Knot guide · Advanced
FG Knot: How to Tie It
The FG knot joins braided mainline to a fluorocarbon or mono leader, mostly in lure fishing, and it is the slimmest, strongest braid to leader join going. The weave bites into the leader in a herringbone pattern and sails through rod rings without the clack you get from bulkier joins.
Published by the GilledIt editorial team · Last reviewed 2026-08-19 · Part of the fishing knot library
Step by step
How to tie the fg knot
- 1
Put the braid under tension
Keep the braid under tension while you work: hold it in your teeth or wrap it around a finger.
- 2
Weave the herringbone
Lay the leader against the braid and weave the braid over and under the leader in alternating wraps, around 15 to 20 in total, so the braid bites into the leader in a herringbone pattern.
- 3
Lock the wraps
Lock the wraps in place with two or three half hitches of braid around both lines.
- 4
Trim and finish the hitches
Trim the leader tag close, then finish with a few more half hitches over the braid alone.
- 5
Bed it down
Wet the knot and bed everything down with a firm, steady pull. A properly seated FG visibly bites into the leader and will not slide.
Two rules apply to every knot: wet it with saliva before pulling it tight, because dry friction weakens mono and fluorocarbon at the exact point you need strength, and tighten slowly, then test with a firm pull before you cast.
Get it right
Common mistakes to avoid
Losing braid tension mid-weave. This is the failure behind most slipped FGs: the wraps only bite into the leader if the braid stays taut throughout. Keep it in your teeth or around a finger, and start again if it goes slack.
Wrapping in one direction instead of alternating. The over-under herringbone is what locks the braid into the leader; same-direction wraps make a spiral that looks similar and slides straight off under load.
Loose or skipped locking half hitches. The weave holds the load, but the half hitches hold the weave. Two or three snug hitches around both lines, then more over the braid alone, are not optional.
Trimming the leader tag before the hitches are locked. Trim early and the last wraps can creep off the end of the leader as you finish the knot.
Not testing the seated knot. Pull hard on braid and leader before fishing: a good FG visibly bites in and will not slide. If it moves at the bench it will fail on a fish.
How strong is it?
Retains around 90 to 95% of the braid's strength. Exact figures vary with line type, diameter and how well the knot is tied, so treat any percentage as a guide, not a guarantee.
When to use the fg knot
Joining braided mainline to a fluorocarbon or mono leader, especially in lure fishing where the join must pass through the rod rings on every cast. Practise it at home five or six times before you trust it on the bank; the double grinner is the fallback while you learn.
Which lines does the fg knot suit?
The FG exists for one pairing: braid woven onto a thicker mono or fluorocarbon leader, and it relies on that difference in diameter to bite. Thin, supple braids weave in beautifully; stiff, coated or very coarse braids take more wraps to grip, so lean towards 20 rather than 15 when the braid feels wiry. Leader-side, it handles the usual lure fishing range comfortably. As leaders get very heavy and stiff, the braid struggles to compress the leader enough to lock, and many anglers switch to an albright or a crimped connection at that point rather than fight it. It has no role joining two monos; that is blood knot or double grinner work.
The bigger picture
How does it compare?
Where the fg knot sits among the ten knots in the library, by the line types it suits, how much strength it keeps, how bulky the finished knot is, and how hard it is to tie.
| Knot | Best for | Strength retention | Bulk | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palomar Knot | Mono, fluorocarbon and braid | ~95% | Compact | Beginner |
| Grinner Knot (Uni Knot) | All line types | 90–95% | Moderate | Beginner |
| Improved Clinch Knot | Mono and fluorocarbon (not braid) | 90–95% | Slim | Beginner |
| Knotless Knot (Hair Rig) | Braided and coated hooklinks | ~90% | Slim (spread along the shank) | Beginner |
| FG Knot(this guide) | Braid to fluorocarbon or mono leader | 90–95% (of the braid) | Very slim | Advanced |
| Figure-of-Eight Loop | Mono and fluorocarbon hooklengths | 80–85% | Moderate | Beginner |
| Snell Knot | Mono and fluorocarbon (braid also snells well) | ~95% or better | Slim (spread along the shank) | Intermediate |
| Albright Knot | Two lines of clearly different diameters | 80–90% | Moderate | Intermediate |
| Surgeon's Knot | Two lines of similar diameter | ~90% (more in triple form) | Bulky | Beginner |
| Arbor Knot | All line types (braid needs backing or tape) | n/a — grip matters, not strength | n/a (buried on the spool) | Beginner |
FG Knot: common questions
It is the strongest mainstream choice, retaining around 90 to 95% of the braid's strength while staying slimmer than any comparable join. Its profile is the other half of the appeal: it passes through rod rings cleanly, which matters when the join is inside the rings on every cast.
Almost always because the braid was not kept under tension during the weave, so the wraps never bit into the leader, or because the locking half hitches were skipped or loose. Test every FG before fishing: pull hard on braid and leader, and a properly seated knot visibly bites into the leader and will not slide.
Around 15 to 20 alternating over and under wraps, so the braid forms a herringbone pattern that bites into the leader, then two or three half hitches around both lines to lock it, and a few more over the braid alone to finish.
The double grinner (uni to uni). It is quicker to learn, very reliable, and gives up little in practice, though it is bulkier through the rings. Many anglers fish the double grinner while they practise the FG at home, then switch once they can seat it consistently.
Keep learning
Related knots
Grinner Knot (Uni Knot)
Hooks, swivels and leads on any line type, especially when you need a dependable knot tied by feel in the dark or in heavy mono. Tie two grinners facing each other on overlapping lines and you have the double grinner, a sensible alternative to the FG knot for joining braid to a leader.
Read the guideAlbright Knot
Joining lines of clearly different diameters: braid to a thick mono or fluorocarbon shock leader for distance casting, or backing to a fly line. For lines of similar diameter, a double grinner or surgeon's knot is the simpler choice.
Read the guideSurgeon's Knot
Joining two lines of similar diameter quickly, attaching tippet to a fly leader, or building a paternoster link, especially mid session when speed matters. It is bulkier than a blood knot and sits slightly off axis, so it is not the join for repeated casting through small rings.
Read the guideFor all ten knots in one long read, see the fishing knots guide, or browse the full knot library. Ready to put it to work? The carp rig library shows what to tie next.
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