Loops

[padave]

What do you think is better.
Pre made braided loops to attach to fly line or making a loop your self on your fly line?

 

[Pontus]

So far I have only bought fly lines with pre-welded loops. Not exactly one of your two options, but it is a third choice.

 

[jayL]

The "finger trap" ones are junk, IMO. They WILL fail unless you secure them with thread/glue.

Pre-made welded loops have failed me too, but much less often.

 

[padave]

thanks for the in-put

 

[wsender]

Finger traps are junk. They collect water and sink, plus they pull off.

Pre-made loops have always seemed to have done well when I've used them.

 

[gfen]

I like the premade loops, but they do start to fail. Whipping a loop with thread is way easy.

 

[gutcutter]

i cut the welded loops off as soon as i spool the line. i then 4 turn nailknot a three foot section of .025" line (40 pound) to the fly line and blood knot my leader to that. apply aquaseal over the knot.
on my saltwater rods, i do the same except i use 50 pound maxima
never failed me - even on 150 pound tarpon

 

[sandfly]

neither, I weld a butt section into the fly line instead. smooth transition from line to leader. on heavy lines 6 and up I'll tie a nail knot behind it. Then I glue and seal the line tip.

 

[jdaddy]

wsender wrote:
Finger traps are junk. They collect water and sink, plus they pull off.

Agreed. If you go to start gluing them that makes the sinking all the worse. Nail knot a stiff butt to the end of the line and go from there. You can still do a loop to loop with it.

I personally buy lines with welded loops. I have had one fail, lawn casting it in the front yard within minutes of installing it. It was Sharkskin and probably pretty old as I bought it from a fly shop along the little lehigh and it was 9wt line. SA is good about making it right though, as I believe they know there were issues with early Sharkskin loops.

 

[skiltonian]

not following you, sandfly, what do you mean by weld a butt section for line weights under six?



I haven't had any issues with manufactured pre-weld loop lines (I use orvis and rio lines) or doing my own loops. zap-a-gap is a good quick drying glue to use if you do it yourself.

 

[Chaz]

braided loops.

 

[sandfly]

the butt section is inserted into the line end and i weld it by using 2 different glues.

 

[beadhead2]

That sounds sexual !!!!

 

[afishinado]

Those braided loops have failed me (on big fish!) The factory loops on the end of fly lines are okay. When they wear out, I whip finish a loop in the line and coat it. It glides through the guides, allows a knot-less and quick change of leaders, floats well and casts well.

 

[JackM]

I think I do what gutcutter described, except my permanently tied nail knotted butt section is whatever heavy line is available and I keep it under a foot. Usually I will make a perfection loop in both permanent butt and leader butt and connect loop-to-loop, but sometimes I'll just blood-knot it. I'm not a big changer of leaders. I rebuild what is present until that strategy become untenable.

 

[slay12345]

I had a pre-welded loop on orvis line fail on me. It was barely a month old (to me) x-mas present. I did use it in cold weather though, so that may not have helped matters. My hand tied loop has held up through the rest of my 11 month fishing season from there.

 

[PatrickC]

Good info. Thanks folks!!

 

[mcwillja]

PADave,

Try an Albright knot. Here is the tutorial for it.

http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php?Categ=fishing&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

This is the setup I have been using then i tie a perfection loop in the short butt section.

 

[OldLefty]

Any time you have fly line doubled around itself, whether it be a welded loop or an albright knot you have double the weight at that point, as well. Not something I consider desirable.

With the slip-on line-to-leader connectors you have something which collects water inside the loop and it is bulky. Also, as mentioned, the risk of these pulling off is too great.

I nail knot a heavy piece of mono to the fly line and then tie a very small perfection loop in the end. This piece of mono is usually only a few inches long. Very small perfection loops, unlike larger loops, don't tend to get hung up in my guides.

Dave R.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I use the slip ons.Just aquasel it on and check it they will sink so I dress it xtra well.Albright special is a good knot,can get bulky .