Fg knot questions

[gstours]

As I struggle with the need to master the knot ,  of course I'd come back here to seek advice before becoming disillusioned and disappointed 😔....
   Some pictures are shown with notes....
Both of these are 80 to 80# for this post.  And are taken after 40# pulling ratchet strain.
   I'm starting to see signs of possible failure as separation is starting.   
Is this normal?   With other knots I don't see this.      More in page 2.

[gstours]

The pointer shows the question area.
   This knot failed at about 50# constant strain...   the line was tied at each end.  These knots held.
It is above what I would do for drag pressure, butt the knot did fail,   I know something has to give, butt when compared with other connections like the tony p, and improved allbright these knots seem to stay put and then pop......

[MarkT]

Then stick with the Tony Pena/Bob Sands and Improved Albright/Alberto/RP!  Why chase the latest fads on that newfangled interweb thing?  The best knot to tie is the knot you tie best... and have the most confidence in.

[Tiddlerbasher]

OR - why knot hollow braid to mono splice - NO KNOT 

[gstours]

I,m thinking this fg knot is best for casting using small to medium strength lines,  butt the hype seems to say it's ok to use on anything,  at first sight it is slim and compact.
  Below is the visual difference in the Tony P and the improved allbrite.
And thanks for your reply on this subject,  the best knots are the ones you can tie and trust......
    I used to think about 50% of line strength is acceptable,  then the fisherman can adjust the line used and plan accordingly....    knots can be the weak link in the chain.   
   Now I test the knots used with a scale and a strain.....   I,m not proud to say I've had failures..💥

[MarkT]

Keep at it.  Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice does!

[gstours]

To me the knots fg , below , looked good but under strain of course everything changes.
   If the braid is not dug in and changed in color it's the problem right?   Too many wraps?
       Too many half hitches?  The photo is under 40 # strain.   It's moving.    Just wondering.

[alantani]

yeah, um, no, let's not use this knot anymore.  a uni-to-uni is at least 80%.  my modified tony pena is also at least that good.  properly tied, the fg knot is better, but the catch is that it has to be properly tied.  hell, i even gave up on it.  i'm not going to recommend a knot that has me seeing double after a couple of tries!!!!   

[redsetta]

I agree with all the comments made thus far, particularly Mark's maxim, "The best knot to tie is the knot you tie best..."

I personally really like the FG but, as Alan notes, "...the catch is that it has to be properly tied."

When done right, they're a great, strong connection. I've never had a failure and push mine pretty hard.

I just spent a week pushing 20kg (40+lb) of drag on three different rigs and the only thing that broke was a rod.

Lee pointed this out a while back - pre-stressing is the key.

I do a 30-plait weave, followed by eight alternating half-hitches.

Then pre-stress the knot with as much force as possible - if it's PE10 and 200lb leader, this is a lot!

The weave must change colour (ie get a slightly wet look).

Once that happens, I trim the leader and add another eight alternating half hitches, and close it off with a three-turn rizzuto finish.

It's not for everyone, for sure, but - to Mark's point - it's the knot I tie best and it's (touching wood) been absolutely failsafe to date.

Here's how mine look (after being heavily stressed), if of interest:







All the best, Justin

[oc1]

I do a 30-plait weave, followed by eight alternating half-hitches.

Non-alternating half hitches will pack more tightly.

[jurelometer]

Man Justin, you sure tie  purdy knots . 

Gary:  just make em look like Justin's. 

But seriously, the thing that makes this knot tricky is that there is no bend in the mono.  It is not really a knot in the classical sense, more like lashing the braid to the mono. Technique throughout the lashing process is critical.

I congratulated myself on finally getting good ties at the bench, but when casting the FG over time, many good looking ties would start to unravel over the end of the mono.  I think that bench testing is not enough to gain confidence with your ties of this knot.  You have to put some miles on it, especially if you cast it through the rod guides.
 
Gary's looks to me like the wraps were not packed closely, so when tightened, some had to extend.  I predict nothing butt heartache if these were fished for awhile...

I agree with Mark.  I gave up on the FG.  I do the Alberto now, tied with method used in the RP video (quick yank).  My fishing life is more stress free    The Alberto works well on a variety of line combos, is extremely fast to tie, and is plenty strong on my ties (about 80% of listed braid strength).  I usually don't want a close to 100% knot here for the fishing I do.  It seems to me that braid strength is not very uniform,  and if I break off, I don't want to leave a bunch of braid in the water.

-J

[David Hall]

I like this knot I, use it a lot, and I too have "mist-ties", I get lost when making 22 weave wraps and even sometimes go the wrong direction.  Guess I really am a rebel at heart.  But I'll keep practicing it keep using it on my salmon and rock fish setups. Last season I had several 30 and 40 lb leaders bitten off and lost a hook, but I tie stationary tandem barbels hooks and didn't lose any hooked fish because if one don't get them the other one will. Keeping those weaves tight and, uhem running in the proper direction is important when it's right it will hold.  I never lost a rig or a fish to a failed FG knot.  I have however forgotten to clip my snap swivel to the leader and simply tossed my fire and flasher into the ocean, only to watch slowly fade away into the deep. So I make sure I inspect each of my knots after completing it and I also stress it to far more than any rockfish or Salmon is going to ever put on the line, if it's going to fail, I have found it does so very quickly, so If I can stress it and it and it holds, and it looks clean and the weaves are even.  I will fish it. 

[gstours]

OK,  = after digesting this info and advise give me the opportunity to keep at it.  at least try a few more ties at the same knot,   before shi-canning the fg for a while.... Heck I should be fishing by now....
   Other knots are being usedm and tested  for connecting the at first skeptical braied to the once invisible Mono......

[boon]

How are you tying it, wraps-hitches around braid AND mono-hitches around braid only-finish knot - and at which points are you pre-stressing the knot?

If the half hitches start falling off the tag end then they weren't pulled down tight enough, or the wraps weren't pre-stressed, or the wraps were too loose.

[boon]

PE8 braid to 150lb mono. 28 wraps, then 1 half hitch around braid and mono cinched down hard, then stress the knot, 3 more alternating half hitches around braid and mono, stress the knot again, 4 alternating wraps around braid only, 4-turn Rissuto finish, then clip the mono.

Pulled it as hard as I could with bare hands and it didn't move 

As mentioned.... tie the knot that works well for you.