How to tie various knots

Step 7 Fishermans Bend

The fishermans bend is the same as the round turn and two half hitches, except that the first hitch is looped under the round turn. This uses the tension on the rope to secure the end from working loose.

Advantages:
Secure against working loose

Disadvantages:
Hard to make under tension
Hard to undo under tension
May seize up under load when wet, making it hard to undo

Uses:
Securing mooring line to ring
Securing fender lines to rail

Comments

[Nathan_]

 Bends connect two ropes. Isn't this a hitch?

[GeeDeeKay]

[Respectfully] A hitch is used to attach a rope to a fixed object, a bend is used to join two lines, and a knot is a general term used to describe some sort of line or cord bound into some sort of configuration. Bends and hitches are both knots. Stoppers are knots. A tangled mass of line is a knot. All bends, hitches and stoppers are knots, but not all knots are bends, hitches or stoppers.

[Nathan_]

 So yes, it is a hitch and not a bend?

[GeeDeeKay]

Technically, yes, although it seems to be known as the fisherman's bend. This knot might have had another life in the past, attaching a fishing line to another line or leader. The name could also refer to the part of the knot that differentiates it from a round turn & 2 half hitches.

The term bend can also refer to a part of a knot. For example, a bowline is made up of a loop and a bend. A bend in this case is a turn in a piece of line that doesn't cross over itself, whereas a loop crosses over itself.

The arcana of knot lore hides a lot of the details of why knots got the names they have...