The Alberto knot is a line-to-line connection used to join two dissimilar lines, like braid or wire to monofilament or fluorocarbon. You double the leader, pass the other line through the loop, wrap up eight times and back eight times, and seat it down. On How 2 Tuesday I tie a knot and then actually test it on the scale. I tied this one with 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon, and the result was a little disappointing. In this audio episode I break it down. Press play above.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The Alberto knot is used to tie two dissimilar lines together. It works for wire or braid to monofilament, or braid to fluorocarbon. A lot of people really like it. You double over the leader, pass the lighter line through the loop, wrap up eight times and back over itself another eight, then feed the tag through the loop and seat it down. Trim the tags and you are ready to fish.
Tying 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon, the Alberto knot averaged 16.57 pounds, which is an 82.85 percent breaking strength. That is a little disappointing for a knot people like as much as this one. It is not my favorite for braid to fluorocarbon, and I have tested stronger connections for that job.
Double over your leader, then pass your monofilament or braid through the loop. Wrap it up eight times, then wrap back over itself another eight times, and feed the tag end through the loop you created with the leader. Pull on the tag ends, snug the knot down, trim the tags, and you are ready to go fishing. I walk through it in the episode.
It is not my favorite for that. With braid I think the line is too slippery for the Alberto to grip the way I want, and my test came back at 82.85 percent. I think the Alberto is much better for other materials, including wire and monofilament. For braid to fluorocarbon specifically, I have tested stronger knots.
I believe it comes down to the braid being slippery. The Alberto relies on wraps gripping the leader, and braid does not grip as well as monofilament does, so the connection gave up at 82.85 percent in my test. That is why I like it much more for wire and mono than for braid to fluorocarbon.
I document the breaking strength of every knot I tie on How 2 Tuesday, and I put it all in a free knot guide. Go to tomrowlandpodcast.com and download it for free. It shows you how the knots compare and links to the videos, so you can pick the best connection for your fishing.
People use the Alberto knot to tie two dissimilar lines together. It can be used for wire or braid to monofilament, or braid to fluorocarbon. The tie itself is straightforward: double the leader, pass the other line through, wrap up eight and back eight, feed the tag through the loop, and seat it. I walk through it step by step in the episode.
I tied this one with 20 pound braid to 40 pound fluorocarbon and seated it carefully before testing. A lot of people really like the Alberto, so I wanted to give it a fair shake on the scale. I cover the tie and how it seated in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The average breaking strength came back at 16.57 pounds, which is 82.85 percent. That is pretty disappointing for the Alberto, honestly. It is not my favorite for braid to fluorocarbon, because I think the braid is just too slippery for it. I explain that in the episode.
I like the Alberto knot, just not for braid to fluorocarbon. For wire and monofilament I think it is much better, and there it earns its reputation. For braid to fluoro at 82.85 percent, I have tested stronger.
If you want to see how all of these knots stack up against one another, I keep a free knot guide at tomrowlandpodcast.com. Press play above for the full breakdown.
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.
Alberto knot · braid · fluorocarbon · monofilament · wire · dissimilar lines · knot guide · Danco · How 2 Tuesday
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 knots and technique to gear and the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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