GT Knot
Heavy leader wrapped over a long doubled braid loop, folded back, wrapped again and tucked. A finger trap: it grips harder the harder it is pulled, which is why it is the popping and shock-leader choice.
Advanced · Braid / Monofilament / Fluorocarbon
Connection card
GT Knot
For braid → leader, double line → 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
Heavy leader wrapped over a long doubled braid loop, folded back, wrapped again and tucked. A finger trap: it grips harder the harder it is pulled, which is why it is the popping and shock-leader choice.
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.
Before you start
- ·It joins braided main line to a thick monofilament or fluorocarbon shock leader, as described by knots.fish.
- ·Double about 45 cm (18 in) of braid into a loop and lay about 30 cm (12 in) of leader tag end alongside it before any wraps go on.
- ·Count the first layer of wraps as you go. knots.fish says that with fewer than 30 the finger-trap effect is insufficient.
- ·Have water ready to wet the knot, and tighten it with one slow, steady pull on the main line and leader.
Step 1 of 5. Double the end of the braid back on itself to make a loop about 45 cm (18 in) long, and lay about 30 cm (12 in) of the leader's tag end alongside the doubled braid.
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
swipe to step
01
Double the end of the braid back on itself to make a loop about 45 cm (18 in) long, and lay about 30 cm (12 in) of the leader's tag end alongside the doubled braid.
Two strands of braid running side by side into a long loop, with the leader lying parallel to them and its tag end reaching well along the loop.
Working with a single strand of braid. Count the braid strands where they meet the leader: one strand leaves no loop to fold back or tuck through later.
Fix: Double the braid into a full 45 cm (18 in) loop before any wraps go on.
Why: The doubled braid gives the leader wraps two strands to grip, and the end of the loop is the part that folds back and locks the knot in steps 3 and 4.
- Built on single-strand braid — No loop to fold back, so the trap never forms. The doubled loop folded over the wraps is the trap itself..
arrow keys work
Tying procedure — GT Knot
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the GT Knot itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 01 / 5
Double the end of the braid back on itself to make a loop about 45 cm (18 in) long, and lay about 30 cm (12 in) of the leader's tag end alongside the doubled braid.
You should now see: Two strands of braid running side by side into a long loop, with the leader lying parallel to them and its tag end reaching well along the loop.
If it goes wrong: Working with a single strand of braid. Count the braid strands where they meet the leader: one strand leaves no loop to fold back or tuck through later.
Fix: Double the braid into a full 45 cm (18 in) loop before any wraps go on.
Why: The doubled braid gives the leader wraps two strands to grip, and the end of the loop is the part that folds back and locks the knot in steps 3 and 4.
If wrong: Built on single-strand braid — No loop to fold back, so the trap never forms.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the GT Knot itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 02 / 5
Pinch the leader and the doubled braid together where the overlap starts, then wrap the leader tag end around the doubled braid 30 to 40 times, working away from the pinch, each wrap tight against the last.
You should now see: A long, even run of 30 to 40 tight wraps of leader around both braid strands, with the braid loop still sticking out past the last wrap.
If it goes wrong: Stopping well short of 30 wraps, often from losing count, or letting gaps open between wraps. The wrapped section looks short next to the braid loop.
Fix: Unwind the wraps and start again, counting in tens and pushing each wrap against the last one.
Why: The grip builds along the whole wrapped length. A short run puts less leader in contact with the braid, and nothing later in the knot makes up for it.
If wrong: Well under thirty wraps in the first pass — Leader slips through the braid under a shock load.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the GT Knot itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 03 / 5
Fold the braid loop that sticks out past the wraps back over them, then wrap the leader tag end 15 to 20 more times over the folded loop and the first wraps, working back toward the pinch.
You should now see: The braid loop lying back along the first wraps under a second layer of 15 to 20 wraps, with a small end of the loop still showing near the pinch.
If it goes wrong: Wrapping the second layer without folding the braid loop back first. The loop is left sticking out past the far end of the wraps instead of lying under the second layer.
Fix: Unwind the second layer, fold the braid loop back along the first wraps and wrap over it again.
Why: The fold puts the braid loop under the second layer of wraps so they clamp it. knots.fish describes this as the finger-trap part of the knot.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the GT Knot itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 04 / 5
Pass the leader tag end through the small end of the braid loop that is still showing beyond the second layer of wraps.
You should now see: The leader tag running through the small braid loop, so that closing the loop will trap the tag against the wraps.
If it goes wrong: Leaving the tag lying beside the small loop instead of through it. When you start to tighten, the braid loop closes on nothing and the second layer of wraps starts to loosen.
Fix: Before any tension goes on, open the small loop with a fingertip and pass the tag through it. If the wraps have already loosened, tie the knot again.
Why: The tag through the braid loop is the lock. When the loop cinches down on the tag, it holds the end of the wraps shut.
If wrong: Leader tag not through the remaining braid loop — Nothing holds the wraps shut.
- Diagram in reviewA drawing of the GT Knot itself is being made. Until then, follow the written steps.
Step 05 / 5
Wet the whole knot, then pull the main line and the leader apart slowly and steadily until the braid loop closes and the wraps lock. Trim the braid loop end and the leader tag close.
You should now see: Wraps compressed evenly along the whole knot, with no tight clump beside a looser section, and the braid loop pulled down onto the leader tag.
If it goes wrong: Pulling fast or dry. The wraps bunch into a tight clump next to a looser run, which you can see as a step in thickness when you sight along the knot.
Fix: Cut it off and tie it again, wetting it well and tightening with one slow, steady pull. A bunched knot does not even out with more pulling.
Why: The wraps have to slide and compress together for the grip to spread along the knot. A clump puts the load on a short section of line.
If wrong: Wraps bunched, with a tight clump and a slack section — The whole load lands on the bunched section.
Watch the tie
How to Tie the GT Knot — ranked strongest braid to mono connectionThe Fisherman Magazine · Opens on YouTubeExternal 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 structure before any load reaches it.
Zero. Nothing tightens yet.
02 Load
Take up slack slowly until the wraps begin to gather.
Light and even — both ends moving together.
03 Dress
Watch the wraps stack in order; stop and back off if any cross.
Hold, do not pull. Correction happens here or not at all.
04 Set
One continuous pull to full seat — no sawing, no jerks.
Firm, single direction, standing line against the terminal end.
05 Trim
Cut the tag square, leaving a short stub proud of the knot.
None. Never trim under load.
Finished structure — what correct looks like
No drawing of this exact knot yet. The written steps are the reference.
- ·A long even wrapped section of leader over doubled braid, folded back and wrapped again, closed by a tuck
- ·Compressed evenly by a slow wet cinch
- ·Leader tag through the final braid loop, trimmed short
- ·Constant density along the whole knot
Verify before you load it
Every line is pass or fail. One fail means retie — do not load a knot you argued with.
- 01A long even wrapped section of leader over doubled braid, folded back and wrapped again, closed by a tuck
- 02Compressed evenly by a slow wet cinch
- 03Leader tag through the final braid loop, trimmed short
- 04Constant density along the whole knot
- 05No crossed or overlapping wraps
- 06Leader tag tucked through the remaining braid loop
Field notes — dark, cold, gloves
- ·Built for the shock take, not the steady pull. That is the reason to accept how long it takes to tie.
- ·If you need casting distance more than shock resistance, the FG is the better answer.
- ·Rebuild on the boat is slow. Carry made-up leaders.
When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.
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
- !Fewer than 30 wraps went on in the first layer, leaving too little leader gripping the braid
- !The leader tag lies beside the small braid loop instead of through it, so the second layer of wraps loosens
- !The knot was pulled tight fast or dry, so the wraps bunched and put the load on a short section
- !The braid was not doubled, so no loop lies folded under the second layer of wraps to lock them
Well under thirty wraps in the first pass
Leader slips through the braid under a shock load
The finger-trap grip is cumulative along the wrapped length; it is not a structural lock. · step 02
Wraps bunched, with a tight clump and a slack section
The whole load lands on the bunched section
A fast cinch gathers the wraps before they can compress evenly. · step 05
Leader tag not through the remaining braid loop
Nothing holds the wraps shut
The final tuck closes the trap; the wraps alone will open. · step 04
Built on single-strand braid
No loop to fold back, so the trap never forms
The doubled loop folded over the wraps is the trap itself. · step 01
The wrapped section is short and the leader slips against the braid
Check
- ?Measure the wrapped length and pull-test before it sees a fish
Then
- →Rebuild with the full wrap count — the grip is cumulative, not structural
The wraps are uneven, with a tight clump and a slack section
Check
- ?Sight along the knot for a step change in wrap density
Then
- →Retie and cinch slowly; a bunched section carries the whole load
The leader tag is not through the remaining braid loop
Check
- ?Trace the leader tag — it must pass through the braid loop
Then
- →Retie; without the tuck the wraps have nothing holding them shut
Well under thirty wraps in the first pass
Check
- ?Leader slips through the braid under a shock load
- ?Inspect step 02
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Wraps bunched, with a tight clump and a slack section
Check
- ?The whole load lands on the bunched section
- ?Inspect step 05
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Leader tag not through the remaining braid loop
Check
- ?Nothing holds the wraps shut
- ?Inspect step 04
Then
- →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.
Get it right with everything in your favour0/5 clean
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.
Nothing marked. Log it clean, or mark what happened first.
Not ideal for
- ×Single-strand braid with no double
- ×Long casts where an FG's slimmer profile matters more
- ×Quick field retie — this is a long knot to build
Strength, and where the number comes from
100% of the weaker line
Measuredone entrant, three samples, 50 lb Spiderwire braid to 80 lb fluorocarbon only, as a percent of the braid's measured unknotted break (62.8 lb); nothing supports carrying this to light braid — Salt Strong's separate test on 10 lb braid put the GT at roughly half the FG's break force
A real 100% in one lab on one line pairing, which is not the same claim as the '~95% and upward' the catalogue used to make in general.
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.
- knots.fish — GT Knot
- The Fisherman Magazine — How to Tie the GT Knot — ranked strongest braid to mono connection
Cited tying video already attached to this record.
Record reviewed 2026-09-01
Vetted references
- GT Knot — how to tie it, strength and tips
knots.fish
- How to Tie the GT Knot — ranked strongest braid to mono connection
The Fisherman Magazine
Check the finished knot against what correct looks like before you load it.