the counter is open Mon-Wed 08:00-18:00 | Thu 08:00-18:30 | Fri-Sun 07:00-18:30. Call +1 347-312-3868 or use the contact page — a person reads it, and you will get an answer within a business day.