Alberto vs. Double Albright vs. FG Knot

This Winter I have been learning other fluorocarbon to braid knots. I currently use the Alberto but I wanted to also learn the Double Albright and FG knot. The factors I look for include strength, ease to tie, size, and most importantly consistency. In learning these knots I used 10lb Naofil and 10lb Fluorocarbon and some YouTube videos. Listed below are my initial notes and observations

Alberto Knot – My current go to knot. It is pretty easy to tie, goes through your guides nice, and is pretty strong. I use 10 wraps but find it can sometimes be inconstant to wrap to last 10 wraps back over the first 10. The first 10 wraps are easy but if too many of the last 10 wraps bunch up you will have an inconsistent knot. I find this knot does have some inconsistency in how it is tied because it hard to get tension on the line for perfect wraps. However, when tied perfectly it fishes great.

Double Albright Knot – I just learned this knot and haven’t fished it. My initial observations are that this knot is very strong but larger than the Alberto because of the double wraps. I used 20 warps and the braid completely encapsulated the fluorocarbon to protect it. Even after a couple hours of trying to learn this knot I found it very difficult to get the wraps to stack consistently from knot to knot. I thought there was too much technique involved with the fingers to get it to stack nice. Similar to the Alberto, it is hard to keep tension on the line when performing the back wraps. Even after a couple hours of learning this knot about half the knots I tied I would fish with. I had a lot of trouble with the wraps bunching.

FG Knot – Just learned this knot too and haven’t fished it. My initial observations are that this knot is very strong, very easy to tie, small (even thinner than the Alberto), and consistent to stack the braid wraps. I used 20 wraps and it only took me 2 tries to tie it correctly. I was amazed how small this knot is and how easy it was to tie the wraps. Because there is tension on the line the wraps are perfect every time. If you ever miss wrap it is very obvious to see. There are also a couple optional half hitches that cover the fluorocarbon tag. This makes a perfect knot with nothing to catch your eyes when going through the rod. The one negative with this knot is that you need tension on the line when creating the wraps. The best way I found is holding the braid with your teeth. This knot requires two hands plus a way to get tension on the line. The YouTube channel Salt Strong claimed knot is the strongest fluorocarbon to braid through their testing (even stronger than the Alberto).

Those are KWP’s initial notes and observations with some new braid to fluorocarbon knots. These still need to be field tested for consistency which I feel is the most important attribute in any knot. I will report back later this Summer on my finding. Also, if anybody has a knot test fixture I would really like to test the actual strength of these knots.

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FG is awesome. I first had issues because I didn’t tie the half hitches at the end or pulling on the ends after the wraps to cinch the coils. If I can tie it, anyone can. The knot is so strong that my leader will break before the knot comes apart.

Double Albright for me! Never had one give out. Even use it on my ice rods. Slips thru the spring bobbers easily.

The trick seems to be which ends to pull and when.

I usually tie it once per year if you use a 6′ leader. By the end of the summer, the leader is short from constantly retying baits.

I think we all know who the FG Knot is named for. Ahhh-hemh. Glad to see this fine knot getting the recognition it deserves.

The Famous Grouse

gixxer01 wrote:

Double Albright for me! Never had one give out. Even use it on my ice rods. Slips thru the spring bobbers easily.
The trick seems to be which ends to pull and when.

That’s the thing I didn’t like about this knot. Anything “with a trick”, “arty fartsy”, or “too techniquey” I don’t like. Too inconsistent to sinch down even though it seemed strong. I am not saying the FG is better only that is very easy to wrap the braid and it was obvious if it twisted in any way. You wrap it with tension on both the fluorocarbon and braid.

In case you are wondering, here is the best video I found for the FG knot.

kwp wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gixxer01 wrote:</div>
Double Albright for me! Never had one give out. Even use it on my ice rods. Slips thru the spring bobbers easily.
The trick seems to be which ends to pull and when.

That’s the thing I didn’t like about this knot. Anything “with a trick”, “arty fartsy”, or “too techniquey” I don’t like. Too inconsistent to sinch down even though it seemed strong. I am not saying the FG is better only that is very easy to wrap the braid and it was obvious if it twisted in any way. You wrap it with tension on both the fluorocar

The hardest part I have is at the end trying to figure out which way to send the tag end back thru. It must go back thru opposite the direction you started or you will have issues.

Not sure why so many issues, one quick refresher on YouTube and I had all my Ice rods done in 20 minutes.

Do you have Squatch hands?

gixxer01 wrote:

Not sure why so many issues, one quick refresher on YouTube and I had all my Ice rods done in 20 minutes.

Do you have Squatch hands?

My hands are very big. Too much variation which I don’t like in between knots tying the Double Albright. Variation is bad. One looks good the other bad even with the YouTube videos. Did you try the FG?

Proud member of the #saltstrong tribe…

Those Simmons bros are building quite the brand.

kwp wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gixxer01 wrote:</div>
Not sure why so many issues, one quick refresher on YouTube and I had all my Ice rods done in 20 minutes.

Do you have Squatch hands?

My hands are very big. Too much variation which I don’t like in between knots tying the Double Albright. Variation is bad. One looks good the other bad even with the YouTube videos. Did you try the FG?

Never needed to try it. The double Albright will straighten a 1/0 hook on 10 lb. line. More strength than I need. Besides, I can’t get over how long of a knot the FG is.

What I need to find is a better knot for attaching to the lure. Been using the clinch forever, but it is the weekest point of my setup, I think. Never recovered a lost jig to see what failed.
Seems to break right before the knot.

The length of the FG Knot is the beauty of it. I use micro guides, and because the FG has a very gradual transition in size across that length, I never have problems with my micros. Also, in that length, it provides the grip surface to lock the FC in the braid solidly. Once I found this knot, I do not use any other knots to join my FC leaders.

I like the YT vid KWB posted, but I started with “minimalist fg knot” vid on YT.

If the line on your FC is breaking before the knot at the jig, it will be from heat damage caused by friction when locking your knot down. Use excessive lubrication and slowly lock the knot together. If it’s the knot breaking, you can try the Palomar knot, I don’t use it, but it consistently tests out as one of the strongest knots on knot wars. I started using the Fishermans Fool knot, with excellent results, which was another knot war champion.

Just a few ideas to ponder

raynestorm wrote:

If the line on your FC is breaking before the knot at the jig, it will be from heat damage caused by friction when locking your knot down. Use excessive lubrication and slowly lock the knot together. If it’s the knot breaking, you can try the Palomar knot, I don’t use it, but it consistently tests out as one of the strongest knots on knot wars. I started using the Fishermans Fool knot, with excellent results, which was another knot war champion.

Just a few ideas to ponder

I saw a video of Brett King whipping up a knot once. Looked simple, can’t remember its name though.

Even spitting on the clinch gives me the wavy heat stressed line. Maybe I’m just drawing it tight wrong. I usually pull the mainline while holding the tag in place.

gixxer01 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>raynestorm wrote:</div>
If the line on your FC is breaking before the knot at the jig, it will be from heat damage caused by friction when locking your knot down. Use excessive lubrication and slowly lock the knot together. If it’s the knot breaking, you can try the Palomar knot, I don’t use it, but it consistently tests out as one of the strongest knots on knot wars. I started using the Fishermans Fool knot, with excellent results, which was another knot war champion.

Just a few ideas to ponder

I saw a video of Brett King whipping up a knot once. Looked simple, can’t remember its name though.

Even spitting on the clinch gives me the wavy heat stressed line. Maybe I’m just drawing it tight wrong. I usually pull the mainline while holding the tag in place.

Use excessive lubrication and slowly lock the knot together

I started to learn this line to hook knot this Winter but haven’t fished with it yet. It’s called the double uni knot. Elite Bass Pro Aaron Martens says it is the strongest knot he has found for fluorocarbon and braid (4 to 6 wraps for FC and 8 to 10 for braid).

It takes a little time to learn but seems incredibly strong. It is actually a sinch and not a knot.

Watching that guy tie an FG knot was like watching a guy do brain surgery. I’ll have 8 or 10 fish in the boat by the time he gets done tying that knot.
That video takes 5 minutes.

I use a tie-fast tool to make a double nail knot, or I use a small swivel.

SR

Steve Root wrote:

Watching that guy tie an FG knot was like watching a guy do brain surgery. I’ll have 8 or 10 fish in the boat by the time he gets done tying that knot.
That video takes 5 minutes.

I use a tie-fast tool to make a double nail knot, or I use a small swivel.

SR

Agreed this knot takes a little longer to tie. After a little practice I have been able to do it around 40 seconds though with my fishing gloves on too. However, this knot seems strong as nails.

“However, this knot seems strong as nails.”

I’ll have to try this out. Thanks for posting the video KWP

There is a second video in response to the complaints that it takes too long. He ties it in 60 seconds. Once you’ve done it just a couple times, you’ll be able to do it in that amount of time, if not less.

Hi Guys!
I tried all of these and I still prefer the Alberto as my go to. You do NOT need 10 wrap backs…trust me… on a guide trip with neophytes I get to tie several leaders (fluor to braid) in a day…Seven down, seven back…normally using 10-15# braid to an 8-10# fluoro…caught hundreds of big bass and nasty Pike w/o breakoffs Guiding and personally. Mostly with micro guide rods.
Maybe because I’ve had so much practice at it

Here’s the Brett King one.

Bretts knot is a tried/true walleye knot that my partner Al taught me back about 1998…I forgot it. But it is very easy to tie once you get the hang of dropping the loop off your fingers. I need to revisit that on…Thanks for posting!

tom_gursky wrote:

Bretts knot is a tried/true walleye knot that my partner Al taught me back about 1998…I forgot it. But it is very easy to tie once you get the hang of dropping the loop off your fingers. I need to revisit that on…Thanks for posting!

Tom, Looks like Brett’s knot is single loop? I have been using Nanofil and Gliss the last few years for extra casting distance. Seems like there are only a few knots that work with this fused dynema (not really braid as we know it). Stuff is really hard to knot and cinches like the double uni or double pitzen seem to work best. With mono, almost any knot works it seems.

Here’s the 60 second video

I started out with the double uni to uni knot, years ago. It’s a no go for micro guides. I have broke at the knot a couple times as well.

I throw 1 little wrinkle into the Aberto knot. Just before winding up, I pass the tag end of the braid in between the leader ends which locks down the bottom twists. Not sure if it matters, but gives me more confidence. I am definitely going to have to give the FG knot a try though.

Another trick I read on the internet is using Chapstick as you knot lubricating material. I put a dab on my thumb and index finger and rub it into the knot just before it tightens.

The new Nano braided polymer/monofilament lines…Gliss (Ardent) and Nanobraid (Sufix) came out after ICAST last fall…
I have not researched the Gliss but I’m pretty sure James has used the Nanobraid as he is a Rapala Staffer. I have only tried the Nanobraid in my yard but it casts a mile without effort. I set up my spinning rod with the 10# and used the Alberto for an 8# fluoro leader connector. I pulled hard until the fluoro broke…but the knot held. It is supposed to be knot “friendly” according to the link below…
I am excited to fish it this spring and report its “fishibility”

http://www.thefishingwire.com/story/353394

BTW…this stuff is ULTRA thin… Sufix only makes it in 2 thru 10# and it is for Finesse and/or
light line fishing.
Gliss looks to be applicable to a more standard range of gamefish…How do you like it KWP?

tom_gursky wrote:

BTW…this stuff is ULTRA thin… Sufix only makes it in 2 thru 10# and it is for Finesse and/or
light line fishing.
Gliss looks to be applicable to a more standard range of gamefish…How do you like it KWP?

Tom, The whole reason I started looking at other knots was because I was having problems with some of the traditional ones – the polamar knot in particular.

I have used both nanofil and gliss. I haven’t tried sufix nanobraid but they are all similar in that all three are 100% fused dyneema. Berkley recommends the double polamar with nanofil but I found the double pitzen and double uni much better knots on both nanofil and gliss.

The reason these lines cast 30% farther than regular braid is because they are so thin and slippery. I have even had problems with a traditional 7 wrap alberto knot slipping too.

These new generation lines are incredible but are not as knot friendly as other braids. Maybe James can comment on his experience with sufix nanobraid.

The Gliss and Nanobraid are not Dyneema… Gliss is a polymer like used in hybrid mono and Nano braid is a braided mono super line …Here is a note I got from a bass nation angler who uses finesse techniques for Smallies on the Great Lakes.

“so, nanobraid, I am really impressed with this line so far, to the point that i bought another spool (6lb, .004″) for a new rod. its a little more noisy than im used to with 832 and PP super slick (my personal benchmarks for braids right now), but, damn this stuff is great. its not nearly as stiff as nanofil, very limp right out of the package, it casts just as well, and is MUCH, MUCH stronger. have not had a single break off with the 8lb, including a 30+ lb carp that i snagged in the tail, in heavy current. and it seems pretty abrasion reistent, have been using a leader recently, but when i tied directly in a rocky/zebra muscley area, i had no abrasion issues. also, i have not had a single wind knot, or loop on the spool with this line, which to me is pretty amazing, as i usually get one once ina while.

at the moment, unless something drastically changes with the lines handling, strength or durability, it will be my line of choice going forward!”

I trust his judgement and will try it…He is using standard knots…which is huge for a super smooth line