Hi Mike
Like many things in fly fishing opinions and mileage vary. I'm not keen on welded loops for FW fishing as, like Paul, I find them too bulky to glide in and out when using long leaders. When walking and stalking you don't want the loop too far outside the tip because the loose leader is bound to tangle in the shrubbery. (FWIW my set up allows the point fly to be hooked in a guide of the top section of the rod and then the leader is taken back down and around the reel handle.) Second requirement is that the transition between loop and fly line is eased to reduce cracking of the line coating at the transition point.
To suit these requirements I use either a Roman Moser minicon with the sleeve secured with a tiny tiny drop of Loctite 406. This stuff is thin enough to seep in and glue the base of the loop to the line and sleeve to the loop. The sleeve goes back over the line for 10-15mm beyond the loop base. This bit is not secured and it's sole purpose is to ease the transition.
For SW fishing with shorter leaders and bigger tip tops I am less concerned with factory loops although I still lean towards DIY braided loops. My latest version of these is a bit fiddly but very tidy.
A section of braided leader butt is secured to the end of the flyline with a nail knot of thin braid or mono or served with strong tying thread. Using a latch needle the rest of the braid is turned inside out and back over the initial section which is now the inner part of the loop. The outer covers the fixing point of what is now the inner and is secured a couple of centimetres below that point using the same technique. Polyurethane glue is worked in through the outer to cover the inner fixing point and fixing point of the outer. I put a taper in the polyurethane to ease the transition.
This system works with FW lines too but..... 50lb braid is a bit too bulky for lines <5wt imho. 35lb braid is a bit of a bugger to turn inside out over the flyline and inner braid section - not enough internal diameter to do it easily.
For lines to backing I use loop to loop - welded or DIY braided loops. Without an extensive cats paw the braid, even when doubled, tends to cut the line coating (floaters welded loop) as I discovered when changing lines on a bonefish reel that had seen plenty of action.
Last two SW lines I used Max Garth's co-axial loop method. Yet to be tested but soon to be tested in about 5 weeks time, I hope, on Sydney Kingies.
Cheers
Mark
