Tie

FG Knot

Braid woven under tension around a tight leader so compression, not bulk, creates grip. Geometry-first connection — not a beginner field knot.

Advanced · Braid / Monofilament / Fluorocarbon

Tie it · 4 steps Check the finishAll diagrams Applications

Connection card

FG Knot

For braid → leader.

What it joins Braid → leader. In braid, monofilament, fluorocarbon.

Turns 6 to 8, then 3 or 4. Count them before you seat it; afterwards you are guessing.

Shape Tight alternating braid weave compressing leader with clean lock hitches

Tag end Leader tag trimmed very short; braid tag short after locks

Seated Fully compressed braid into leader surface

Start again if Crossed lower FG wraps. Load concentrates and the weave slips off the leader

This card does not say how strong the knot is. A retention figure comes from a bench, in one material, at one diameter, tied by somebody who ties it all day — and the line in your hand is none of those. What it does tell you is whether the thing you have just tied is the thing the record describes.

What this plate is telling you

Braid woven under tension around a tight leader so compression, not bulk, creates grip. Geometry-first connection — not a beginner field knot.

Save this as a picture and it works with a dead signal and a nearly dead battery, which is when a joint is most often tied badly. The rest of this page — the steps, the seating sequence, the failure modes and the bench — is for the evening before.

Why this knot

What it earns its place with, what it costs, and what to reach for instead.

Best for

Braid to leaderJoining linesHigh strength

Not ideal for

Beginners needing a fast re-tie in wind
Joining two similar mono lines (use Double Uni or Blood)

Common mistakes

Letting the braid go slack while weaving
Skipping an over-and-under alternation, or leaving a loose wrap
Letting go of the weave before the first half hitches are on
Trimming the tags before the hard pull

Alternatives

Alberto KnotIntermediate
Joining braid to a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader, or two other lines of different diameter
Double Uni KnotBeginner
Reliable way to join two lines of similar or moderately different diameters
Albright SpecialIntermediate
Classic knot for joining lines of different diameters, including braid to mono and some fly-line style connections
Yucatan KnotIntermediate
Joining a heavier mono leader to a lighter braid or mono main line that has first been doubled with a Bimini twist or spider hitch

Before you start

·Keep the braid tight the whole time. The sources hold it between rod and foot, over a knee, or between finger and thumb.
·The grip comes from tight braid biting into the leader from the first wrap. The half hitches stop the weave creeping.
·Weave to a length of about 1.5 to 2 cm rather than a set count: more wraps on light line, fewer on heavy.
·Animated Knots calls it somewhat complicated to learn. Try it at home before tying it on the water.

Line + hardware: Braid mainline, Mono or fluoro leaderTools: Tension from rod or helper, Clippers

How to tie it — Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1

1Braid, held tight

2Leader's end, laid across

swipe to step

01.1

Pin the braid so it stays tight, and lay the leader across it near the braid's end

Hold:: The braid is held tight between the rod and your teeth, or pinned under a foot
Move:: Right hand lays the leader's end across the braid at a shallow angle

You should now see: A tight, straight braid with the leader crossing it close to the braid's tag end.

Written step 01

Put steady tension on the braid by pinning the main line so it cannot move, then lay the end of the leader across the braid at a shallow angle.

You should now see

A tight, straight braid with the leader crossing it close to the braid's tag end.

If it goes wrong

Letting the braid go slack. Wraps laid on slack braid sit loose, and the knot slips the first time it is loaded.

Fix: Pin the braid again so it stays tight, then start the wraps over.

Why: The FG holds because tight braid bites into the leader, and that grip is set from the first wrap.

arrow keys work

Tying procedure — FG Knot

Step 01 / 4
Put steady tension on the braid by pinning the main line so it cannot move, then lay the end of the leader across the braid at a shallow angle.
You should now see: A tight, straight braid with the leader crossing it close to the braid's tag end.
If it goes wrong: Letting the braid go slack. Wraps laid on slack braid sit loose, and the knot slips the first time it is loaded.
Fix: Pin the braid again so it stays tight, then start the wraps over.
Why: The FG holds because tight braid bites into the leader, and that grip is set from the first wrap.
1Braid, held tight
2Leader's end, laid across
Step 1 of 4 · move 1 of 1
Pin the braid so it stays tight, and lay the leader across it near the braid's end
Hold: The braid is held tight between the rod and your teeth, or pinned under a foot
Move: Right hand lays the leader's end across the braid at a shallow angle
You should now see: A tight, straight braid with the leader crossing it close to the braid's tag end.
Step 02 / 4
Wrap the braid tag around the leader, alternating over and under, until the woven section is about 1.5 to 2 cm long. Use more wraps on light line and fewer on heavy.
You should now see: A tight woven section climbing the leader, each wrap snug against the last, with no leader showing between wraps.
If it goes wrong: A skipped alternation or a loose wrap. The weave looks fine until the first hard pull, then slides.
Fix: Unwind back to the last tight pair of wraps and weave on from there.
Why: The length of the weave matters more than a wrap count, because the right count changes with line diameter.
1Fold, where the lines crossed
2Tag, wrapping back
Step 2 of 4 · move 1 of 2
Wrap the braid tag round the leader, alternating so each pass crosses over, then under
Hold: The braid stays tight while the leader is held straight
Move: Right hand takes the tag round the leader, first from one side, then the other
1Weave, about 1.5 to 2 cm
Step 2 of 4 · move 2 of 2
Keep alternating until the weave is 1.5 to 2 cm long, each wrap snug on the last
Hold: The braid stays tight; squeeze the wraps together every five or six pairs
Move: Right hand keeps taking the tag round, one side then the other
You should now see: A tight woven section climbing the leader, each wrap snug against the last, with no leader showing between wraps.
Step 03 / 4
Pinch where the lines meet so the weave cannot loosen, then tie 6 to 8 half hitches with the braid tag around both the leader and the braid.
You should now see: A row of half hitches locking the top of the weave, with the weave still tight underneath.
If it goes wrong: Letting go of the weave before the first hitches are on, so it spreads and loosens.
Fix: Push the wraps back together by hand before adding hitches. If the weave has opened up, weave it again.
Why: The hitches stop the weave from creeping. Without them the knot slips on the first hard pull.
1Half hitches round both lines
Step 3 of 4 · move 1 of 1
Pinch the weave, then tie six half hitches with the tag round both lines
Hold: Left hand pinches where the lines meet so the weave cannot loosen
Move: Right hand ties each half hitch round the leader and the braid, pulling it down
You should now see: A row of half hitches locking the top of the weave, with the weave still tight underneath.
Step 04 / 4
Pull the braid and the leader hard in opposite directions. Trim the leader tag close, then tie 3 or 4 half hitches with the braid tag around the braid and trim it.
You should now see: A slim, tapered join, the leader tag cut close, and a short row of hitches on the braid above the weave.
If it goes wrong: Cutting tags before the hard pull, so a weave that would have slipped goes out on the water.
Fix: Pull hard before you trim anything. If the weave moves, cut it off and tie the knot again.
Why: The last hitches are braid around braid, which gives the join a smooth end to pass through the guides.
Step 4 of 4 · move 1 of 2
Pull the braid and the leader hard in opposite directions
Hold: Left hand pulls the braid's standing part toward the rod
Move: Right hand pulls the leader the other way, hard and steady
1Half hitches round the braid alone
2Leader tag, cut close
Step 4 of 4 · move 2 of 2
Trim the leader tag close, tie three half hitches round the braid, and trim it
Hold: Left hand holds the knot with the braid kept tight
Move: Right hand trims the leader tag, ties the hitches round the braid and trims the tag
You should now see: A slim, tapered join, the leader tag cut close, and a short row of hitches on the braid above the weave.

What this is based onReference review, not yet tied

Record: Reviewed 2026-08-13. 3 sources are cited for this record.
Drawing: Checked against published references and found to be this knot. Not yet tied from the drawing. Recorded 2026-09-21.
Known limits: None that stop a reader following it were confirmed in the plate audit of 2026-09-24; smaller findings were not all re-checked.
Older drawing: An older drawing of this knot is withdrawn and shown nowhere. The audit's reason: Draws the wraps in the leader's colour round a straight braid, with the braid in the standing colour. In an FG the thin braid is plaited over a straight leader — the reverse — and the figure's own description says so.
Strength: 73.4% of the weaker line, one entrant's plain FG, 15 lb Spiderwire braid to 30 lb fluorocarbon leader, as a percent of the braid's measured unknotted break (34.4 lb) rather than its 15 lb rating — against the rating the same break would read far higher; the 'improved FG' variant, a different knot, took 80.9% light and 82.1% heavy. Measured — Sport Fishing (Doug Olander). From a published break test, on that tester's line, tying and pull rate.

Watch the tie

Easiest way to tie the FG Knot (braid to leader)Salt Strong · Opens on YouTube

External video from a creator we follow — not produced by us. Nothing on this page loads from YouTube until you follow the link.

Seating sequence — where failures are born

The step list compresses the finish. Run these phases in order, one at a time.

01 Moisten
Wet the plait before locking.
Leader stays loaded.
02 Load
Pull braid and leader against each other steadily.
Progressive, never sudden.
03 Dress
Slide the plait tight along the leader.
Held constant.
04 Set
Lock with half hitches, then load hard to prove the bite.
Full expected fighting load.
05 Trim
Trim leader tag close, braid tag slightly longer.
None.

Finished structure — what correct looks like

Drawn from a rope model of this knot: which strand passes over which comes from where the rope actually lies.

Structure: Tight alternating braid weave compressing leader with clean lock hitches
Standing line: Leader and braid collinear
Tag end: Leader tag trimmed very short; braid tag short after locks
Wraps: Even wrap stack, no gaps
Seating: Fully compressed braid into leader surface

Verify before you load it

Every line is pass or fail. One fail means retie — do not load a knot you argued with.

01Tight alternating braid weave compressing leader with clean lock hitches
02Fully compressed braid into leader surface
03Leader tag trimmed very short; braid tag short after locks
04Even wrap stack, no gaps
05No accidental crossed lower wraps
06Lock hitches seated above solid transition

Something failed → open Diagnose

Field notes — dark, cold, gloves

·Not a knot to invent in the dark. Pre-tie leaders at home and carry them wound on foam.
·Cold hands lose braid tension before they lose grip — anchor the tag, do not pinch it.
·If it slips twice, the leader is too slick or too heavy for the braid. Change the pairing.

FG Knot — finished-state checks, on the shared reference layout — Hook the Horizon reference plate

Failure modes

When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.

FG Knot — what fails and what to do — Hook the Horizon reference plate

FG / Alberto family

Braid wrapped onto a heavier leader, then locked so the join cannot hinge.

!Hinge at the material transition — the join clicks, then parts
!Wraps not packed on the heavier line before the lock
!Lock or tag on the wrong side of the braid, so the column unzips

Fails when

!Braid slack while the wraps were laid
!A skipped alternation or loose wrap in the weave
!Weave not locked with half hitches
!No hard final pull to tighten the weave before fishing

Geometry

Crossed lower FG wraps
Load concentrates and the weave slips off the leader
FG is distributed braid compression, not a barrel you can bunch · step 02
Weave left loose — uncompressed leader will dump
Catastrophic slip under load
Incomplete seating leaves the leader uncompressed · step 04
Lock hitches missing or walking
Unlock under cyclic casting load
The finish hitches stop the weave from walking · step 03
Leader exits off-axis through the jacket
Uneven compression; hinge risk
Braid must jacket the leader on-axis · step 02

If you saw this

Braid slides off leader
Check
- ?Inspect for gaps in the weave
- ?Pull-test before fishing
Then
- →Retie under firm leader tension
- →Add wraps
- →Practice on the dock, not in a fish fight
Cannot keep wraps neat
Check
- ?Try with heavier practice braid first
Then
- →Use Alberto or Double Uni until FG is reliable
- →Build muscle memory with 20 practice reps
Braid coils look alternating-open or uneven before locks.
Check
- ?Look for: Braid coils look alternating-open or uneven before locks.
Then
- →Retie with even tension; count and maintain direction.
Weave slides on the leader before half-hitches engage.
Check
- ?Look for: Weave slides on the leader before half-hitches engage.
Then
- →Add wraps for material; seat weave firmly before locks.
Leader shows whitening, kink, or deep deformation under the weave.
Check
- ?Look for: Leader shows whitening, kink, or deep deformation under the weave.
Then
- →Match diameters; wet and draw progressively; retie if crushed.
After a day of casting, the junction hangs in guides.
Check
- ?Look for: After a day of casting, the junction hangs in guides.
Then
- →Trim tags, re-dress locks, or switch to a slimmer connection family.
Finished check failed — loose or alternating-open braid coils
Check
- ?braid weave is evenly tensioned around a straight leader
- ?locking half-hitches are compact and do not walk
- ?leader is not visibly crushed or kinked
Then
- →Retie. slip, guide impact, or leader damage under load.
Crossed lower FG wraps
Check
- ?Load concentrates and the weave slips off the leader
- ?Inspect step 02
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Weave left loose — uncompressed leader will dump
Check
- ?Catastrophic slip under load
- ?Inspect step 04
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Lock hitches missing or walking
Check
- ?Unlock under cyclic casting load
- ?Inspect step 03
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

Same family

Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.

This failed — start Diagnose

The bench · rep 1

Get it right with everything in your favour0/5 clean

Nothing logged on this knot yet, so it starts on the bottom rung.

Good light, dry hands, a table. Until the sequence is automatic here there is nothing for the harder rungs to test — you would only be learning that difficult conditions are difficult, which you already knew.

How · Tie it, check it against the list, log it. Five clean and the ladder opens.

Conditions for this rep

Main lineJoined to

What went wrong, if anything

Nothing marked. Log it clean, or mark what happened first.

Name and construction

FG is the name every source read for this record uses. Animated Knots and 101knots also call it the GT and the Sebile, after Patrick Sébile; Animated Knots' list of other names spells it Sebille. NetKnots gives it no other name. Salt Strong uses GT for a different knot, with a figure-8 in the leader, and tests the two against each other. A video or a strength result labelled GT may be this knot or another one — check which construction it shows before carrying anything across.

Wraps: Single braid and the leader woven together in alternating crossed wraps; no knot is tied in the leader.
Lock: Half hitches with the braid tag round both lines, then round the braid alone.
Needs: Steady tension on the braid while the weave goes on
Also called: GT (Animated Knots and 101knots) · Sebile (101knots and Animated Knots) · Sebille (Animated Knots)

gt-knot — Animated Knots and 101knots call this knot the GT; this catalogue's GT Knot record teaches a different construction.
Figure-8 GT — Salt Strong tests a figure-8 GT against the FG as a separate knot.

Sources disagree: Is 'GT' another name for the FG?

Animated Knots — FG KnotYes. Lists Sebille Knot and GT Knot as other names for the FG, and in its text calls it the Sebile Knot, after Patrick Sébile.
101knots — FG KnotYes. Opens by giving Sebile and GT as other names for the FG.
NetKnots — FG KnotNames it FG only, with no GT and no Sebile or Sebille.
Salt Strong — GT Knot vs FG KnotNo. Describes the GT as a uni on the braid side and a figure-eight on the leader side, and tests it against the FG as a separate knot.

Strength, and where the number comes from

73.4% of the weaker line

Measured

one entrant's plain FG, 15 lb Spiderwire braid to 30 lb fluorocarbon leader, as a percent of the braid's measured unknotted break (34.4 lb) rather than its 15 lb rating — against the rating the same break would read far higher; the 'improved FG' variant, a different knot, took 80.9% light and 82.1% heavy

Strongest Fishing Knots Connecting Braid to Leader — Sport Fishing (Doug Olander)

Percentages come from published tests on their own line, their own knot-tyer and their own pull rate. Yours is a different system. Treat a figure as a reason to test, not as a result you already have.

Sources for this record

Animated Knots by Grog — FG Knot
Common offshore / inshore braid-to-leader practiceno link on file
Sport Fishing Mag — Strongest braid-to-leader challenge results
Recovered from this record’s historical modelSourceId registry.

Record reviewed 2026-08-13

Vetted references

FG Knot — Animated Knots
Animated Knots by Grog
Easiest way to tie the FG Knot (braid to leader)
Salt Strong

Test yourself

Take the Specialist quiz — can you recognise this knot's finished state and failure modes?

Related knots

Already tied it?

Check the finished knot against what correct looks like before you load it.