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I use this method of tying an FG knot when setting up rigs for big fish using outfits that typically have 30lb Suffix 832 braid that I connect to quite hard Suffix F100 fluorocarbon. Since I perfected this tie of the FG knot I have not suffered a failure of the knot and it has accounted for heaps of big barra.

The only tools you need to tie the FG knot in this way is a pair of nail clippers and a pair of gloves.

The first thing to do is to put the rod in a rod holder if your in the boat or place it in a safe rigid position where you will be able to put a little tension on the braid.

1. Release enough line to be able to form a loop of leader that is around 40cm long and the braid running to the rod tip is under just a small amount of tension.
2. Take two diagonally opposite firm but not tight turns of the line end of the loop over your middle finger.
3. Close your pointer finger tight against the middle finger and take a a couple of turns of the doubled up braid over that

.

4. Take the end of the loop through the gap between the two fingers, under the finger below the middle finger and hook the end of the loop over the tip of the thumb forming a triangle.
5. Position the end of your leader under the middle of the top of the triangle.
6. Hold the crossover of the leader under the braid between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand.

Tilt the tip of the leader toward you and fold that under the braid. You then need to take the tip of the leader in your teeth and to tighten the top of the triangle of braid around the leader ... that is turn 1.

7. Tilt the tip of the leader away from you and fold that over the braid. You then need to take the tip of the leader in your teeth and to tighten the top of the triangle of braid around the leader ... that is turn 2.
8. I like 20 tight turns of backing around the tag end of the leader … turns near me are under the leader and I count them as odd turns and turns away from are over the leader and I count them as even turns(get used to turns under the main line or a tag end always being negative and turns over the main line or tag end being positive turns ... this will help you tie consistent knots).
9. Once you have finished the 20 turns holding the tag end of the leader square to the two ends of the back pull the turns as tightly as possible.
10. Carefully take one turn of the tag end of the backing under the tag end of the leader and the braid running line forming a single hitch and pull that single hitch knot tight
11. Tie a second hitch knot over the tag end of the leader and the braid running line forming a single hitch and pull that second single hitch knot tight.
12. Holding the braid running line in one hand and the leader in the other pull the knot as tight as you can and until you can see the backing forming the knot go slightly translucent. I use gloves for this step.
13. Trim the leader tag end away as close as possible to the knot being very careful not to damage any part of the knot. I use nail clippers for that.
14. You need a little build up of backing in front of the end of the tag end of the leader so that the finished knot will comfortably pass through the eyes on you rod.You can do that in two ways.

• Do a double hitch under on the leader with the tag end of leader material in front of the knot and firmly tighten that by hand. Don’t use gloves or pliers for this step because if the knot is too tight the over-tightened braid of this and subsequent steps will cut the knot when its under pressure from a barramundi that scoffs your lure.
• Repeat that process with a double hitch over the other side of the leader and then do a further double hitch under the front side of the leader and a final double hitch over the far side of the leader.
• The final step is to do a quad hitch under the front side of the leader, again tightening that final knot by hand and then to trim away the tag end leaving a little visible tag of up to 1 cm long. That little tag is a good visible guide to how the knot is wearing and if it shows any sigh of the knot opening up in any way it is always better to redo the knot than to run the risk of losing a barra because of knot failure.

or alternatively,

• take finger/thumb grip on the tag end of the looped braid about 2-3 cm from the cut off tip of the leader.
• Take five or 6 tight wraps of the outside of the loop up the main braid.
• Move you grip up to the other end of the looped braid where it meets the holding knot you did in step 14 taking care to leaving the tag end outside that grip.
• Take five or 6 tight wraps of the outside of the loop back up over the main braid in the opposite direct to the wraps you did when you drought the line down the main braid.

A easier to tie alternative to a FC knot is an SC knot... even thought it is just as strong as the FG knot it includes an extra layer of braid which makes it a little thicker.

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