Few professional bass anglers spool their spinning reels with fluorocarbon line anymore. The standard practice now is to fill the reel with a 10- to 15-pound braid and tie on a fluorocarbon leader.
Braided line stays limp for longer casts and fewer line problems. It stands up for weeks of hard fishing, is super sensitive and has unmatched hook-setting power. The fluorocarbon leader practically disappears underwater and doesn’t put off the bass. It’s the best of both worlds.
Where the pros part ways is with the knot they tie when affixing a fluorocarbon leader to the braid. The Double-Uni was the standard for decades, but other knots have come along to challenge it, particularly the FG and the Alberto. Each knot has strong points and drawbacks.
FG knot
Virginia Bassmaster Elite Series pro John Crews dotes on the FG knot, the thinnest and possibly the strongest braid to fluorocarbon connection. However, it is the most difficult of these knots to master.
Crews embraced the challenge because the many line-to-line knots he tried previously failed, especially when he broke off due to a snag. Then he had to waste time tying on a new leader as well as a fresh bait.
“The FG never breaks before the knot to the lure does,” Crews said. “It’s so thin and smooth you don’t feel it running through the guides.”
When Crews began experimenting with the FG knot six years ago, he had to tie it a few hundred times before he could do it consistently. Although he has devised a system that speeds up the process, it still takes him longer to tie the FG than other line-to-line knots.
When tying the FG, you must apply just the right amount of pressure to both lines. Crews does this by holding the rod between his knees with its tip pointing away from him. He ties a simple knot in the end of the braid so he can better hold it in his teeth. He turns the reel to put tension on the line.
Next he puts a spool of fluorocarbon on the floor and steps on it to hold it in place and put tension on the leader line. Then he proceeds to wrap the fluorocarbon around the braid.
You can find videos online that detail how to tie the FG knot, including one by Crews, “Secret of the FG Knot.”
Double-Uni knot
Virginia Elite Series pro Ed Loughran rooms with Crews at tournaments and has watched him go through the machinations required to tie the FG knot countless times.
“It just looks too complicated,” Loughran said. “It’s not something I’d want to do pitching on 3-foot waves.“
He is content to stick with the Double-Uni, a knot he has relied on over the past four decades while fishing in fresh and saltwater.
Loughran conceded that the FG knot is thinner and stronger, but he claimed the Double-Uni has never failed him while fighting a fish. And, he can tie on a new leader quickly with the Double-Uni should he break off on a snag.
The Double-Uni ties faster than the FG, but as with any knot, it’s easy to screw it up. You can find many videos online that show how to tie the Double-Uni.
Here are some tips from Loughran:
- I make four wraps on each side of the knot.
- Moisten the knot heavily before tightening it.
- Don’t tighten the knots completely before you pull them together, as this burns the line.
- Keep the knots close together so they don’t have to slide a long way to pull them together.
To prevent the Double-Uni from catching in the guides while landing a fish, Loughran ties on a 15-foot leader. When the bass is within reach, the knot is on the reel’s spool.
“If I was having problems with the Double-Uni, I’d change in a heartbeat,” Loughran said.
Alberto knot
Texan Andrew Upshaw, who competes in the Bassmaster Opens, relied on the Double-Uni for years and has experimented with the FG knot. He now puts his faith in the Alberto.
“The Double-Uni didn’t come through the guides real good,” Upshaw said. “It was noisy, and I got wind knots with it. I could tie the FG at home, but if I had to tie it quickly on the water I’d always mess it up.”
He has employed the Alberto for five years or so and swears by it. It carried him to victory in two major smallmouth events that together netted him a cool $150,000.
“The Alberto is extremely strong and goes through the guides well,” Upshaw said. “I can tie it incredibly fast. There’s not a more efficient line-to-line knot than the Alberto.”
