Fly line to leader to loop or not

[Ben Lamb]

When you're fishing downstream and retrieving, then the trout start nipping at your leader knot it's time to change leaders

All this interest in fly fishing, time for @Ben Lamb to organise a fly swap I think, think he might have done this a few years ago?

Cheers

Richard

A swap could be fun. Especially since I don't tie.

 

[shrapnel]

Cut the fly line and tie a new nail knot. Loops hinge. Tying a nail knot is a skill you should have.

This is the simplest and best thing you can do for a leader attached to a fly line. Loops create a hinge that interrupts the natural flow of a fly line. Butt sections do nothing for saving a fly line from wearing out sooner due to replacing leaders, and when you fish critical water where there may be some debris floating on top, every knot you have will collect that debris and that is another reason for the leader to be tied directly to the fly line.

 

[cfree]

This is the simplest and best thing you can do for a leader attached to a fly line. Loops create a hinge that interrupts the natural flow of a fly line. Butt sections do nothing for saving a fly line from wearing out sooner due to replacing leaders, and when you fish critical water where there may be some debris floating on top, every knot you have will collect that debris and that is another reason for the leader to be tied directly to the fly line.

I've also found that the nail knot slips through the top eye a little easier than a loop-to-loop connection.

 

[Bob-WY]

I've also found that the nail knot slips through the top eye a little easier than a loop-to-loop connection.

That's actually one of my concerns to sort through this spring by trying different approaches

 

[devon deer]

I've also found that the nail knot slips through the top eye a little easier than a loop-to-loop connection.

Agreed, especially when 'smoothed' out with some aquasure.
A few years ago I used to sell 9' 6WT rods to my clients.
Out of 50 rods I had 2 returned, both with the same issue, snapped tips, when I questioned the clients both were caused by snagging the joint in the top ring, one by landing a fish, the other when threading the line through the rod rings.
Its simple to thread a rod, keep the reel on the ground, pull of plenty of fly line, double it over at the end, feed through all the rings and then pull leader and joint through, that way it will be fine.
BTW, I replaced the tips FOC.
Cheers
Richard

 

[44hunter45]

I'm a noob, but my secret weapon for tying a nail not is a leather stitching needle. I keep a vial of them in my vest. I lay the lines along the needle, do the twists, put the tail in the eye of the needle and pull back though the knot. Cinch it up tight and snip the leftover ends close.

My favorite thing in the fly-fishing jargon book book is, "biologicals". I was reading a book from a field editor of big fly-fishing periodical and he kept using that word. At first I thought he meant foam ants, hoppers and such. I finally figured out he meant catching grasshoppers and impaling them on a bare #12 hook. I'm pretty sure the Idaho reg book calls that "Live Bait"

 

[Bob-WY]

Well my first "field test" and I most likely will be ditching the loop to loop connection and re-tie with a nail knot. It was a pain in the butt to get the loop to loop through the smaller guides on the rod! Both pulling leader through to start and reeling it in to stop.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Well my first "field test" and I most likely will be ditching the loop to loop connection and re-tie with a nail knot. It was a pain in the butt to get the loop to loop through the smaller guides on the rod! Both pulling leader through to start and reeling it in to stop.

Buy one of these and hang it on your lanyard/vest.

https://www.amazon.com/TIE-FAST-TIEFA-171-Tie-Fast-Combo/dp/B007QSUBPI/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=Knot+Tying+Tools&qid=1647360567&sr=8-14

 

[Nutrioso]

Well my first "field test" and I most likely will be ditching the loop to loop connection and re-tie with a nail knot. It was a pain in the butt to get the loop to loop through the smaller guides on the rod! Both pulling leader through to start and reeling it in to stop.

If you seat leader to leader loops correctly and pull them tight, there isn't much more bulk than a nail knot connection. But, whatever works best for you.

 

[Bob-WY]

If you seat leader to leader loops correctly and pull them tight, there isn't much more bulk than a nail knot connection. But, whatever works best for you.

May have been that my perfection loop I created on the old leader was to big, but it does drag through the guides. It's slightly bigger that the loop on the new leader.

 

[Nutrioso]

May have been that my perfection loop I created on the old leader was to big, but it does drag through the guides. It's slightly bigger that the loop on the new leader.

You can tie very small perfection loops by squeezing the knot in between fingers before pulling it tight, then pulling on the tag end to make the loop as small as you want. Insert hemostats or something similar into the loop and then pull tight. Whether you nail knot directly to the leader or not, a small perfection loop is handy to know.

 

[atlas]

I like the "Nail-less" nail knot.

that is genius!

 

[KB_]

Bobber! yes thank you. If I ever hear Strike indicator again I'm gonna beat that individual with the end of my fly fishing pole! lol