The Double Uni Knot Or the FG Knot? I Was Wrong

And then the YouTube algorithm gods served me up this new video from BassFishingHQ. The thumbnail was a close-up image of my beloved Double Uni knot with the title “You’ve Already FAILED If You Tie This BRAID-TO-LEADER Knot.” Okay, you’ve got my attention. I clicked play. Just a side note: he has changed the title of the video a couple times since I watched it.

I remembered that I had seen a handful of Tyler Berger’s videos in the past and recalled that he generally does a solid job. In this video he presents a plan to test the three most popular braid-to-leader knots, the Double Uni, the Alberto, and the FG  (FYI, in a poll of his followers the Double-Uni was the most popular braid-to-leader knot by a wide margin).

BELOW IS THE VIDEO FROM BASSFISHING HQ

I was impressed by the thought behind the test Tyler created. He had a push-pull digital force gauge mounted to a bench vise sort of apparatus that should provide a pretty consistent platform for the test. He was testing three different combinations of line weight. And he tied each knot three times and averaged the results. I would say that outside of an actual lab environment, this is a very reasonable test and I would be inclined to believe the results.

He started with the Double Uni with the heaviest line combination (50lb braid/20lb fluoro). When the three tests were done, that knot failed at an average weight of just 13.47lb, or 67.33% of the 20lb fluoro’s advertised break strength. Well, that’s disappointing, I thought, but lets see how the other two knots perform. I was soon confronted with the answer—90.17% for the Alberto and 110.33% for the FG. Hmm, that’s hard to argue with.

SPOILER ALERT: By the end of the video we learned that the Double-Uni does perform better with thinner, lighter line (80.67% break strength) than it did with heavier line (67.33%). But, we also learned it is the weakest knot of the three by a fairly wide margin across the entire spectrum of the tests. The Alberto knot averaged 92.17% across all three tests and the FG averaged a staggering 110.96%!

Most of the time I use a leader, it is with lighter line, finesse tactics with a spinning rod. Like I said, that Double Uni has served me well enough that I haven’t noticed a specific breaking problem. But if the fact is that 80% is the best the Double Uni can offer, that is troubling. That means ten is actually eight, and eight is actually six-and-a-half. I definitely re-tie anytime I see or feel a scuff on my leader, fearing that the strength is significantly compromised. So, if I believe any of the Fishing Forward concepts I’ve been preaching over the years, it looks like it’s time to learn and move forward.

But Which Knot?

I know, I know. The FG knot is obviously the best performer, maintaining literally all of the line’s strength and therefore it is the obvious choice. Yes, but that still doesn’t make it any easier to tie. I remember when the FG first hit the scene I spent most of a season practicing that knot, with the line held in my teeth and the rod balanced, leaning away from me, trying to maintain the perfect amount of tension. It was too much. And while the Alberto knot isn’t perfect, it did perform above 90% strength across the board, AND it’s probably the easiest of the three knots to tie.

THIS IS THE ALBERTO KNOT I'M GOING WITH

Then, just when I thought I had made my decision, I noticed Tyler tying the FG between knot tests. But the process of tying that knot didn’t look anything like I remembered. I did a quick “how to” search on YouTube and while I still found some videos using the technique I originally learned, there are lots of new variations that make it much easier to tie. In fact, I found one video from a channel called Pelagic Pursuit, titled, “FG KNOT In Under a Minute.” His technique looked super smooth and completely changed my mind. While it is still a relatively complex procedure, it now seems much closer to a realistic option.

THIS IS THE FG KNOT I'M PLANNING TO LEARN

So, now my plan is set. I’m scrapping the Double Uni. The cold, hard data just doesn’t support its use. But, does the ease of tying plus a respectable return make the Alberto my new go-to, or will the FG’s amazing strength and improved process get the nod? I think the best answer is to learn and practice them both—speed, when I need it and maximum strength when the situation allows. And, as time goes on, I think there’s a strong chance the FG tying process becomes second nature and my only choice for a braid-to-leader knot.

While I’d prefer to never be wrong, I embrace the opportunity to learn and make positive advancements. Keep Fishing Forward, I always say!