Backing to Flyline

[John Finn]

What's the best way to attach expensive tropical flyline to backing . Is braid or dacron the best option. Reel capacity won't be a problem . Just need to be fully confident in the connection...........John

[Paul Arden]

Hi John,

I always use a Bimini Twist for this. I double the loop if the backing is thin and I expect to see it

Cheers, Paul

[petevicar]

I always use loop to loop.
I make a loop in the end of the fly line and secure it with a couple of nail knots using relatively fine mono (ca. 5lbs.). I then use heat shrink silicone tube to cover the knots.
In the backing I make a loop with a bimini. If the backing is thick like dacron the a single strand. If it is thin like gel spun I double it up and the make a bimini.
Single strand gel spun can sometimes cut through fly line.

[Graeme H]

My preference is for hollow braid spectra as backing. If I'm using 60lb braid, I'll splice in a length of 80 or 100 pound and make an end splice in that. Nice fat loop without any knots.

Cheers,
Graeme

[John Finn]

Single strand gel spun can sometimes cut through fly lin

I was thinking about this. Would stripping the flyline down to the core before making the loop be over the top. This is my first tropical saltwater trip so my imagination is running riot Has anyone ever lost a flyline ?? .............John

[Paul Arden]

Hi John,

If the line doesn’t have a welded loop then I strip the line to the backing to make the loop. I’ve never had a problem making a strong thread whipping in three points. I superglue the thread. I regularly use these at the leader end in Malayaia.

Welded loops are good to over 25lbs and you can reinforce them with 10lb mono if you want.

I’ve never lost a fly line however I’ve broken a few! What line weight are you using here? And which line is it? It’s a good idea to have a connection that runs through the rings relatively easily. Many SW lines are on 35lb core (bonefish lines etc). Although I have tropical 8WT sinking lines that are on only 23lb core and a problem for some of the fishing I want to do (I broke these in tests). There are flylines with much stronger core - eg RÍO Leviathan is 70lbs.

Cheers, Paul

[James9118]

Hi John,

In order to stop the backing cutting into the fly line you can 'cat's-paw' the loop to loop connection. This involves passing the loop through more than once (easier to show than explain - I'll look for a photo). This helps to spread the load. Make sure the Bimini loop in the backing (double Bimini in the case of GSP) is tied large enough that you can get it to pass over the spool holding the fly line - this makes doing the multiple pass loop-to-loop easier.

James.

[James9118]

This is a two-pass cat's-paw:

[John Finn]

https://www.fishingmegastore.com/fly-li ... 42821.html
Was thinking of an 8WT one of these. Hell of a price though. Probably don't need the latest for a first trip . Any recommendations ?

Welded loops are good to over 25lbs and you can reinforce them with 10lb mono if you want.

That sounds like a good idea, could make the loop nice and tight to pass through rings. Thanks James ,know what you mean.........John

[Paul Arden]

(But not a Bimini! )

Biminis take about 30 seconds by the way. They look complicated but they are not. I either hook around my big toe or a drill bit that I half-drilled into the boat for this purpose. The key to tying a good Bimini is to lock the tag end when you draw up the twists and don’t pull tag end towards the loop prior to this. In Mono this deforms the line and makes a weak point. If your line breaks here ie one or two inches in the mainline away from the knot then you made this mistake!

Cheers, Paul