The FG knot, step by step
The slimmest, strongest way to join braid to a fluorocarbon leader. It takes practice, but once you have it you'll never go back.
Most offshore tuna rigs in SoCal are braid main line with a fluorocarbon leader. Braid gives you capacity and feel; fluorocarbon is harder for fish to see and tougher against teeth and the hull. The FG knot joins them in a slim connection that goes through the guides smoothly and holds close to the full strength of the line.
It looks complicated at first. Practise at home a few times and it becomes routine.
Why the FG
- Slim. No bulky knot to catch on the guides when you cast or wind a fish in close.
- Strong. Tied right, it’s one of the strongest braid-to-leader connections there is.
- No bend in the leader. The braid wraps around the fluorocarbon instead of the leader being tied in a knot, so the leader keeps its strength.
What you need
- Braid main line
- Fluorocarbon leader
- Scissors or line cutters
- A way to keep the braid tight: hold it in your teeth, wrap it around something solid or tighten the drag and pull it from the rod
Step by step
1. Tension the braid
Get the braid tight between your reel (or fixed point) and your hand. The whole knot depends on keeping it under tension.
2. Lay the leader across
Hold the fluorocarbon so it crosses the tight braid at about a right angle, with a few inches of leader tag on one side.
3. Weave the braid around the leader
Wrap the braid around the leader, alternating over and under: one wrap from the top, then one from the bottom. Each pair of wraps should sit snug against the last.
Do about 15 to 20 pairs for most lines. Thinner braid needs more wraps; heavier braid can get away with fewer.
4. Lock it with half hitches
Keeping tension, tie a half hitch with the braid around both the leader and the braid. Pull it snug. Do this a couple of times. It holds the wraps in place while you finish.
5. Wet and tighten
Wet the knot. Then pull the leader and the main braid hard in opposite directions. The wraps grip down onto the leader. They should go from a loose weave to a tight, slightly see-through sleeve.
6. Finish with more half hitches
Trim the leader tag close. Then tie several more half hitches with the braid, around the main braid only, working toward the knot. Finish with a final locking hitch and trim the braid tag.
Testing it
Pull it hard, harder than you’d ever fight a fish. If the leader slips through the wraps, the knot wasn’t tight enough. Cut it off and tie it again. A slipped FG on a big bluefin is a long silent ride home.
Common mistakes
- Losing tension halfway through. The wraps loosen and won’t bite.
- Too few wraps. Especially with thin braid.
- Not wetting it before pulling tight. Dry line heats up and weakens.
- Wraps that overlap or gap. Keep them neat and side by side.
Practise at home
Tie ten of them on the couch the week before your trip. It’s the cheapest insurance in fishing.