How to tie the Alberto knot

‘Chinese finger trap’ knot allows leader to be attached without using barrel swivel

The Alberto knot is perfect for attaching a fluorocarbon leader to braid without the need of a swivel. And it allows the angler to use a long leader, with no worries about the knot catching on the rod eyes.

“This is a knot I created (in 1993), and it’s finally catching on,” said “Crazy” Alberto Knie. “This knot, what it essentially does is allows you to not use a barrel swivel. Because in the event that you need a long shock leader … you need to have that long, long running line (and) this is the best knot that you can use.”

The steps are pretty straightforward:

1) Form a loop with the leader, laying the tag end along the main length of the leader material.

2) Thread the braid through the loop, and then take seven turns around the doubled leader material, working away from the loop.

3) Pinch the braided line at the seventh turn, and then make seven more turns back toward the leader loop.

4) Thread the tag end of the braid back through the leader loop so that the braid goes through the same way as the initial braided thread.

5) Hold the doubled braided line and the doubled leader material tightly and pull your hands apart to pull the braid into a knot around the leader loop. Carefully work the spirals of braid together to form a neat knot.

6) Trim the tag ends of the braid and leader as closely to the knot as possible.

The key is that the knot strength increases as pressure increases on the knot.

“What this basically is, is equivalent to a Chinese finger trap,” Nie said. “The harder you pull, the tighter it gets.”

Watch the attached video to learn this simple but strong knot.