Leader to Line Connection

[foxfire]

My first ttempt at using the Courtland Leader to Line connector that requires heating of the sleave. Any recommendations to the heat source to use? I finally upgraded my equipment and fear damaging the fly line. Thanks in advance!

 

[Phish_On]

when i used them i just heated them with a lighter. I have gotten away from using them. Putting a small loop in your fly line is a better option. Or attaching a 6-8" piece of mono with a nail not to the fly line and a perfection knot on the other end to attach your leader to witha loop to loop connection.

 

[afishinado]

Phish_On wrote:
when i used them i just heated them with a lighter. I have gotten away from using them. Putting a small loop in your fly line is a better option. Or attaching a 6-8" piece of mono with a nail not to the fly line and a perfection knot on the other end to attach your leader to witha loop to loop connection.

I like to make loops, but if you do use the shrink sleeves, try heating it up by holding it on an incandescent light bulb (the old-fashioned bulbs). A lighter will melt the sleeve and/or your line and/or your fingers.

 

[Phish_On]

afish- you have to be careful when you use a lighter on the shrink sleeves. It works, but there is more reliable and stronger connections then the cortland leader to line connectors.

 

[foxfire]

Would my wife's or girlfriend's hair dryer work?? ;-)

 

[djs12354]

+1 for nail-knotting a piece of mono to the fly line and tying a loop in the mono for loop to loop connections.

I tried the slip on connectors and was not please with my results. But that may have just been my results. YMMV

 

[GenCon]

Foxfire, you can use these types of loops if you like. There are no rules. For me I agree with some of the other guys. Nail knot or even better a needle knot. Just give it a try. You will be surprised how easy it is with a little practice. In fact I am a firm believer in learing to tie all the knots. Any of the people I teach I show them all the knots you could use. Every season, somewhere along the way I find an angler sitting on the side of a stream struggling with their leader. I usually offer to help. In a few mins. I can show them a knot that may save their day. But like I said there are no rules. I just think learning and using the classic knots adds even more fun to the sport.

Give it a try,

Gencon

 

[Love2fish]

The hair dryer will work but takes extra time. Just make sure it is seated all the way against the fly line to prevent a "hinge" effect. I prefer nail knot with loop knot for my trout rods and a looped fly line for SW.

 

[foxfire]

My other rod has a self tied nail-knot. I just liked the idea of the a seamless braided leader loop. Thanks everyone for the input!!!

 

[dc410]

I feel that the mono loop connector is hard to beat for the leader to fly line connection. I usually tie a new one on at the beginning of each season just because it makes me feel good (plus it keeps me in practice for tying nail knots and perfection loops). When you do this just clip off the old one and you only lose about 1/2 inch of fly line after attaching the new one. I have never had one fail on me during the course of a season. When the time comes that you just totally destroy a whole leader (through the multitudes of ways that we all have invented to accomplish this, we've all been there), just get out a new leader and with a simple loop to loop connection you are back in business with very little fishing time wasted. Some of the other systems that are used actually weaken your fly line at the connection point through a hinge type of action that happens during normal casting.

 

[osprey]

I think it's important to learn how to tie a nail knot and that connection works very well , but i like the braided connections FoxFire is talking about , seems the braided part provides a little bungee effect . to finish those off i just use a regular old Bic lighter to shrink the tube , that stuff is called shrink tubing , make sure you work the mono/leader part the whole way up to the braided loop (Inside) till it won't go any more. By all means learn how to tie a nail knot connection but those braided connections work for me. Go easy on the heat , you don't want the shrink tubing to catch on fire , just heat till it shrinks up and holds. One bit of info that might help is always do this indoors or in the car where there is no wind. You will only make that mistake once , which is why i say it is important to learn how to tie a nail knot also. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

 

[bigslackwater]

Get a nail knot tool and you will be able to tie the knock in 15 seconds or less! I cut the tags short and put "Loon UV Knot Sense" on the knot to smooth it out. In the past I was always battling with my leader connection getting hung up in the guides. I've found this to be the smoothest transition.

 

[Upstream]

To heat the shrink connector, I have used my wife's iron. Sit the iron on a flat surface to heat up. Set to moderate temperature. When it is warmed up, I hold the line with one hand on each side of the shrink connector sleeve. Simply roll the sleeve up and down over the pointed end of the iron until the sleeve has shrunk down. Careful not to over do it or you may damage the sleeve or worse, the iron. Then you'll be in trouble with the boss.

 

[osprey]

With a nail knot connection the line eventually will crack at the back end of the nail knot. It WILL happen eventually but not with the braided connection.

 

[foxfire]

That's why I decided to try the shrink connector product. For the record, I am proficient at tying nail knots. Though I consider myself a beginner, I was an active fly fisherman in my youth but gave it up for the lure of warm water species. I'm only now getting back into it since my newly acquired weekend home is surrounded by trout streams!!!!!

 

[jeremymcon]

Don't use a lighter! I learned that the hard way. It doesn't make a very secure connection. Let's just say I almost list a whole leader to a false cast... Like a couple other guys said- I like tying some heavy mono to the line with a nail knot, then use surgeon's loops for a loop to loop connection to the leader. I like "amnesia" 20 or 30 lb test - it's high vis so you can use it as a sort of indicator. The nail knot's really strong, but kind of a pain to tie, so I think this is a good compromise.

 

[osprey]

A lighter works but you aren't supposed to set it on fire!!!!! You almost lost the leader cause you didn't shove the mono up into the braid far enough , shove it up until it hits the loop part and won't go any farther.

 

[jeremymcon]

Ha ha yea... I have to admit that almost losing the leader was more my fault than the braided loop's... Maybe if I had taken more time to put it on it wouldn't have been a problem.

 

[foxfire]

Based on recommendations from the forum, I purchased a tapered leader and attached with the trusty nail knot. Maybe I'll use the shrink connector next time. Thanks!!

 

[Upstream]

I have been using these braided loop connections for many years but recently my confidence in them was shaken. I had replaced the connector at the beginning of the season on a fly line that probably should have been replaced since it was starting to crack and dry out. About a month ago while trying to free my rig from an overhead tree, the connector slipped right off the fly line. I again replaced the connector when I returned home. A few weeks later the connection again failed. This time while landing a nice rainbow. As I said, I have been using these connectors for years with no problems. I believe the issue in this case was the aging, cracked and dry condition of the fly line.