Fly line to leader

[redfish]

How does this look? It's a nail knot. I am new to fly fishing and I don't have all the special stuff so will 20lb mono work just for now?

[dunfly]

Not good. You are going to have some real problems with the long tag ends. If you do it like this, you will need to trim the tag ends as close as possible. You also have the leader coming off at an angle. It needs to line up with the flyline. I prefer loop to loop connections myself.

The 20# mono will work, but I prefer 30# hard mason for the butt end of the leader.

[Silverspoon]

I prefer loop to loop connections myself.

Could you please post a picture so we may see what you are talking about?

[Todd]

http://tinyurl.com/afqg6b

[CooKnFish]

http://tinyurl.com/afqg6b

I have a feeling we will be seeing this more frequently. I just wish I could get away with sending it to a lot of my customers.

[dunfly]

First of all, the nail knot you tied does not look right. The leader end of the knot seems to have a loop under it that pushes it to an angle from the fly line. Both the leader end and the tag end should lie flat against the fly line. Here is a web sit that shows this.

http://www.animatedknots.com/nailknot/i ... dknots.com

I use a loop to loop connection for the fly line and leader and the fly line and backing. This makes it easy to change leaders of fly lines. It is also stronger than the nail knot connection, since the nail knot can eventually pull the fly line coating loose and strip off the fly line.

To form the loop in the fly line you simply taper the very end of the fly line to a point on one side. Fold it over to make a loop and super glue it down so that the taper forms a smooth transition to the fly line. I then tie a nail knot with 20# backing line over the overlap to hold in in place. I tie a perfection loop in the butt of the leader.

Here is a link that shows several methods of forming the loop. Mine is a combination of the tapered end loop and the nail knot loop. I start with the tapered end loop but use nail knots instead of whipping.

http://flyfisherman.com/skills/erloops/index.html

Todd, if you follow your Google link you will get a ton of links, none of which are very helpful.

[islander]

I've been told a large fish will strip a nail knot right off the fly line. I too use loop to loop.

[Lazyloop]

Red fish, now you are in the big leagues, Loop to Loop is the only way to go in the salt, cuz like momma says; salt fly fishin is like a box of chocolates you nevva know what you gonna get. And usually it's a big un.

[rpiatt3]

I haven't had a problem with the nail knot to connect the leader to fly line when tied properly and it doesn't snag any weeds if the tags are trimmed down. In fact Ive snapped 20 lb fluorocarbon (the lightest section of my leader set up) and the nail knot did not slip or move or any thing, the line just shot back at me with a little bit of force. Now I will say the loop to loop connection does make it easier to change out leaders quickly.

[Silverspoon]

Great! Now , how do you make the loop in the end of the leader? I am not talking about the premade leaders which already have a loop.

[Silverspoon]

http://tinyurl.com/afqg6b

Go away "Shorty". BTW, your avatar is annoying, kinda like you sometimes. JK

[Bob/FLA]

I use a figure 8 knot
works fine

Todd...THAT'S FUNNY!!! (http://tinyurl.com/afqg6b)

Best to all
Bob

[waynep86]

A “perfection loop” is very easy to tie and although it is not the best it is strong enough. Here is an example of how to tie it.
http://www.animatedknots.com/perfection/index.php

[dunfly]

I use the perfection loop myself, but you can also use a surgeons loop

http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeonslo ... dknots.com

The only problem with the surgeons loop is that it has a slight kink to the side while the perfection loop lines up exactly with the line.

[BearsFan]

what the pros use

[waynep86]

what the pros use

Do you use that S.A. system? Does it work well? Does it flop on the water? It looks like a lot of hardware to connect a leader to a fly-line.