The Alberto and the Albright are two similar knots for joining a heavier line to a lighter one, and the Alberto is essentially an improved Albright with extra wraps meant to make it stronger. On this How 2 Tuesday Knot Wars I tied several of each connecting 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon and pulled them on the tester to see which is really stronger. I had a feeling the Alberto might win, but the scale had its own opinion.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
In my test connecting 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon, the Albright was stronger, but barely. The Albright tested 13.2 pounds and the Alberto tested 13.15, and the Albright edged it out in every test I ran, so if you absolutely insist the Alberto is stronger, it may be in certain situations, but in this specific braid-to-fluorocarbon matchup the simpler Albright just won. Neither was a standout, though, so the more useful takeaway is that both came in on the marginal side of strength.
The Albright is the older knot, named after Florida Keys guide Jimmy Albright of Islamorada. You loop the heavier line over, pass the lighter line through, and wrap back down toward the bend before pulling tight. The Alberto, by Alberto Knie, is essentially an improved Albright: instead of wrapping back toward the bend, you start wrapping as you go through and then wrap back over yourself, a bit like a bimini, which in theory should make a stronger knot. In my test that theory did not hold up for this connection.
Both landed in the 13 pound range on 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon, with the Albright at 13.2 and the Alberto at 13.15. In my opinion that is not a real strong knot for 20 pound test. I have tested lots of knots that are stronger, and on Knot Wars I have had connections get up to eighteen, nineteen, even over twenty pounds, beyond the line's rating, so both of these came in on the marginal scale of strength, which is the bigger story than which one nudged ahead.
I like both knots very much for wire-to-fluorocarbon connections, and the Albright works very well for fly line to backing and for monofilament or fluorocarbon to wire. They make a nice, smooth connection that I will use in fly fishing and for wire-to-mono or wire-to-fluoro. For braid to fluorocarbon specifically, though, neither is a knot I choose personally, because I have tested other connections that hold much more. Use them where they shine, and consider stronger options for braid-to-fluoro.
If braid to fluorocarbon is your connection and you are relying on the Alberto or Albright, it is worth checking out some other knots, because both came in marginal here. I am not telling you to abandon a knot you trust, especially for the jobs where these excel, like wire connections and fly line to backing. Take this for what it is worth, though: in the 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon test, there are stronger options out there, and I have tested several on Knot Wars that beat both of these handily.
The Albright comes from Jimmy Albright, an old-time Florida Keys guide out of Islamorada, and it is a great way to join two dissimilar lines. The Alberto, from Alberto Knie, is basically an improved Albright with extra wraps that should, in theory, make it stronger. I had a feeling the Alberto might win, but maybe simpler is better for braid to fluorocarbon. I set up the matchup in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps I walk through in this How 2 Tuesday. I cover the detail behind each one in the episode.
I unpack each of these in the episode. Press play in the player above.
I tied several of each connecting 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon. The Albright tested 13.2, the Alberto 13.15, and the Albright edged it out every single time. On 20 pound test, honestly, neither is a real strong knot. This may hurt some feelings for the Alberto loyalists, but the Albright just barely won here. I read the numbers in the episode, so press play in the player above.
I like both of these very much, just not for braid to fluorocarbon. They make a nice smooth connection, and I reach for them with wire to fluorocarbon or mono, and the Albright for fly line to backing. For braid to fluoro, though, I have tested knots that get to eighteen, nineteen, even over twenty pounds, so there is much more strength available. I explain where each belongs in the episode, so press play in the player above.
So is the Alberto better than the Albright? In this 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon test, the Albright was better, but only just, and neither was a high performer. Sorry, Alberto.
If those are your braid-to-fluoro knots, it is worth checking out some others, because much more strength is available. Come back next week for more knots to test. Press play in the player above.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
Albright knot · Alberto knot · Jimmy Albright · Alberto Knie · Islamorada · Knot Wars · J Braid · J Fluoro · Daiwa · braid to fluorocarbon · snook · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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