FG Knot
This post will show you the absolute fastest and easiest way to tie the “FG knot”, and we even have a free PDF guide for you to download, too.
The FG knot is a relatively new braid to mono (or fluoro) knot that has proven to be stronger and thinner than all other braid to leader knots we’ve tested.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever said the following…
“The FG knot is a strong knot, but it takes too long to tie it..”
Heck, I know I said the exact same thing the very first time I found about it.
But even though I incorrectly thought that the FG knot took too long to tie, I have been a huge fan of the FG knot ever since it shocked me in my first braid to leader knot contest.
Because the FG knot proved to be over 20% stronger than all of my prior favorite braid to leader knots (Double Uni knot, Crazy Alberto knot, and the Albright knot).
And it also happens much thinner than all of the other braid to leader knots because the thicker leader line never doubles over.
But the most common complaint against the FG knot that I’ve heard is that it takes to long to tie…
And I’ll completely agree with that concern if it is being tied the traditional way by manually wrapping the braid around the mono.
However, there is a much faster and better way to tie the FG knot that allows it all to be completed in under 60 seconds (video proof below).
How To Tie The FG Knot [Quickly]
The absolute best and fastest way to tie the FG knot is to thread the leader onto the braid while the braid is under tension.
There are several ways to do this, but the version shown in this post is the fastest method by far that I’ve tested.
I used to recommend using your teeth to keep tension on the line, but this new way is actually quicker and easier.
Check out the video below to see how to tie it this way.
FG Knot Tutorial [VIDEO]
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Free FG Knot Guide [PDF]
Click here to get a single page cheat sheet PDF guide showing the core steps of the FG knot so you can always have it on hand if you need it… it’s 100% FREE!
And to see the results of all of our knot tests so you can make sure you’re using the best knot in every situation.
FG Knot Steps [Must Do All 7]
Here is a list describing the essential steps to tie the FG Knot:
Step 1: Wrap the line around your pinky
This will allow you to keep tension on the line while still having nine other fingers to tie the knot.
Step 2: Wrap the leader around the braid
Place the leader above the braid and then wrap it over and around the braid while keeping tension on the line.
After you’ve made a wrap over the braid, then make a wrap under the braid.
Keep alternating until you’ve made 16 wraps (I used to recommend 20-22, but 16 has worked very well for me).
After you’ve made 16 wraps, it should look like this:
Step 3: Tie two half-hitch knots to lock the coils in place
Hold the coils with your fingers to keep them in place and be sure that you’re getting both the leader and the mainline in these knots above the coils.
Step 4: Apply tension to the knot so that the braid digs into the leader
This knot is only effective if the braid digs into the leader, so once the coils are in place, wrap the braid around your hand a few times and pull on the knot to let it really sink in.
As you’re pulling on the lines, you should see that each of the coils are tightening down on the braid and staying evenly spaced out.
The first coil is the most important, so definitely be sure that that one has tightened up, otherwise you risk this knot coming undone, especially if you’re casting through guides.
Step 5: Cut the tag end of the leader off
You can cut the tag end off really close to the knot because once it’s locked in, it’s not going anywhere.
However, be sure that you cut the tag end off AFTER you’ve put tension on the knot.
When you put tension on the knot, the coils will typically slide up a bit, so you don’t want to cut the tag end off before that.
Step 6: Tie two more half-hitch knots
The purpose of this step is to create a smoother top of the knot so that the hard edge of the leader’s tag end doesn’t snag onto anything (floated debris, rod guides, etc.).
Step 7: Cut off the braid tag end and start fishing!
Free FG Knot Guide [PDF]
Click here to get a single page cheat sheet PDF guide showing these core steps of the FG knot so you can always have it on hand if you need it… it’s 100% FREE!
The FG Knot In Less Than 60 Seconds
As I mentioned above, the most common reason we’ve heard from those who watched the video above in YouTube was that it takes too long to tie.
But the tying was of course done slowly in order to explain the various steps.
So we thought it would be fun to make a video showing me tying the FG Knot without taking the time to walk through each step. And the result was an FG knot in less than 60 seconds… here is the video:
Note: this is done using the old way of putting tension on the line with your teeth… the way described above is even faster and easier!
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Conclusion
Learning how to tie the FG knot in under 60 seconds is not difficult… it just requires knowing the quick method explained in this video.
And the most important part to remember is the tightening of the braid coils on the leader before cutting off the leader’s tag because that is what locks the coils in place for good.
Best of all, it will result in a knot that has tested out to be more than 20% stronger than many very popular knots for connecting a braided line to a mono/fluoro leader.
Note: The breaking test results change depending on line types used, so I highly recommend trying it out on your favorite gear and seeing if it has a higher breaking point than whichever knot you’re using to see if it’s worth the switch.
P.S. – If you think your angler friends or fishing networks would like to see this, please TAG them or SHARE this with them. It would mean a lot to me.
The post How to Tie the FG Knot in Under 60 Seconds [Free Cheat Sheet PDF] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.
