Finishing your FG Knot

[Junk Fisherman]

How do you finish your FG knot?  I see all sorts of different techniques.  Some do nearly 10 alternating half hitches and Rizzuto finishes and others do 2 or 3 half hitches.  What I find is doing all the half hitches adds more bulk and takes away from the overall thinness of the knot.  How say you?    

[MN Fisher]

Two half-hitches - done.

[Junk Fisherman]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Two half-hitches - done.

Never any problems with slipping with 10-15 lb braid?

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Never any problems with slipping with 10-15 lb braid?

Only 10# braid I use is on my ultra-finesse rig - and I use mono that's just a little larger, not too much

10# Sufix 832 = .008"

6# Sufix Elite = .010"

 

No slippage yet...

 

Rest of my braids are 20#, 40# and 50#.

[Smalls]

One half hitch to lock it in place while I tie the rizzuto 

[Tim Kelly]

The half hitches function is to stop the weaves coming undone. In theory you could use one, but in practise one half hitch is going to work loose going through rod guides etc. I do one half hitch, then pull hard to set the weaves, then a couple more half hitches, cut the leader off flush then two hitches to smooth the transition to the know and a risotto finish to keep it all locked up and stop it unravelling. 

The important things for keeping the knot strong and long lasting are the pull after the first hitch and the risotto finish to stop ot unravelling.  I use the other hitches to smooth the transition over the end of the leader as it that sticks up at all and bumps the guides it can disrupt the knot and start unravelling it.

[Lenny Switala]

4 alternating half hitches and rizzuto finish. I also burn my braid tag into a mushroom. I do it this way bc it covers up my FC tag and stops fraying. Great knot, no slip issues, ultra thin. 

[FrankN209]

2 or 3 hitch knots at the end, with a tiny dab of super glue to keep any frays down.

[mcipinkie]

Is an FG knot ever finished?

 

I've tied it few times just to see what the furor is over.  Not for me.  I can't see how this got foisted on the fishing public without money changing hands.  Surely some guy named Frank Gary is getting paid for all the videos on this knot.

 

It looks to me like you just keep making half hitches, up, down, over, and under until you think you have enough.  When it comes untied, next time you tie it, make some more, then glue it.  Or maybe melt it with a lighter. 

 

I'll have tied an Alberto and be fishing.

[Team9nine]

Two alternating half hitches, cut the tag, two more alt. half hitches, then Rizutto finish (with 4 wraps). Seems to have eliminated all unraveling since going this route. 

[mcipinkie]

That finish itself is more complicated and time consuming than an Alberto knot in its entirety.  I assume you have somewhere around 20 hitches in the knot before the finish?

 

The only reason I even looked at this monstrosity is that Ott Defoe had a video on how he ties, and I have a lot of respect for him.  Just lost some if he really ties this.

[ATA]

Is it so embaressing to say I didn't know what was rizzuto up to reading this topic? I was using FG for all my leaders all my life and I use leader for all of my combos except one combo(frog/top water).

Anyways I just did try it and I like the way locking the FG, It is definitely slimmer than half hitches I used to do.

Thank you guys

21 hours ago, Smalls said:

One half hitch to lock it in place while I tie the rizzuto 

 

[Happybeerbuzz]

For a long time I did 3 alternating half hitches,  trimmed the leader, 3 more half hitches.  I then got a little more fancy and did two alternating half hitches, trim the leader, a five wrap rizzuto finish, and a touch of super glue on the hitches and rizzuto only.  Lately, I have been just doing a simple finish with six alternating half hitches, trim, and super glue on the half hitches only.  In all instances, I leave about a 3/16 inch tag of braid that takes about an hour or so of casting to completely fray into a visual hit indicator.  

[Bankc]

Three half hitches, alternating the direction (so they lay better next to each other), then I cut the braided line at the knot, and do three more half hitches, alternating directions.

[J Francho]

The rabbit goes around the hole three times, jumps in, does a right turn, then about face.....wait what?

[roadwarrior]

35 minutes ago, Bankc said:

Three half hitches, alternating the direction (so they lay better next to each other), then I cut the braided line at the knot, and do three more half hitches, alternating directions.

I'm going to stick with the Alberto Knot...

[Hook2Jaw]

Four alternating half hitches.

[mcipinkie]

Yeah guys, all this is your finishing wraps after you have tied 20 or so alternating half hitches to start.

 

I hope Frank/Gary is getting a lot of money for this.  Why can't I find some sheep to shear?

 

If it wasn't for Defoe, I would never have wasted my time with this by product of a train wreck.

 

I ain't wasting no more.

 

[Smalls]

On 1/6/2021 at 8:12 PM, ATA said:

Is it so embaressing to say I didn't know what was rizzuto up to reading this topic? I was using FG for all my leaders all my life and I use leader for all of my combos except one combo(frog/top water).

Anyways I just did try it and I like the way locking the FG, It is definitely slimmer than half hitches I used to do.

Thank you guys

 

I used the FG for like 2 years before I had heard of the rizzuto. And honestly, I just happened upon a video showing it. I rarely use braid anymore, so even more honestly, I have to watch the rizzuto video every time I tie braid to leader, anymore. 

 

But I'm glad I could point you in the right direction. It's a little extra effort, but I feel it's worth it.

[J Francho]

I finish my rizzuto with a sprig of basil.

[roadwarrior]

Like this?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85389/gourmet-mushroom-risotto/

[J Francho]

5 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Like this?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85389/gourmet-mushroom-risotto/

Hold the half hitch and the fungus.

[FryDog62]

The FG unraveling could be due to not finishing the knot correctly - but possibly the bigger culprit are the initial alternating weaves at the beginning of the knot. I've noticed this before that you need to get the first couple weaves started and then listen for a "click" as you pull with tension. That click locks the knot in place and I wouldn't say makes the finishing hitch knots irrelevant but easily less important.  I think you can then get by with a limited number of half hitches at the end if you click your knot early on - less hitch knots keeps the FG thin, which is a main factor in choosing this knot in the first place.  

 

I ran across a recent video by John Crews that actually shows when the "click" occurs and if you have your knot locked.  I'll preface that I really don't like it when people tie the FG with their mouth, its awkward and unnecessary. Its better and easier to see what you're doing if you tie off to your reel handle or belt loop. That being said the clicking and locking of the knot is between the 3:15-3:45 point in the video...

 

 

[VGT]

I do 16-18 wraps (8-9 full left and right pairs) tie an overhand around the fg termination and leader, set the weaves (pulling working ends tight), trim leader, then 3 half hitches.

I've never had one come undone, whenever I'm hung leader always snaps somewhere in the middle. 

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

Its better and easier to see what you're doing if you tie off to your reel handle or belt loop.

Wait, you have to tie a knot to tie a knot?  What knot is best for that?