7 steps
FG Knot
Braid main line to a fluorocarbon leader. The join is slim and passes rod guides. Also called the FG with a uni finish, the Rizzuto finish, and the double-line FG.
Use it for
Braid main line to a fluorocarbon leader. The join is slim and passes rod guides. Also called the FG with a uni finish, the Rizzuto finish, and the double-line FG.
This line
Keep tension on the braid while you weave. Slack weaves slip.
Avoid when
A first line-to-line knot. It takes practice and both hands.
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FG Knot
Step 1
Keep the braid tight (between rod and hand, foot and hand, or fingers). Lay the leader across the braid.
Step 2
Weave the braid around the leader, alternating sides: one wrap from one side, the next from the other side. Each pair is one double wrap. Make about 12–15 double wraps, roughly 1/2 to 3/4 inch (1.5–2 cm) of weave. Use more wraps for lighter line and fewer for heavier line.
Step 3
Every 5 or 6 pairs, push the wraps together so they stay tight against each other.
Step 4
Lock the weave with a half hitch of the braid tag around both the braid and the leader. Pull hard on the braid and the leader to set the weave.
Step 5
Tie 6–8 more half hitches around both lines, then pull the braid and the leader very hard in opposite directions so the braid bites into the leader.
Step 6
Trim the leader tag close to the knot. Finish with 3–4 half hitches (or a three-turn half hitch) of the braid tag around the braid main line only.
Step 7
Trim the braid tag and test with a hard pull. It should not slip.
The drawing follows this tying order. Pause, step, or scrub to stay with the words. The standing line runs to the reel. The tag is the short end you trim. Skin-hook means the point lies flat in the plastic, not out where grass can grab it.
Common mistakes
- Slack in the braid while weaving.
- Not pulling hard to set the weave before the finishing hitches.
- Finishing hitches tied around the leader instead of the braid.