The best knot to tie braid to fluorocarbon is the FG knot, which tested so strong the 40 pound leader broke before the knot did. I compared four connections with 50 pound braid to a 40 pound leader: the Aussie quickie at 13.83 pounds, the J knot at 15.15, the double uni at 18.04, and the FG at 28.84. In this How 2 Tuesday I break down all four and crown the one that stands above the rest.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The FG knot is the best by a wide margin. I tested four braid-to-fluorocarbon knots with 50 pound braid tied to a 40 pound fluorocarbon leader, and the FG broke at 28.84 pounds, which actually is not even a fair number because the 40 pound leader broke, not the knot. I retied and tested again, and again the leader broke while the FG stayed intact. So the knot I tied to the leader was stronger than the leader itself. The FG is the king.
Starting from the bottom, the Aussie quickie broke at 13.83 pounds, the weakest of the four. The J knot came in third at 15.15 pounds. The double uni, or uni-to-uni, was slightly better at 18.04 pounds. And the FG knot blew the others out of the water at 28.84 pounds, where the 40 pound leader itself broke rather than the knot. All four were tied with 50 pound braid to a 40 pound fluorocarbon leader for a fair comparison.
The FG knot is not really a knot, it is more of a weave or braid that grips the line like a finger trap, where the harder you pull, the harder it grabs. That gripping action is exactly why it is the strongest braid-to-fluoro connection, but it is also the slowest to tie. A lot of people are afraid of it, but it is not actually that hard once you practice. If you want the strongest connection, it is well worth learning, and you can follow the tying steps in the episode.
Using braided line on spinning and conventional rods is a major advantage we rely on all the time in saltwater, and tying it to a fluorocarbon leader makes a big difference in how the rig fishes. Braid gives you thin diameter, no stretch, and capacity, while the fluoro leader gives you abrasion resistance and a less visible connection to the fish. The challenge people wrestle with is the connection itself, which is why I tested four ways to join them.
The Aussie quickie is a very easy braid-to-fluoro knot. You tie a Bimini in the braid, wrap the doubled braid around the outside of the Bimini 13 times, then come back through the original loop, hold both for a moment, and pull down on the standing line so it fuses into a beautiful little knot. It is the prettiest of the four, but in my test it was also the weakest, breaking at just 13.83 pounds, so looks did not translate into strength here.
The double uni, or uni-to-uni, is one of my standby knots for all kinds of connections, fluorocarbon, monofilament, and braid to fluorocarbon. You lay the lines parallel, make a uni knot five times around on one side, repeat on the other, then slide the two knots together. It is simple and dependable, and at 18.04 pounds it tested slightly stronger than the Aussie quickie and the J knot. Still, it came in well behind the FG, which was in another league.
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how to tie braid to fluorocarbon. People run braid on spinning and conventional rods for the advantage, then need to join it to a fluoro leader, and that connection is where they wrestle. I have four knots I use, and one stands above all. I explain why this rig matters in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the four knots I tested and how I think about each. I cover the tying details in the episode.
I unpack each knot in the episode. Press play in the player above.
The FG is not really a knot, it is a weave that grips the line like a finger trap, gripping harder the more you pull. That is why it tested at 28.84 pounds, where the 40 pound leader broke instead of the knot, twice. It is the slowest to tie and a lot of people fear it, but it is worth learning. I walk through it in the episode, so press play in the player above.
With 50 pound braid to a 40 pound leader, the Aussie quickie broke at 13.83, the J knot at 15.15, the double uni at 18.04, and the FG blew them away at 28.84. The prettiest knot was the weakest, and the ugliest was the strongest. I break down what that means for your rig in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Keep a fast knot like the double uni for when you are in a hurry, but if you want the strongest braid-to-fluoro connection there is, learn the FG.
It takes practice, but a knot stronger than your leader is worth every minute. 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.
FG knot · Aussie quickie · J knot · double uni knot · uni-to-uni knot · Bimini twist · braid to fluorocarbon · fluorocarbon leader · Danco pliers · Star brite · Nikon · 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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