Best knot or method to unite mono leader to braid.

[boon]

Just going to bump this again for anyone who is curious.

I just finished tying a few of the FG knots for a trip this Friday...Easy strong, looks great, and goes through the guides like a breeze...I just bumped up the 2x half hitches to 4x, but that was just for piece of mind.

One thing to note, I used this on a couple of Charter Special levelwinds and there aren't many knots you can pack with line, then tie on a topshot, while incorporating the levelwind mechanism...you can with the FG.

Tight Lines all.

I tie mine with 4 half hitches before pulling hard on both ends (the first half-hitch needs to be cinched tight as well) to settle the knot. Then I clip the mono and tie 3 more half hitches finishing with a Rizutto. Also the half hitches are tied AG chain style, alternating.

Twice now I have broken the mainline far from the knot with this arrangement. Never had the knot let go. With an FG or PR and AG chain to your terminal tackle you have to be approaching 100% breaking strain - to me this means that the "1 third rule" with drags is becoming outdated, because the reality is that a reel outputting 8kg of drag will never, ever put enough pull to break 24kg line. May as well fish 15kg (or even 10kg) and enjoy having way more capacity, better feel, and less effect from current.

Any knot where the leader is doubled over is effectively redundant now - not only is it twice (or more) of the thickness of a FG/PR but it's almost certainly weaker.
If you're still using an Albright, Slim Beauty, Double Uni etc etc etc you owe it to yourself to take the time to learn these new knots.

[Finatics]

hi all, i have seen a fisherman in indonesia tie fg knot with 4 cris-cross and few halfhitces to finish off. he tie it with knees and foot wrapped with cloth to put very strong tension in his braid while weaving the flouro the result is fg are soo much more tinier than mine which done with 16 cross. yet He managed to land 3 kg barra without problem.

[Three se7ens]

Ive recently started using the FG know on all my light tackle stuff.  15 and 20 lb braid to 12 or 20 lb fluoro.  I love how it casts, no ticking or catching on guides to reduce your distance.  With light artificials and no terminal tackle other than the lure itself, little things can have a big effect on casting distance.  Ive found its important to really get it cinched down, to where the braid changes color.  I keep the tag end long, and use a pair of 4" long stainless bars covered in heat shrink to get a good pull on the line without cutting myself(been there, its not fun). 

If youre tying the fg knot, do yourself a favor and try the method where you hold the tag end of braid in your teeth.  It makes the knot super easy to tie. 

With the fg knot attaching braid to leader, and a perfection loop attaching the lure to the leader, I have caught a bunch of fish, and no failures.

[MarkT]

I think I have two reels with 30# spectra and a 15/20# topshot. I have a couple with 40# spectra. All others use a minimum of 50# spectra. Anything lighter and it's hard to tie knots with and not needed to get extra capacity.

[Rickski]

My preferred knot is the FG.  Very important to make sure the braid digs into the mono.  You will see a color change when it digs in.  Early on, before I built up confidence in the knot, I would tie the FG, do the half hitch, pull tight, and tie another FG.  Makes for a knot that is about 40 wraps.  Let's name it the double FG.