Leader connections

[alanj]

Loop to loop and a tippet ring.
I hate tying knots and find many are just too fiddly for my elderly fingers, so fewer knots to tie the better. I tried those clips to attach the fly as well but they just don't work - far too difficult to get through the fly eye.

[johnnybg]

In regards to the thread topic, I would really like to hear what you think about the two solutions below?

The first video is about cutting the loop all together. The second video is about about snelling a short piece of mono on the fly line making a mono to mono loop connection instead.

Cut the loop and make a snell


Repair the loop


I believe they use it for tropical saltwater fishing too..

Any comment is highly appreciated.

[Bendix]

Hi

I have tried both methods in the past, however I only used them for Salmon fishing.

The first method I abandoned almost straight away, as me and a friend did a pull test, and simply pulled the knot and coating off the fly line, leaving the exposed core behind on the fly line… We did this with the line in our hands (no tools needed) and it didn’t take much force to cut the line through the coating and “cutting” the leader off. Not a great way to do it, if you ask me…

The other way, of tying a loop to the fly line, I used rather a lot some years ago, however, I tied the knot on the fly line by doubling over the line first, and then tying the knot. After that, I would coat the knot in a flexible UV glue.
I only did this on my different sinking tips for Salmon fishing, and it worked fine, as I would use short leaders, so the connection never came close to the rod guides while fighting a Salmon. Had the connection reached the guides during a fight, I’m pretty sure it would have been stuck in the guides, causing a lot of problems…
I however abandoned this method some years ago, and went back to using the factory welded loops on my sink tips. The welded loop and a loop knot in the leader, is in my opinion a better and far less bulky way of attaching the short Salmon leader.

I have however never tried any of these methods for Trout fishing, so I can’t comment on how it would work for this. I do have a feeling though, that there are better ways…

Cheers
Bendix

[johnnybg]

The first method I abandoned almost straight away, as me and a friend did a pull test, and simply pulled the knot and coating off the fly line, leaving the exposed core behind on the fly line… We did this with the line in our hands (no tools needed) and it didn’t take much force to cut the line through the coating and “cutting” the leader off. Not a great way to do it, if you ask me…

The exact same thing happened to me on a SA #6 S3 SHD. I thought i was doing something wrong.

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

The "snell" as Flip calls it ( although I remember it as the original nail knot before special tools), has a place on certain lines, particularily older technology cores like Dacron.

It will definitely fail and pull off the coating from many of the newer cores, and especially GSP.

But, you always have to consider the break strength of the tippet. Nail knots or Snell's, when they are used correctly, often are only good for maybe 15# tippets. Past that, the core will peel before the tippet breaks.

Did you notice Flip spoke of redfish on a 6 wt? I guarantee he does not use that connection on tarpon or big game.

For trout fishing and X size leaders I would expect a nail knot will be fine (except for GSP!)

[johnnybg]

Thanks a lot M.C. for clarying things up.
It didn't make much sense to me until now.

[johnnybg]

The "snell" as Flip calls it ( although I remember it as the original nail knot before special tools), has a place on certain lines, particularily older technology cores like Dacron.
...
Did you notice Flip spoke of redfish on a 6 wt? I guarantee he does not use that connection on tarpon or big game.

It actually seems like they use it for tarpon

[Paul Arden]

I never had nail knots fail in the salt or freshwater. That’s not true but almost true. However I had them fail here with Snakehead and so stopped using them. Of course I generally allow other fish to run!

Welded loops are incredibly strong. Sometimes stronger than the flyline. But if they start to peal they’ll need replacing.

On 6WT I cut this loop off no matter what I’m doing. If I want a loop I’ll whip one using the core. I do this for Gourami. For trout I’ll use a two turn needle knot.

On 8WTs and higher I’ll use the welded loop. You can reinforce it if you are unsure but it’s highly unlikely to be your weakest link.

Cheers, Paul

[johnnybg]

Thank you, Paul. I will stick to loops when fishing for tropical species and salmon and as for trout, I will stick with the needle or nail knot. It might be the coating of the 6wt sink3 line or my tying skills that failed me in the past when the nail knot on that line came undone.

[Paul Arden]

Hi Johnny,

There is a way of putting a small kink in the nail knot you might try, put the first two turns over both the mono and the flyline, put the third around just the mono and the final two around the mono and flyline again. This should prevent it slipping on skinny tip sinking lines.

Cheers, Paul