Fly Line To Leader

[troutchaser]

I got a new double taper floating fly line for my birthday this year. It's a good brand, but it doesn't have a welded loop in the end. That's OK with me, since it's always been sort of a pain to get the loop-to-loop connection through the guides smoothly.

For those who have experience with this, would you recommend a nail knot to connect the leader to the fly line, or perhaps a needle knot? I'm also considering just whipping a loop in the end of the fly line to make things easy, but I don't know which option would work best.

What's your opinion, my fellow fly fishers?

[Terry Beeson]

OK... there are three options here...

1. Tie a loop in the end and loop connect the leader. OK, but not my first choice by far.

2. Install a loop connector (acts like a chinese handcuff and add super glue or similar to help hold it.) The Dave Whitlock type are great and the others I've used are pretty good. I have this on one line and never had a problem. It makes it a lot easier to change leaders using this method. My choice...

3. Nail knot. Without a welded loop, this connection is probably best if you can tie a good one. I tie my backing to line with a nail knot and have one line to leader with a nail knot. The only down side to this is changing leaders, which I do more often than many, so I've gone to loops on all my lines to leaders.

[ness]

I tie a nail knot with a surgeon's loop on the end of the fly line. Attach leaders with a surgeon's loop.

I've got a knot tying tool to help with the nail knots. Can't remember what it's called, but I still see them in tackle shops.

[bcfish]

I too change my leaders quite often. I use a loop made with 20 to 30 lb test tied to the fly line and a loop in the end of this. This makes the loop smaller as long as it is seated properly, and it slides right through my guides. I am sure there are some cons to this method, but I have only found one. In windy conditions that short peice of mono can grab the leader and create a loop. This is probably my poor casting technique, but I now coat the nots with a little glue and smooth them out and havent had any problems.

[Gavin]

I add 3' section of heavy mono to the end of my fly line with an albright knot, then I tie leaders to the mono butt section with a blood knot for tapered leaders, or an albright for untapered sections of 8-12lb mono or flouro for streamer and nymph fishing.

The Whitlock no-knot superglue line to leader connection is probably the slickest connection out there, but I've never invested in the gizmo's to do that. Cheers.

[duckydoty]

I also like the Albright knot, just be very careful in tying it to make sure it is absolutely perfect or it will fail.

A good way to prevent that is to follow the Albright with a uni.

[jOrOb]

I like the nail knot...but I suck at it. So, to make it easier, I tie a butt section of Mono (20 to 30 LBS), or you can use shooting line. Shooting like is pretty cool because it is red, and can be used as a strike indicator in some circumstances. Once I get a good nail knot, I put a perfection loop in about 6" from the leader. I heard that called a leader butt, but I don't know if that is correct. It does work good though, because you simply attach your leaders with a figure 8 connection. The whole thing slides through the guides WAAAY better than a loop in your flyline, and I don't have to tie a new nail knot until the line fails, or until I make a mundo knot (which I do pretty well).

the real question is ... which end of the flyline do you put it on???

jOrOb

[retroaction man]

Last year someone showed me how they used a needle to connect their fly line to the leader. He took the needle and heated it up. stuck the needle up into the line and let it melt to a certain extent. Then he glues the needle to the line where they met. I thought it was kinda cool but personally i dont think i could ever trust it to really hold. He said he had never had any trouble with it though. Anyone else ever used or seen this being used ?

I just tie a small loop at the end of my line and use the loop to loop leaders

[Terry Beeson]

the real question is ... which end of the (double tapered) flyline do you put it on???

Geez, JoRob... EVERYbody knows it goes on the front end....

[flyfshn]

I tie a piece of amnesia (red) to the fly line with a nail knot and then tie a loop on the other end......and tie a small loop on the end of all of my leaders, to connect loop-to-loop