The fishtail braid is a handy braid for organizing many strands into a single bunch. Strands in the braid experience minimal bending, making it great for not only paracord, but also hair and cable management. Since the basic concept remains the same when expanding to more strands, I will show you with four.

Step 1: Prepare Strands

You need to begin by gathering four strands in one location. I will do this with an overhand knot, but there are many other ways to start.

Step 2: Start Braid

Gather two strands in each hand. Cross the leftmost strand over all the strands in your left hand, and place it at the bottom of the strands in your right hand. Now, cross the rightmost strand over all the strands in your right hand, and place it at the bottom of the strands in your left hand. Repeat this process until you have reached a sufficient length.

Step 3: Finish Braid

Once you have reached the desired length, you need to tie off the ends to prevent the braid from coming undone. This can be a simple overhand knot, but a more complex knot is recommended for heavy use.