Braid to Fluoro

I am making the switch this season to using a lot of braid. How long of a leader do you use when tying braid to fluoro. My main concern with going to a too long of leader would be with the knot going through the guides and decreasing the casting distance.

Use a double Uni knot and 6ft of line.

^^ This.

I just try to keep the knot from reaching the spool. Once, you learn the uni to uni the knot lays pretty flat and there isn't a noticeable impact on casting. A good rule of thumb is about 6 wraps for each knot if the lines are similar diameter. Sometime you may need to go a few more if the braid is smaller.

FG or Alberto knot

Really depends, but my leader lengths have been getting longer and longer as time goes on for the sole reason of being able to change baits more before having to retie my leader. My leader length is usually about the same length or a little bit longer than my rod. I use a double uni knot and it goes through the guides with no problems at all.

Improved Alberto or double uni (whichever you can tie easier/faster)

Don't worry about the knot going through the guides (unless they are micro guides)

Length--I know some people like very long leaders that go into the spool (I don't like feeling the knot under my thumb)
Usually have the knot between the reel and the first guide with the weight/hook between the last two guides (about 6-7ft of line)

Alberto...and I leave the tag ends long so they have some length to flex and not get hung up in the eyes as much.

Learn the FG knot and you don't have to worry about it casting through the guides.

Alberto knot and a 10ft leader.

FG knot for sure its small diameter and I have never had a problem with it going through the guides.

Here's a video I did on how to tie a FG knot. It's the knot I trust. It's looks A little intimidating to tie but honestly after some practice you can tie it properly in about 30 to 45 seconds. I would use use a 4-6ft leader.

For almost all finesse applications, I like my junction knot between my main line and leader to be right up, say 4" or 5" from the reel. I rarely, maybe 1 out of a hundred casts (if that), feel anything with the line being cast out.

I am more apt to feel a very tiny bump reeling in line if I have a heavy lure on.

On occasion, you might consider doing what Aaron Martens does. He spools on braid, then a length of fluorocarbon that exceeds his longest casts by a decent safety margin. Baitcasters mainly, but also his spinning tackle. He claims it makes for longer casts. This is one way to fish certain techniques with straight fluorocarbon without spooling up a whole reel with it. The braid on a reel like that can stay on for a very long time.

Brad

Thanks for all the suggestions. Don't really use micro guides anymore so shouldn't have to worry about that.

Another issue with the knot in the spool (very long leaders)
Sometimes the tiny tags can snag on the fluoro during the cast--especially on a spinning reel--if it happens to you once, you don't ever want it to happen again

I love the Alberto...

Alberto Knot all the way. Tried the uni and FG. Good knots, but I like the Alberto better. The Alberto is super strong, never had a problem, and it is smaller. With a little practice you can tie it in 30 seconds. As has already been said, "I love the Alberto".

I truly believe leader knots are destined to fail

Use a double Uni knot and 6ft of line.

Never had a leader knot fail, I almost exclusively fish with braid to flouro....

Can someone explain to me why people do this? To me it seems like it has triple the chance of knot failure (2 knots to join the line then your lure knot).

That Alberto knot is tough as nails, never had it fail. The issue I have is shocking the flourocarbon leader with the hook set. Even when I've tamed it down a bit I've broke the leader even with 15 lb Cxx

Well for one I have had the same braid on my reels for 4 years now, in that time frame i may have used one 250 yard spool of line for leaders, that is a lot of money saved. The second thing is the the sensitivity you get with this combo, the third is you can use several different size lines on one set up, there are probably other benefits as well but these are the main ones that i feel are big benefits.

Your beliefs are wrong. If you tie leader knots correctly they will work just fine, but as with any knot, if you DO NOT tie it correctly, it will fail. Learn to tie knots correctly and you will not have problems. If you can't learn to tie knots correctly then maybe you need to take up bowling instead.

You may need a softer action rod if you are breaking 15# CXX. That line is tuff as nails.

Try tying that FG knot on the water in a 15 mph wind. Hope you have spot lock on your trolling motor or talons or power poles and are sitting in shallow water.

The Alberto knot has NEVER failed me, it is small and easy to tie and can be easily done on the water if needed.

My main reason for giving it a shot is increased hookset in deep water. Fishing thick brush along with seeing if the sensitivity is better.

I can't stand the line curl I get when using spinning equipment and a non braided line so I will use 20# test braid as my main line and then I tie on a leader with the Alberto knot. The Alberto knot is a strong, small knot that will not break before the leader line does if it is tied correctly. Having a leader tied on rather than tying directly to your bait will get you more bites most of the time depending on the technique you are fishing or the cover you are fishing. If you are fishing thick grass, lily pads, or thick cover with punch baits, jigs, swim baits or on top of thick grass and cover with frogs I don't think it matters and I tie directly to the bait with braid.

This^^^ that is exactly my reasoning as well. I use this application on baitcasters as well for other reasons (mostly for manageability and sensitivity and it lasts longer), but you definitely hit the nail on the head.

A knot ALWAYS weakens a line or a rope. Always.

Even if you tied a simple overhand knot somewhere along the length of a fishing line, it'd break there most of the time. When it doesn't it means that the line had an imperfection in it that was more susceptible to tension than the knot limitation.

So, anyone who says they have no issues with knots breaking . . . can actually be pretty much correct. But, it doesn't mean it is one of the mythical 100% knots (they don't exist), it means that the reduced strength of the line at the knot is still greater than any tensile force acting on it by a fish and angler pulling at each end. And, it likely means the angler is re-tying and managing his knots really well. And, it likely means he or she ties a superior knot (but it is still going to be the weak link). And, it likely means the angler is more skilled at setting drag tension and fighting fish. Any or all of the above will help a lot.

The reason for knot weakness? The strength of a fishing line (or a climbing rope, etc.) is proportional across its cross-sectional area as long as it is straight. A knot puts a bend or a crimp in a line so it places extra tension on the outside of the bend, and it compresses the inside of the bend. The outside "stretched fibers" have more load on them and start to fray, then break, leaving less fibers working against the tension, less cross section now to support the tension. It is all downhill after that.

Best practice for braid main line to fluoro or mono leaders? Re-tie them at least every time before you go out. Same with lures/terminal tackle . . . if you don't retie them, it is just a matter of time before they'll fall off assuming you approach the maximum load they can carry.


Brad

Well said. I can see that. I personally, will try to tie on as much line as I think I will ever have out at one time. That way I'm not respooling every time I put new line on. Saves line and money.

IMO a FG knot is the only way to go. I have tied this knot countless time with all different diameters over the last few years and haven't had it fail yet. It acts like a Chinese finger trap around the fluorocarbon so the hard you pull the tighter the knot gets. This is also the smoothest knot through eyelets I have seen. I through this on micro guides regularly without any issue.

Here's the FG knot. might look like a long one in the video but once you get it down it will only take a minute or two. Best knot around, I use it for every situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0kHbVdXkk8

I would be interested in to hear from those that have tried both the FG knot and the Alberto knot. I did, and IMO the Alberto is smaller, easier to tie, and every bit as strong as the FG. Of course, each person should use what they like best, but it's hard to make an informed choice if you haven't at least tried both. When I was a kid I loved strawberry ice cream...and then I tasted chocolate.

Alberto is what I use

I was using 15lb braid to 12lb cxx with an Alberto when I hooked into this monster
Fought it for 35 minutes with sleigh rides toward Mexico until I finally got her turned. Was belly dragging her estimated 200lb weight in 6fow when the line to line knot finally failed

I'll continue to use the Alberto

Alberto also known as Modified Albright for me. Twenty years using it in salt and fresh, can quickly retie it in adverse conditions. If tied properly, it works.

Dodd knot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uByQHnkHpPI

This is the one I use also. The FG seems easy enough, but it seems time consuming. Of course, I'm sure it would get quicker the more a person used it. I have no experience with it, but the modified Albright works for me, so I guess I haven;t looked for anything else.

MadFluker, interesting!

It is a version of sorts of an Alberto or Albright, that basic general form, but Dodd doubles the leader loop and pulls it away from the area he wraps, then after he wraps "down" the line, he passes the bitter end through these double loops when he locks it down.

In an Albright or Alberto, the wraps are "braid over fluoro or mono" so it (the braid) can bite into the softer leader materials. But, the braid passes under the fluoro on the way in at the beginning and out at the end. This is weaker as fluoro and mono can't bite into the braid. So, Dodd is sort of fixing this by doubling the leader line. Doubled lines = more friction.

Very cool!

It looks like a very tight junction knot to me.

Brad

maybe I should have included that my fishing style doesn't benefit using leaders and knots. But none the less. DON'T appreciate the bashing for an opinion. Atleast your passionate about knots. You'd have thought I insulted your first born. But I stand by my statement. And I'd dare say I can tie knots including a leader knot as well or better than you can...

I Know Right! so easy to tie & strong

I just don't see how you guys tie this thing in a 15-20 MPH wind on the lake. I break off line all the time fishing drop shots on structure and tie on more flouro, I just don't see how you can possibly do this sitting on a boat in the wind.

Calm down there. No reason to get all spooled up.
There are a lot of readers on here new to the sport of fishing and I didn't want them to get the wrong impression by your comment that it is just "your" belief and not based in fact that leader knots fail. Like I said, If you or anyone else will take the time to learn how to tie knots correctly they will work. Some work better than others as you can view results of Knot Wars on youtube.
Another person on here commented that he has never had a leader knot fail either, so you must be doing something wrong if your knots are failing. My comments are not bashing,they are factual, you or anyone else either knows how to tie a knot that will hold of you don't, simple as that.

In your second post you stated that your fishing style doesn't benefit from leaders and knots. What fishing style doesn't use knots? That's a new one to me.

BTW my first born knows how to tie knots correctly also, just for your information.

Frank, some versions of tying it are better and faster than others. That "hold the line in your mouth" and let the rod fall away to create tension routine is a ridiculous way to tie it. One Aussie in a video does it best I think. Still, if I tie an FG, it is the night before, not on my kayak nor would I tie it on a boat.

My neighbor has a GoPro and a YouTube channel, said he'd let me show some knot tying tricks, one of which is a better way to tie an Alberto/Albright knot. I have found the Albright knot to be more than adequate and it ties in about 20% (or less) of the time of an FG.

Still, on bench tests, the FG is the strongest junction knot by a good margin and it is super thin, too.

Anyway, I have settled on the Albright over an FG or a double uni junction knot.

Brad