Glossary

Tag end

The short piece of line left over after a knot, before you trim it.

3 min read
· Updated Aug 2026
· beginner
Glossary: Tag end
In this guide

The tag end is the offcut — the loose end that sticks out once the knot is seated. On most knots you trim it close, leaving about an eighth of an inch so the knot cannot work loose.

When it is not waste

On a drop shot the tag end is the whole point: you leave it long and attach the weight to it, so the hook rides above the bottom.

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