My Way to Tie an FG Knot.
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Newbies Corner
Forum Description: If you're new to fishing this is the place to ask any questions about getting started ...
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=114446
Printed Date: 18 Apr 2024 at 5:09pm
Topic: My Way to Tie an FG Knot.
Posted By: GSPOT
Subject: My Way to Tie an FG Knot.
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2015 at 11:55pm
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Hi All Fishos On another site I saw a discussion about how to join Braid to Mono/fluorocarbon and decided to show the world my easier and faster way to tie a FG knot to join braid to mono. So I got out my gopro and made this video to show how. Thought I would post it here if you are interested. |
Replies:
Posted By: MacSkipper
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 4:57am
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Thanks - very clear - like way you hold in mouth as I have found braid tends to slip out - simple and obvious once shown. ------------- Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 8:02am
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Nice work G. An alternative to holding the braid in your mouth is to tie a loop that you put over the reel handle to tension the braid between the rod tip and the handle. You don't want too much tension though or it will cut through your leader. It's an easy knot to tie. After two wraps each side I pull on both sides of the leader to keep everything nice and even. GSpot doesn't need to do that though, he's got it sussed. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: GSPOT
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 9:17am
| Hi smudge. I was just shown the loop over handle trick and looks like a good way. |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 9:18am
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Very similar principle to what I do.... far easier and far better set knot if the braid and trace is tight thtough out tieing the knot. Rod in holder brake on thats 1 hand. The trace.. leave on the reel.. drop on the floor, put your foot on it. I loop the braid around a thumb, rather than hold in the mouth... started using teeth to hold but tieing the knot up closer to ones face... espec if over 45 yrs old and ones short distance is getting fuzzy... far easier lower and further out from the body... also far better balance when doing in a boat. Then with ones free hand like him.. just turn the trace thru, .. every 6 to 8 turns, give a quick short pull to keep the turns set... keeping all ends tight, this becomes less critical, and easier to set each group of twists. When testing , I have found.. like finishing off a bimmini.. the final 1/2 hitches/ loop knots dont add strength, they just stop the knot undoing due to cutting the tag off real short... each one of these must be pulled up tight as they are tied. |
Posted By: Olfart
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 10:22am
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I'm with Smudge as regards using the reel handle to maintain the tension. Not everyone has good "close-in" vision (as Steps has said) and then there are those of us older folks who wear false teeth - so biting down on the line becomes problematic due to the lack of "feel" ....... ------------- Semper in excreta sumus, solum profundum variat.... |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 10:49am
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Didnt give the false teeth thing a thought OF.. damn good point... still have (most) of my own teeth.. majority of the mercury filled by dental nurses 'practising ' where no holes where... have now gone or going. Using the handle... definitely worth looking at.... Its little suggestions things like that, from tieing knots to efficiently filleting a fish that make the difference. Eg ppl who started at the tail and cut the skin up to the head, started with that cut closer and cut smoother... never got the hang of it, untill after a day out with a member from here ... sharing a few methods, told be to stick the knife in at the base of the fins above the tail... not at the tail. Little things make a big difference. Never stop listening and learning. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2015 at 6:54pm
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This is a very good post from GSpot and all the contributors - thank you all! I will copy it into the Newbies Forum also. IMO there are two classic knots for mono, the uniknot and the clinch knot. In years to come someone will say the same about the FG knot, for a 'special knot' (braid mainline to mono/fluorocarbon trace is what it's for) it's a real gem. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: hookerpuka
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2015 at 9:52pm
| Gee you guys not learnt to put a screw hook on the boat so you can do the same thing but with a small loop that hooks over the hook and tension is maintained constant and easy with out bleeding gums :P |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2015 at 8:01am
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In years to come someone will say the same about the FG knot, for a
'special knot' (braid mainline to mono/fluorocarbon trace is what it's
for) it's a real gem. I think its nearly already here.. At 1st it was difficult to tie on a boat in the original method as per Big Angry fish type method....same for the bimimi Now with ppl playing around experimenting, both have become quick easy and very manageable on a boat, and a little practice , damn near eyes closed. The 'competition' knots like albright, yauka(?), bristol, dont match upto the strength.. but tend to be far more simple, espec the latter 2. And if want to get them stronger, means either a double albright or the latter 2 with doubled line 1st tied with a bimini anyway... Even then all have a larger profil, single or double tied when going thru the rod eyes. The down side to knots like PR is having to carry a bobbin.. the carrying and using are not an issue, Its when the bobbin or small tools are put down, forgotten about.. hit a wave and they jump into those lost places never to be found when needed... adding to tieing time, inconvenience , stress etc. PR is an excellent knot one to be tied when prep ing the reels before going out. |
Posted By: hookerpuka
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2015 at 10:30am
| Systems are wonderful things Steps, I have yet to lose a PR Bobbin off the boat, I have however left it at home after prepping in the Garage the night before.. |
Posted By: southernwanderer
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2015 at 1:39pm
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The FG is the best knot for joining braid to mono/fluro, Though it did annoy me when first started tying, i found after repeated casting the finish knot would come undone,then one by one the half hitchs would come loose, and i lost a few fish/lures/leaders. Here was my solution, 1) when doing last 2 half hitches leave then loose with about a 50c size loop 2) make the finish knot but do 5/6 turns through 3) pass the tag end through the 2 loose half hitches, 4) carefully tighten the 2 half hitches, leaving you with what looks like an unfinished uni knot 5) the tricky bit(unless you tie flies, or make rods), now wip the line coming from the last half hitch, around the main line the opposite direction to what the tag end went in step 2) 6) Wet! The loop left, then draw down by pulling the tag end slowly to finish the wip 7) tie a half hitch in tag as close to the main knot as possible, cut a 2mm tag, then with a lighter carefully melt tag down to half hitch to prevent any chance of tag being drawn back through main knot, done. I have no idea if anyone has done something similar, but I've not named it, and its never let me down yet
 |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 29 Nov 2015 at 6:02pm
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I have played eith the finish 1/2 hitches.. when 1st started, like u tieing these 'woven' type knots FG bimini.. had trouble with the finish 1/2 hitches laying small and looping. Them someone mentioned to tie opposite directions...still had some issues....even messed around finishing with a clove hitch ... Then someone else mentioned to pull each 1/2 hitch up tight... and the give a good jerk.....never had any issues after that. |
Posted By: JackSlayer
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2016 at 7:38am
| nice, another good variation. |
Posted By: alaxpol
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 10:25pm
| Nice. thanks for this |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 6:15am
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finish the fg with a rizzuto knot, doesnt come undone then
-------------  www.kavemantackle.co.nz
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Posted By: Garry 23041
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 7:48am
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I tie mine with the braid attached to the base of the lowest guide. I don't put it in the holder it moves around to much for me. I trap the butt on the deck with my foot. Could have a tube mounted for the butt that's a snug fit but it never happens. |
Posted By: Fishb8
Date Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 5:44pm
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Old thread but a new Q:- does anyone ever use super glue on their knot when finished?
------------- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken |
Posted By: The Tamure Kid
Date Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 6:59pm
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I haven't heard of that, but i know some people like to coat finished knots with a flexible epoxy style coating. I've used the same FG on multiple softbaiting trips without any kind of unravelling (with Rizzuto finish). Maybe it's more of a thing with repeated heavy duty top water casting, where the extra force can fray the knot going through the eyes? In terms of this knot's strength, I am a believer in the Salt Strong guy's tip (see their video on YouTube of the most common mistake with FG knots) to pull very hard on the knot after the first two holding half hitches. He explains that's the bit that causes the braid to bite down on the leader. If you wait until the end to do a hard tightening for the first time, the knot won't correctly bed down on the leader. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 12:04am
I use an FG knot for most of my fishing and like TTK it never unravels since using a Rizzuto to finish. It will unravel if you just finish with a half hitch or series of half hitches ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
The Tamure Kid wrote:Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 8:35am
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With both FG and bimmini twist, once you have put in the 1st 1/2 hitch, the knot is basically secured. The rest of the 1/2 hitches/ rizzuto knot(s) are simply to stop the tag end slipping back thru. Using finish/ rizzuto knot is the same with most other knots... stop the tag slipping back on a short tag end. In the case of the bimmini and the KG the string of finishing 1/2 hitchs also acts a a taper on the end of the knot so passes thru the rod guides easy. Espec when casting .. eg soft baits/ lures. I have said above, and many times.. the 'secret' espec on braid knots is pull each turn/ 1/2 hitch up hard before proceeding to the next one...espec including the finish knots. If these are left a bit loose then decide to pull them up all at once they will bunch, defeating the purpose of a slim tapered knot... and will not set correct. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2020 at 5:48pm
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Half hitches, will do the trick but they will slowly unravel. A rizutto finish pulled up tight will stop that. Not a fan of using superglue
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2020 at 10:15am
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You will find using several 1/2 hitches on smaller gauges not an issue.. Heavy trace, maybe and this has only varying degree of support. The main issue that causes 1/2 hitches to loosen is how tight the line is pulled upand tied behind it. Its the same with tightening shoes laces, which is basically 2 1/2 hitches. A the lace comes undone from below the knot because the laces have not been pulled up enough to keep tension on the bottom knot...even if the lace knot has the 'double' put on at last. That used to be the very 1st 'lesson' of the season to parents (and players) when used to coach junior football. The only time I ever had 1/2 hitches loosen enough for the main line to fail was way way back when tended to be a bit lazy in discipline pulling up turns as go. And that is most likey why ppl have issues with knot going loose. In saying that, I I tie a surgeons, clinch, and numerous other knots, I put a 3x rizzuto on the back of it. Maybe over kill, but there have been the odd occasions when cut the tag back flat, then had the tag tip pull back thru. So it just a little 'insurance' where having a slim knot is required for casting smooth thru guides... and finishing a bimmni or a FG with a rizzuo, tends to bunch rather than lay the twists flat. |
Posted By: Alan L
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2021 at 9:14pm
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I use the FG knot A LOT. All my braid spooled rods have a mono top shot - sometimes only a couple of meters long. But never braid- swivel. I have never had one come loose. Haven't watched vid but I pull my braid tight (teeth) and loop mono by reverse loops about 10 each way. Then a couple of half hitches with the braid to finish, then a double half hitch. I have tension on all these - especially the FG mono loops. THEN I pull the whole rig apart - as a fish would, as hard as I can. Then I trim and superglue the half hitch ends (after trimming the mono and braid.) Just to keep them tidy. 100% rate so far and that is several years so far, and fish as big as marlin. Alan ------------- Legasea Legend member |
Posted By: MikeAqua
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2021 at 2:39pm
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I use the FG knot a lot. A couple of weeks ago I boated a sizeable stingray on 7kg braid with an FG knot securing the braid to the leader. No problem. Something I have noticed, if the end of the braid is bit UV exposed or abraded and gets a bit soft, yt won't bite into the leader. Needs to be cut back to newer looking braid which is sharper. Also have to say that for my small bait-caster reels, the FG allows the leader to pass through the little hole in the level wind guide on small bait-caster reel is so small. And I can tie it on the boat from memory ...
 provided I remember my glasses! |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2021 at 9:37am
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Something I have noticed, if the end of the braid is bit UV exposed or
abraded and gets a bit soft, yt won't bite into the leader. Needs to be
cut back to newer looking braid which is sharper. Thats a damn good point, Maybe one of those details why some ppl have issues with the FG...like not pulling each turn up before the next turn/hitch Good practice is always cut back to good undamaged line, regardless of line type. See it so often on the boat, people dont check mainline or trace for damage when re tying or dropping again.. espec after a good fish has been caught.. |