FG knot on light line... help?

[07Rapala]

I recently learned the FG knot and thought I had it down pretty good. However, this weekend as I was trying to tie some 8lbs floro onto 8 or 10lbs braid. I was never able to quite get it right. I would either end up with the braid arched around and tied up in a ball of floor, or if I did it so it looked right, it would snap immediately as I tried to tighten it down. Any suggestions?

[MN Fisher]

Make sure when you're looping the braid around the flouro that every hitch is tight and snug...what I'm seeing there is the signs of a loose wrapping. I have no issues with 10#braid to 6# flouro or 15#braid to 8# flouro.

[newapti5]

29 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Make sure when you're looping the braid around the flouro that every hitch is tight and snug...what I'm seeing there is the signs of a loose wrapping. I have no issues with 10#braid to 6# flouro or 15#braid to 8# flouro.

 

^This.

It's harder to tie FG knot on light lines. If you still have trouble, you could try the Alberto knot - it's strong, and not significantly larger than the FG knot in this case.

 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, newapti5 said:

If you still have trouble, you could try the Alberto knot - it's strong, and not significantly larger than the FG knot in this case.

Ya - I only tie the FG when prepping for an outing...if I need to tie on a leader while on the water - because of break-off or I'm putting a leader on a line that I don't always use a leader with - it's with an Alberto.

[Team9nine]

I can’t figure out how you ended up with what you pictured ? 

 

Are you sure you’re tying it correctly? Weaving the braid around a straight piece of leader material? That looks more like an Alberto knot but tied backwards using the leader to do the wraps around a doubled over section of braid. I sometimes use an FG with my crappie outfits, which is 3-4 lb braid to 4-6 pound leader without issues, though as @newapti5 mentioned, it does take a bit more attentiveness and technique in that light of line.

[Alex from GA]

I'm in the same boat as you.  The lightest leader I tie is 12 with the FG knot.  I tie a triple surgeons knot other wise.

[Tim Kelly]

Your picture isn't an FG, as mentioned above it's an alberto style knot, tied incorrectly with the leader being wrapped round the braid. An FG will work fine on any reasonably balanced combination of braid and leader. I go as light as 0.4pe to 3lb fluoro without issues.

[07Rapala]

Ok, so I’m putting more emphasis on cinching it down tighter after every wrap. Now it’s consistently breaking off where the leader enters the knot as I tighten it down (after first set of half-hitches). 

how hard should I be pulling on the leader down as I tighten down each wrap? Seems I’m less likely to get the looping problem in my initial post if I pull on the leader pretty snugly, but maybe that’s now initiating these break offs?

 

Below are photos before and after I tighten down. 

 

EDIT: I realize the knot above has an imperfection, must have accidentally double-wrapped on one wrap, but where it broke was nearer to where the line entered the knot. 

[07Rapala]

Hmm, I decided to try one more time with a different leader… was using Maxima Florocarbon 8lbs, switched to Gold label in 6lbs test. Knot worked no problem.

 

 

[newapti5]

53 minutes ago, 07Rapala said:

how hard should I be pulling on the leader down as I tighten down each wrap?

 

Hard enough to make sure each wrap of braid sits around the leader neatly and snugly , but not hard enough to bend the leader.   

 

I was just tying a 8lb Seaguar STS leader to 10lb Seaguar Smackdown braid, so I took some pictures. Here's what it looked like with 25 wraps before I tied the first half-hitch knot:

 

 

 

And here's what the final knot looks like:

 

 

It's not perfect, but it's strong and thin enough. I didn't use any tying tools, but it did take me a little longer time. 

[bulldog1935]

Improved Allbright knot, PE#1 to 9-lb leader.  

I've been rolling Allbright knots 40 years, slick enough to shoot through fly rod snake guides.  

The trick to tightening this knot, remember which direction you rolled the braid loops.  Lightly snug all four (standing and tag) ends.  First tighten the braid tag end while rolling the braid loops in the same direction you wrapped them.  Before it's tight, take up the leader tag end to bury the bend in the loops.  Finish tighten the braid tag (still rolling braid loops), then final tighten by pulling both standing ends.  I finish by wetting the knot with pink-label Zap CA+

[softwateronly]

**how hard should I be pulling on the leader down as I tighten down each wrap?**

 

The wraps need to be correct more than tight.  I think too much emphasis on tight has the leader getting kinked.  I'm not sure what method you're using to tie the fg, but I like to give the leader a tug against the wraps after the first 6 wraps, next 4, and final 6.  This has helped me from having wraps that double back on themselves and help set me up to have a clean effective join by keeping the wraps all aligned.  I've gone down to PE .8 to 8lb shooter flouro without issue.  

 

scott

 

 

17 hours ago, 07Rapala said:

how hard should I be pulling on the leader down as I tighten down each wrap? 

 

[Bankc]

1 hour ago, softwateronly said:

**how hard should I be pulling on the leader down as I tighten down each wrap?**

 

The wraps need to be correct more than tight.  I think too much emphasis on tight has the leader getting kinked.  I'm not sure what method you're using to tie the fg, but I like to give the leader a tug against the wraps after the first 6 wraps, next 4, and final 6.  This has helped me from having wraps that double back on themselves and help set me up to have a clean effective join by keeping the wraps all aligned.  I've gone down to PE .8 to 8lb shooter flouro without issue.  

 

scott

 

 

 

Exactly.  You want them tight, but you don't want to stress the leader line.  So if you're using 6# leader, don't pull harder than maybe 3 lbs of pressure.  If you keep it tight after each wrap, you really don't have to pull very hard at all.  
 

Also, be wary of overtightening your wraps.  If you pull them too tight, or tighten them at the wrong angle, you'll have a situation where one set of warps overlaps the previous.  Then you get a small bump in the knot that acts as a weak spot for the knot to become unraveled.  If you pay attention, and with some experience, you can usually feel when this happens, as it can be a bit hard to see with tiny diameter lines.  Just make sure your lines always come out the back of the knot and don't stick out of the sides just in front of the rear of the knot.  

[PABASS]

The lighter the leader strength the more wraps I use.  For 6# I will do 28 wraps, 8# 26 and 10# 24 wraps.

Make sure that the floro tag line are prallel with the braided main line and using a hitch knot make sure you tie two opposing knots.  Tighten the knot by pulling the main line and leader fairly tight to make sure nothing slips, then cut the floro tag as close to the knot as you can.  Tie at least 4 more opposing hitch knots using tag end and then cut the tag end, pull the leader and mainline half as much to bring in your tag line that you wrapped 4 times.

 

Confusing as hell to read but watch salt strong videos on tying so you can see the whole process.

 

 

[txchaser]

Are you by chance trying to tie this without the braid being taut? Tie it to your belt loop or the reel handle and it will stabilize the whole operation.