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Posted

First post! Hope all goes well.  

 

After searching through numerous posts about braid to leader material I found myself hopping back into the discussion about which knot to use.  Many of the discussions that I found were people using thin braid and moderate fluorocarbon on spincasting gear.

 

I wanted to know what knot would be best for heavier braid 40-50lb to similar sized fluoro 10-12lb. 

 

I am new to the FG knot and after tying it 30 times I finally got one that looks OK...

I am good with the Uni to Uni and it is very similar in size (the line I used) but has the tag ends in the front and back so it catches more.  

 

Do I go with the Forever Giving me a headache and wasting my material and time knot or get annoyed in a "thump" in my line at the guides?

 

Set up is on my Curado K 8.4 ratio-Medium Fast rod planning on using it for swim jigs/ripping traps/texas rigs  Haven't used the rod or reel yet, so need to make sure they will work for this application.

  • Super User
Posted

You didn't mention Alberto, so disregard my reply, if you want.  But, I found that Alberto is the only knot that meets all three of these conditions:

I can tie most reliably;

I am confident in;

and the knot size never causes me any problems

 

As a bonus, I have no problems tying it on the water, even in a kayak, with little trouble

 

  • Like 7
Posted

I also use the Alberto for the same reasons Choporoz lists.

Posted

I left it out because I did not use it- and it lost the the FG knot in strength... 

 

Would you consider it to fall in between the Uni to Uni and FG knot?

  • Super User
Posted
3 minutes ago, dgkasper58 said:

Would you consider it to fall in between the Uni to Uni and FG knot?

Not really...only because I don't consider those two at all.  I would imagine the Uni is 'as good', but I tried Alberto first and it worked for me.  I have tried the FG, but only enough times to dislike it...not nearly enough to appreciate it.

 

I have no idea of breaking strength differences between the three; but that's only because a well tied Alberto has many times the breaking strength that I think I'll ever need. 

Posted
6 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Not really...only because I don't consider those two at all.  I would imagine the Uni is 'as good', but I tried Alberto first and it worked for me.  I have tried the FG, but only enough times to dislike it...not nearly enough to appreciate it.

 

I have no idea of breaking strength differences between the three; but that's only because a well tied Alberto has many times the breaking strength that I think I'll ever need. 

Thanks...

I just looked up knot wars from 2010.  Modified albright did beat out the Uni to Uni.

 

Guess I will go try that one a few times.

 

Thanks

  • Super User
Posted

The Alberto Knot will be fine for all freshwater fishing. There may be some advantages for the FG

in saltwater, but it is over-kill for bass fishermen.

 

:fishing-026:

 

  • Like 2
  • Super User
Posted

The Alberto knot has been my standby for over a decade now. Have caught a lot bass using this knot with braid & fluorocarbon leader material. This knot is not actually a 'knot' per say. Rather it's a weave of braided material around a larger diameter single material leader.

 

I change my leaders a couple of times a season - for no better reason than I think it's the proper thing to do. But I've never had it fail on me. It is a very slim knot as well, traveling through smaller eyes with no bumping. Works for me, but if your confidence level is higher with something else, then use that by all means.

Posted

I often use the alberto or J knot depending on what lines are being used... I recently learned the FG knot but it took me a while to get it down. I ended up having to invent my own style in order to do it. The hardest part for me was keeping the tension to do the wraps... but the hardest part in the end was finishing the knot. I had issues getting the hitches to hold, and issues cinching down the knot. But now that I've got it, I can do this knot in a few minutes and it looks pretty good. The type of line you use definitely makes a difference, I have found that smaller diameter braid that is rounded works a lot better (for me anyway) than flatter styled braid cause it seems to cinch down and hold better. The main reason I began to use the FG was because I wanted a longer leader so that I didn't have to retie the leader when fishing as often. I used to just use between 12-18" of leader, but when you are using one pole for different purposes and find yourself retying or switching lures a lot... that 12-18" goes pretty fast. Then I'd be stuck retying an alberto outside, in the wind... and it can just be a nightmare to do sometimes, especially when all I want to do is fish and have fun. Nothing like watching fish splash all around you while you're stuck retying a leader in a hurry and getting irritated.

 

In short... use what will serve you the best. I think several of the knots have their purposes, I just have to figure out what I want to do with each set up before I leave and make sure I have lines that will accommodate my purposes. If you're just going to be running cranks all day on a pole, then use whatever knot you want and keep a shorter leader. Use a snap so that you can switch without retying. But I'm you're going to be switching from a texas rig to a wacky rig, etc, then FG may be what you want.

Posted

I have braid main line on everything and use the blood knot.  I find it super easy and fast to tie and in the times where I break  off I always get my leader back.  In my experience the blood knot is stronger then my improved clinch knot to the lure.

 

Tying the blood knot takes about 30 seconds and is easy in the wind/dark etc.

  • Like 1
Posted

Alberto.  

  • Super User
Posted

After tying the Alberto/Modified Albright the last 10 years I’m ditching it. Why?  Too many knot failures.  The knot itself can be strong, but there is one key part of tying the knot at the end where you go back through the loop - the same direction - as you went in the beginning.  Failing to do that will cause the knot to pull out.  

 

Most times I get it right, but in wind or bumping along in the boat, or tying in a poorly lit garage the night before... I have gone the wrong direction inadvertently.  Purely operator error but it has happened to me a few too many times over the years. 

 

Switched to the FG last year and once you get used to it’s not so hard to tie.  And I’ve yet to have one fail although it’s only been a year.  

  • Super User
Posted
9 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

The Alberto Knot will be fine for all freshwater fishing. There may be some advantages for the FG

in saltwater, but it is over-kill for bass fishermen.

 

:fishing-026:

 

Unless you want a knot that'll go through micro guides...

8 hours ago, McBass_Arkansas said:

The Alberto knot is the only way to go.

It's one way to go...a good one...but not the only way...

Posted

Alberto knot is an excellent knot but I have started using the 13 knot

( Youtube ). It's similar to the Slim Beauty, easy to tie, small diameter and appears to be very strong. 

It's also a saltwater knot, so should be plenty strong for bass fishing.

Posted

Don't get me wrong. I understand there are tons of different knots out there.

 

But why waste your time if it is KNOT the best :D for your application (other then if you have issues tying it)

 

Have these other knots been on knot wars?  If so, where do they compare?

 

Posted
On 3/9/2018 at 10:03 AM, dgkasper58 said:

Don't get me wrong. I understand there are tons of different knots out there.

 

But why waste your time if it is KNOT the best :D for your application (other then if you have issues tying it)

 

Have these other knots been on knot wars?  If so, where do they compare?

 

The knot I recommended has never failed me. That is the only "war" that matters to me. There is a big difference in the gradual increase in tension on  Knot Wars vs a big fat girl making a run at the side of the boat. I use the knot on everything from the Ned Rig to 50 lb braid to 20 lb copoly on my swimbait gear.

  • Like 1
Posted

Keep plugging and learn the FG knot.  Its super-slimness more than makes up for the additional effort to learn it. 

 

In any knot strength tests I've seen on braid-to-leader knots, the FG is tops, followed next by the Alberto/Modified Albright and then the Uni-to-Uni.  In my experience, I've had several Uni-to-Uni knots fail before the leader broke.  That's when I switched to the Alberto.  That solved that problem.  But when I saw how wonderfully slim the FG knot was, I fell for it (almost all my rods have micro guides).

 

If you have trouble tying the FG, search for video tutorials.  There are a couple of ways to go at it, and one may prove easier for you.  There's one video I enjoy where the guy talks about how easy the FG really is to tie.  He proves his point by doing it with heavy leather gloves on!

 

Tight lines (and strong knots),

Bob

Posted

I use the FG knot.

 

The PR knot is stronger then the FG but unless you have a bobbin it sucks.

 

FG is thin and glides through guides on the cast, its also super thin.

 

The FG has 80-90% of the lines ABS, as for the Alberto it around 60% of the lines ABS.

Posted

"Quickest way to tie the FG knot" by salt strong on youtube is how I learned to tie this knot and its by far my favorite. Very easy once you get the hang of it.

  • Super User
Posted

Welcome aboard!

 

Just because a knot loses in Knot Wars does NOT mean

it is a bad knot, or unworthy of your time.

 

I have no problem with the uni-to-uni and Alberto. 

Period.

 

You MUST balance your knot with your setup - drag esp.

Of course things can go bad if your drag is locked down

and you score a lunker.

 

Think of the knot as part of the whole, not THE end all, be all.

  • Like 1
Posted

A fan of the FG knot here.  I think where most people get it wrong is the step when you add tension just before you finish it off with the square knots.   You have to pull hard,  really really hard.   

 

I tie off my leader to a heavy object,  and then wrap the braid around a screwdriver handle and give a solid pull.   None of the videos I've watched about this knot take it to this level and in my opinion it is absolutely critical to the strength of the knot.   I have absolute confidence in the strength of the FG, and use the same knot for 4-5 fishing trips( minimum) before I retie.

Posted
1 hour ago, LionHeart said:

A fan of the FG knot here.  I think where most people get it wrong is the step when you add tension just before you finish it off with the square knots.   You have to pull hard,  really really hard.   

 

I tie off my leader to a heavy object,  and then wrap the braid around a screwdriver handle and give a solid pull.   None of the videos I've watched about this knot take it to this level and in my opinion it is absolutely critical to the strength of the knot.   I have absolute confidence in the strength of the FG, and use the same knot for 4-5 fishing trips( minimum) before I retie.

I used to do that, but I hated having to cut it off the object I tied it too afterwards to finish it. Now what I do is do a sialor's hitch around my big toe and then reel into it to get it good -n- tight for the tensioning. I also pull hard on each wrap around the braid so that when I go to cinch it down it basically already is about as tight as it can be. Nice tip with the screwdriver though, I might have to steal that one! I've cut myself a few times with the fluorocarbon while cinching down which really sucks!

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