1. Lubricate your knots with water before pulling them tight. The major cause of knot failure is heat buiild up as a result of friction caused by pulling the knot tight.
2. Take care to properly seat the knot using a continuous steady pull making sure that the knot is not loose. Ensure that there a proper amount of line (tag) remaining after the line is trimmed. Cutting too close will result in a knot pulled loose or a nick in the knot itself.
3. Be sure that the tippet is not too short or too stiff. The tippet is the most important part of the terminal tackle, and longer is better, it should be between four and five feet.
4. Always replace a wind or casting knot. The temptation is to continue casting after unraveling the knot, but this is to be avoided. A wind knot will weaken the tippet by 40%.
5. Finally, do not assume that the knot is secure, always test the knot by pulling the line while holding the hook firmly.