Well, It Finally Happened To Me

[shultzy501]

After all the warnings on this board about the webbed loop line to leader connections, it finally happened to me. While fighting a nice rainbow last night, I had the unpleasant experience of watching my line go limp, while my fly, leader, and loop connector swam away. :-( I should have listened to you guys. I am a victim of the "it won't happen to me" syndrome. I hope the fish will be ok.

I was able to tie in a quick loop, so I could finish fishing, but now will have to rig up something more permanent like a needle or nail knot.

Doesn't somebody on here suggest using a needle or nail knot with a stiff leader material, then tie a perfection loop in the leader material, so leaders can be changed quickly?

 

[JackM]

Thats what I do. I tie about 6-8 inches of leader butt material to the line with a nail knot. Rather than a loop, I just blood knot the leader to this, since I don't change leaders but once a season-- I just rebuild onto the existing leader. If you change around leaders, I would recommend the loop-to-loop junction from the short butt piece as you mentioned. When I buy the extruded one-piece leaders, I will trim back 6-8 inches to blood knot to my butt piece so the diameters match up better.

 

[afishinado]

I learned my lesson a long time ago about using a braided loop connection. I hooked into a smallmouth that looked like a pregnant football on steroids, if you can picture that. He leaped three feet in the air and a tremendous run and my fly line and leader parted ways. That fish was, in my estimation, the largest SM I have ever tangled with in PA.

Anyway, a lot of guys nail knot or needle knot a heavy piece of mono on the end of the line and make a perfection loop on the mono. My favorite way is to whip finish a loop with the end of my fly line and coat it with Knot Sense. It slides thru the guides and tiptop smoothly, makes it easy to change leaders, and has never failed. I attach a furled leader with a loop on the end to connect with the fly line. It works equally well with a mono leader. Good luck.


http://www.netknots.com/html/nail_knot_animated.html

 

[pete41]

Me-
nail or needle knot-six inch mono with loop.
I am with Jack M. on the once a year leader
once your past the wind knot stage of learning to cast-
3 foot tippets min. for shock abs. but the second section can be changed with a three or four inch piece so no need to change leaders.

 

[bigjohn58]

I nail knot to the fly line with heavy mono then blood knot everything after that. A perfection loop may be a good idea for quick changes but I'm pretty quick with my blood knots.

 

[Padraic]

I've rigged up just as you describe. But one day I had a real brain wave.

Since I tie my own leaders, and both my dry fly and nymphing leaders start with a long piece of 40# (or is it 30 some?) mono, I nail knotted that section on the flyline. Then put a perfection loop at the end of that. Then I built out the leaders from there. Now the perfection loop is like 36 inches down the leader from the tip top. When I switch to my 10 or 11 foot dry fly leader I still don't have to worry about getting the loops stuck in the guides on a 7.5' rod!

The butt section has lasted a couple seasons and looked like it could stand up at least as long as the flyline, last I checked.

 

[shultzy501]

I think I'll start with a nail knot with my tapered leader. Many years ago, I used Pliobond on nail knots. I'll see if I can find it at the hardware store.

Over the winter, I'll mess around with some other system. Afish's loop sounds promising.

 

[jayL]

I bought a Rio line today that has the pre-fab loop. I think I'll be replacing all of my lines with these over time. It's damn convenient.

 

[MKern]

I'm with Jay. I dig the prelooped rio lines.

I use a perfection loop in my leader because I change leaders for dries and it's fairly easy. Once you do it a couple times, it can be done in about the time it takes to select a fly and tie it on.

 

[afishinado]

For lines that have no preformed loop, I make my own loop. Cut the end of the fly line at a steep angle, put a dab of super glue (Zapagap) on the end, whip finish a loop with fly-tying thread, and coat the windings a small amount with Knot Sense. Has never failed me, and it floats well, makes it easy to change leaders, and slides thru the guides and tiptop like goose poop through a tin horn!

 

[shultzy501]

I'm definitely going to try afish's method. I like the superglue idea. I was trying to figure out how you keep the loop closed while doing the whip finish. Sounds like it should be quick and easy.

Goose poop through a tin horn? Can't say I've heard that one before!

 

[Mariner]

Afishinado's rig sounds slick--tin horn and all. I'd love to see a photo of the whip finished loop.

If you do go the route of a nail knotted piece of mono on the end of the line to attach your leaders, skip the 40# mono and use Amnesia instead. link to the big C's amnesia

 

[afishinado]

I wind the thread on the fly line with a bobbin the same way as I do when tying flies. I wind back and forth twice and whip finish with my whip finish tool. If you don’t have fly tying stuff just do the winding and whip finish by hand or use a nail or needle knot.

http://www.netknots.com/html/nail_knot_animated.html

BTW, “slides like goose poop through a tin horn” (I cleaned it up) is not my line. It’s from a movie that I forgot the title of, but I didn’t forget the line. Also the whipped finished loop is also not mine, it’s been used for a long time for fly lines and many other things.

 

[shultzy501]

Finally bought some Zap a Gap and rigged up afish's loop. It was incredibly easy and looks great! It was probably easier than trying to thread on a baided loop and getting the heat shring tubing just right. I didn't have any Knot Sense, so I coated the whip finish with a thin coat of Zap a Gap. I looped a leader through it and gave it a hand pull test. Seems very strong. Now, I just have to get some fishing time scheduled, so I can test it for real.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Crotalus]

How did the braided loop fail? Did the loop fail or did it slip off the line?

I use the braided loops but i also add a nail knot to help keep them secure.

 

[pcray1231]

Perhaps an area I can improve. I just nail knot a 10-15" piece that makes the butt section for all my leaders, and when changing leaders I blood knot them on the butt section. I do change leaders often (hand tied), but leave the butt section universal for all. Only have to change the butt section once a year at most when it gets too short. Only problem is that the nail knot does hang up on the guides, might have to adjust something there.

 

[tabasco_joe]

Crotalus wrote:
How did the braided loop fail? Did the loop fail or did it slip off the line?

I use the braided loops but i also add a nail knot to help keep them secure.

I was wondering the same thing. Most of the Braided loop kits use heat shrink tubing. After a while the tubing can fail.

 

[shultzy501]

The loop slid off the end of the line.

The kit I had always used had heat shrink tubing. Actually, I was a fan of braided loops for many years, but noticed lately that I could not get the tubing to grab well. I even had this one whip finished to try to hold it.

 

[Crotalus]

i will have to keep an eye on mine. I skip the shrink tubing, i just let the weave bite into the fly line. (The chinese handcuff theory is what is behind the woven connectors.) Then i nail knot at the end of the connector about 3" up the line and coat the know with a little Dave's flexament.

As far as i am concerned using the nail knot on the connector is no different than tieing a but section on with a nail knot. but i will check mine from now on to make sure they are holding well.

 

[AugustWest]

I know this has been said, but years ago my mentor taught me to tie on by nail knot a piece of what-would-be butt end mono to the end of the fly line and tie a loop at the end of it. Loop the end of whatever leader you want and handshake it. Problems over. Quick and easy change whenever you want it.