Attaching Fly Lines To Leaders

[Clan Ford]

Have you tried a sewing machine needle Norm? It makes life a lot easier.

Alex

Aye, Alex  - always use one, I have a selection for different line thicknesses just cant seem to get it to work this time.  No big deal, i'm not getting out much so no time to worry about it.

Norm

[SouthFly]

I've used the Dave Whitlock method which I think you posted about previously Norm and I do like it but with 3 and 4 line weights I've found it to be tricky to do too.
I even tried heating the needle a little but the plastic coating tends to go a bit rigid.

I use this superglue method on 3-4 wt floating lines and never had a problem and float really well, it makes a great connection delicate presentations. 

I find the easiest way to do this is to use an old tapered leader for the section that I will be attaching, threading the tippet end of the tapered leader through the sewing machine needle eye makes it much easier, pulling the tapered leader through the fly line all the way to the but of the leader and then can be glued into place and a perfection loop added to attach new leaders via a loop to loop.

I wouldn't really use this method for anything heavier, prefering a needle knot for my 5 through 8 weight floating lines and braided loops for my 9 through 12 weight floating lines (saltwater rigs)

Regarding welded loops, these are much more common these days, though before you rush out to cut these off, they do serve another purpose other than a nice clean connection.  Manufacturers make fly lines float by mixing in tiny glass spheres/bubbles, the reason that tips a prone to sinking (other than water getting into the core at the tip) is that this is the thinnest part of the fly line and thus have the least amount of spheres between the core and hard outer layer.  With welded loops on the Rio and Scientific Angler lines, they are able to increase the amount of spheres around the welded loop and thus reducing tip sinking (called Dry Tip Technology for SA and Super Flotation Technology by Rio) 

[Wildfisher]

some great info. there Southfly

[SouthFly]

I was busy replacing a connection so I decided to take some photo's.


Here I've threaded a sewing needle up the core, I like to have a loop at the end of my connection so I can change out leaders as I use this line on more than one rod and find that different leader configurations are required on different rods for fishing dry flies.  If you plan on attaching your leader permanently, then use a sewing machine needle so you can thread the opposite direction.  I've threaded the 1cm up the core here as I will be using a superglue connection, if you want to use this method for a regular nail knot you can get away with allot less.  Regarding the leader, I've already pre-tied my loop at the but, this makes it much easier than tying the knot afterwards.


As you can see here, I've threaded the tippet end to the tapered leader through the eye of the needle and pulled it through the core up to the butt section.  At this point you can proceed with either a nail knot or do a superglue connection.  If you are going to make the superglue connection, remember to sand the leader section that will be glued into the core.  This serves two purposes, to create surface area for the glue to adhere to and also removes the oils that your grubby paws have left on the leader.


The finished product

[River Chatter]

Great SBS, thanks for that. Has anyone tried threading folding over that nylon and threading both ends up through the flyline to leave a superglued loop? A bit like the kilsyth attachment without the knot. I've not tried this yet.

[IrishFloatTube]

The photos are very clear, thx.

If while the sewing needle is stuck into the line, a little heat is put on the exposed part of the needle, the heat will soften the line covering, taking a "set". Now when the needle is removed the hollow tube shape remains for good.
This means that the mono leader butt can be replaced at the waterside when required with no special tools and needles required. Just use the clipper or scissors to cut a wedge shape on the mono as it goes down the tube faster.

Also: Those of us who use the "figure of eight line knot - leader loop" have had the advantage of added floatation in the line tip for a very long time due to the concentrated point of flyline covering material in that figure of eight.

But a knot makes less water disturbance than a loop when considering line:leader connection. That really only matters when retrieving the fly for nymphing/wet fly.

[Wildfisher]

I have now gone over to the needle / nail knot that Haresear uses.  It is vastly better than any other method I have tried.

[claret mayfly]

Always a nail knot for me - they're actually very easy to tie - it's like everything else once you've got the knack.......
It's never let me down and I use it for trout, sea trout and salmon.
loops make too much of a splat on the water for me - might be my casting but I don't think so cos the nail knot doesn't do the same.
I nail knot an 18"  length of 8lb (for trout/sea trout anyway)nylon on at the start of the season and it lasts all year.

Colin

[haresear]

I have now gone over to the needle / nail knot that Haresear uses.  It is vastly better than any other method I have tried.

I like it because it is streamlined, light and strong. I don't fancy putting my faith in superglue alone. I don't want to lose my trout of a lifetime because I trusted in a dab of Zap A Gap over a knot

Where the needle knot falls down is where you are chopping and changing, using different leader configurations all the time. Having said that, I can change leaders in no time at all, using a sewing machine needle (I always keep one in each fly box) and a nail knot tool.

I can certainly see the attraction of say, a whipped loop there and I will still use the welded loop on a couple of my lines but for my lighter gear like the #4 outfit, the needle knot wins it for me.

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Alex,

I used the needle knot  yesterday as demonstrated by you in NZ.  You can start your cast with just the leader out of the top ring  and it  runs out the same as the main line. It's superb. I don't and won't use glue. If you test the knot I don't think it's required and glue  just hardens the line and causes the coating to fracture after a while.