How to Tie the FG Knot (Fastest Method & Free Cheat Sheet PDF)
- By: Luke Simonds
- on June 30, 2021
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.
I have been a huge fan of the FG knot ever since it shocked me in my first braid to leader knot contest because it proved to be over 30% stronger than all of my prior favorite knots including:
- Double Uni
- Crazy Alberto
- Albright
- Bimini Twist with Bristol finish
And it also happens much thinner than all of the other braid to leader knots because the thicker leader line never doubles over like it does for traditional fishing knots.
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 tie the FG with tension, and the first two versions shown below in this post are the fastest and easiest methods I’ve used so far: Teeth Tension & Pinky Tension.
Check out the videos below to see how to these methods work.
FG Knot Tutorial [Teeth Tension]
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 click here to see the results of all of our knot tests so you can make sure you’re using the best knot in every situation.
Option 2 – The Pinky Method
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 click here 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 or hold in your teeth
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!
FG Knot Mistakes
If you follow the instructions listed out earlier in this post, you’ll be able to tie the FG knot like a pro.
However, I have noticed that there are three mistakes that commonly pop up that will cause this knot to fail.
To make sure you know what these mistakes are and how to avoid them, check out the video below.
Click here to see the best knots for every situation and download the Ultimate Knot Guide PDF
As long as you only use this knot when connecting braided line to stronger monofilament or fluorocarbon and don’t cast it through the guides, this knot will serve you well.
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!
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.
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
awesome video & instruction.
Hi Luke tried the FG Knot “pinky style” this morning..worked great..thanks buddy, good stuff! 🐟
How cool! Glad to see that you’re enjoying the new way to tie the FG knot.
Luke,
Good stuff as usual brother. One thing I learned is it’s important to feel a click or thump after each wrap, otherwise you’ll just have a mess of coils on top of each other. You may have said that sometime before. Thanks, Dean
Yes, that click/thump after each wrap is when you know the coils are going on nice and clean.
I lost 2 power prawns when my FG knots failed. 1 was cast off and the other pulled by a fish. In both cases I had been casting the knot through the guides and had noticed fraying at the main line end. I thought it was ok since the locking coil is on the leader end. I was using a baitcasting setup to fish under docks, and couldn’t have a legnth of line hanging out the tip. Including cues on your knot failing would be good.
If you are casting the knot through guides, it’s best to use less coils so that the first one gets embedded into the leader as much as possible. And as the strength of the braid equals or exceeds the strength of the leader, the risk of the FG knot coils getting compromised by casting through guides goes up significantly.
Tied it first try, but I will never tie this knot in the middle of a stream.
Nice work! After some more practice, you’ll find that it’s fairly easy to tie even while out on or in the water.
When I was very young we used to steal a few porcupine quills and used them
for floats. Slab crappie can’t feel the weight and we ate well. Now with the FB knot I have many more options.
When it really boils down to it nobody is going to put that much pressure on a fish unless your strapped into a fighting chair or cheating and leaving the rod in the rod holder. Get a scale and pull 30lbs of drag off a reel and you’ll know where I’m coming from. If you take your time and tie your knots correctly and use quality line most knots will hold just fine. I think people put way too much thought into if their rigged the right way and forget how to fight a fish correctly that they end up failing at both.
A properly set drag should ensure that no fish gets off due to a good knot failing. The extra benefit of going to a great knot vs. a good one comes into play when 1) in need of stopping a big fish from getting into structure and 2) when snagged on the bottom given that the stronger connection helps get back more lures.
can I use the FG knot to tie 20lb braid to 15lb floro leader ?
I wouldn’t use the FG knot for those lines because it’s best suited for protecting a weaker braid against a stronger leader. The Crazy Alberto knot would be a better choice for those lines.
Hi Luke, I have been able to follow your video and instructions and have been able to tie the FG KNOT with success Twice. Since then, I have the wraps going up on the line end I am using to wrap around the braid, and I have had the loops just pile up on each other. If I tie the end that You would normally put in the mouth to an arm chair, then, for some reason, I’m able to tie a perfectly good FG KNOT. What am I doing wrong since I can’t figure it out as to what I am doing that is not working and following your video. But, I did it twice! HELP!!
What lines are you using?
Request for Clarification. I some of the SStrong videos, the author is using leader material that has a greater pound test than the main line. For example, 40-lb main line with 50-lb mono.
1) Isn’t there a risk for tearing the main line if snagged on a rock, etc., or do you assume the knot will break before the main line?
2) I have 30-lb braid and I was planning on using a 20-lb or 30-lb fluro leader. Is this combo O.K. for FG Knot, with 15 to 20 coils?
Great questions Howard! The breaks due to tension load will be at a knot (not the line) 99% of the time unless the line is compromised, so there is not a risk of a random part of the mainline breaking when using a stronger leader material compared to the mainline.
If you’re using 30 lb braid to a 20 lb leader, I recommend using the Crazy Alberto knot instead of the FG because the FG may be at risk of slipping with those lines.
Thx for your reply.