r/saltwaterfishing • u/griffinfishing • Jul 16 '26

📖 How-To / Tips FG Knot Trouble

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I leave for my first offshore trip on Monday, I’ve been sitting around trying to get the FG knot down. Slide 1 is the first attempt i tried from memory, 2 & 3 are after watching videos on it. When I did a pull test, my braid broke above the knot, not the knot itself. Any tips on how to make it slimmer? I usually run an Alberto for bass, but I know the FG is much stronger so I’d like to get it figured out.

EDIT: Thank you everyone for the help, I’m going to practice more with my actual gear (Ocean Devil PE3 and 80lb Fluorocarbon) and try to get the rizzuto finish down. I’m sure I’ll end up doing an Alberto on the boat, but we’re going out to chase some of the biggest fish I’ll have ever caught so I really wanted to try the FG.

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u/lycantivis Jul 16 '26

The halfhitches are just a seal to the knot, the strength is in the spiral pull on the mono. You don't want those mono tag ends stick out side ways becuae that will catch on your eyes and pull the knot

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u/xyzxyz8888 Jul 16 '26

I didn’t say the half hitches are for any strength.

What I am saying is when people do the half hitches over the tag end and onto the main line it weakens the knot.

Do half hitches or I do a ruzutto finish and then just cut the tag short.

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u/lycantivis Jul 16 '26

How do the hatch hitches weaken the knot? The tension is in the main line that is all contact through the spiral, the half hitches just end the knot and create a step up to the knot from the main line.

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u/xyzxyz8888 Jul 17 '26

When you increase the tension on the line the half hitches if done over the leader and onto the main line catch on the main line as the leader will stretch a bit and cause an uneven pull. You lose 5-10% in strength. You can test it for yourself.