# Flyline 2 Leader...HOW



## Surfmonkey (Mar 21, 2008)

How do you tie/connect your flyline to the leader? Just trying to get started and want to do it right...


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## luna nueva (Jul 4, 2007)

loop to loop


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

I nail knot several inches of about 40 pound leader material to the end of the fly line, then I tie a perfection loop in the other end of the leader material. Tie another perfection loop in the butt end of the leader itself. Then connect the two with a loop to loop.


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## jhj415 (May 22, 2005)

http://www.mnflyfishing.com/MinnesotaFlyFishing/Knots/tabid/262/Default.aspx

Monkey this should help.


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

I put a loop in the end of my fly line and leader and go loop to loop. Others use a nail knot. 

I would recommend spending a few bucks and getting Lefty Kreh's latest book "Fishing Knots". It's very descriptive, well illustrated and come with a companion CD. This will help you with every know you will ever need, and some that you won't, for fly fishing, and conventional, too. I think it's a good investment.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Animal Chris said:


> I put a loop in the end of my fly line and leader and go loop to loop. Others use a nail knot.


Going to show my ignorance here. I've always used a nail knot. When you say you put a loop in the end of the fly line, explain exactly what you mean? I can't expand on my question in fear of really, really showing my amateur ranking. 

Thanks


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## bslittle79 (May 24, 2004)

This rook uses braided connectors like the ones shown in the link below(I bought mine at Gander Mountain). I buy the pre-made tappered leaders that come with the loop already tied.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_75087_175003002_175000000_175003000_175-3-2


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Loop to loop will sometimes hang up, especially with larger fly lines. Do what the master, Chris Phillips does, use two nail knots side by side, and smooth it over with glue. He uses that little nail knot tool, as I do, and it makes it very easy to tie those knots. He will sometimes use 3 knots on heavy salt water lines. Smooth as silk and is VERY strong.

THE JAMMER


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## Skinny Water (Oct 12, 2004)

Stuart - You can make a loop in the end of your flyline a couple different ways.

One is to fold the flyline back on itself and tie a pair of nail knots around the doubled line using 12# mono as described above by Jammer. You can then coat these knots with zap-a-gap.

You can also generate a "whipped loop" by folding the line back on itself, then take a bobbin with fly tying thread and start the thread around the doubled line, then hold both ends of the line (loop end and standing end) and use centrifugal force to spin the bobbin around the line. The weight of the bobbin and spool on the oustide of the spin will cause the thread to dig into the line some. You can then coat the thread with zap-a-gap when you are done.

With either method you then trim the tag end of the fly line (after the knots or thread) and it will leave a small loop in the end of the fly line. You can tie a perfection loop in the butt end of the leader and connect the leader to the line with an interlocking loop.

I use the above method for 6-8 weight rods. For heavier rods I albright a butt section to the fly line. I will leave this butt section as a semi-permananet section and add a class tippet with flouro or wire bite tippet as needed. You can replace the class tippet many times before the butt section needs to be replaced.


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

Skinny Water said:


> One is to fold the flyline back on itself and tie a pair of nail knots around the doubled line using 12# mono as described above by Jammer. You can then coat these knots with zap-a-gap.


Stuart, This is how I tie mine except I don't use Zap A Gap. I prefer Loon Knot Sense. If you're not familiar with this product, it's an acrylic material that's activated by UV light. If you'll apply it to the knots and smooth it out, then hit it with a UV light (it's about the size of pen light) for about 10 seconds and you're done. This creates a smooth finish that allows the line to pass freely through the guides. This material also makes builds a beautiful head on a fly.


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## surfsideperson (Aug 22, 2005)

Or, take it to the fly shop and let those guys do it right, and carry an extra spool , with another set up done right, that way you cant loose.........


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

You get Andy at FTU to string your reel with fly line and he ties a section of leader with a loop to the fly line using a nail knot. LOL!

It's actually a good deal because you get backing, fly line, leader, and spooling all for the price of the fly line.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Animal Chris said:


> Stuart, This is how I tie mine except I don't use Zap A Gap. I prefer Loon Knot Sense. If you're not familiar with this product, it's an acrylic material that's activated by UV light. If you'll apply it to the knots and smooth it out, then hit it with a UV light (it's about the size of pen light) for about 10 seconds and you're done. This creates a smooth finish that allows the line to pass freely through the guides. This material also makes builds a beautiful head on a fly.


That's pretty neat. The part I didn't want to ask was if the fly line was to bulky doubling it back on itself. Can a person attach just a loop to the end of the fly line by just whipping it on there or will it pull off?


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Stuart said:


> That's pretty neat. The part I didn't want to ask was if the fly line was to bulky doubling it back on itself. Can a person attach just a loop to the end of the fly line by just whipping it on there or will it pull off?


That's basically what the nail knot is.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

bslittle79 said:


> This rook uses braided connectors like the ones shown in the link below(I bought mine at Gander Mountain). I buy the pre-made tappered leaders that come with the loop already tied.
> 
> http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_75087_175003002_175000000_175003000_175-3-2


I bought some of those last night. Following the instructions and sliding the shrink tubing down toward the loop, then obviously you can't sanke the fly line all the way on to the base of the loop. If you snake on as much as you can, then move the shrink tube up the fly line, you still can't get it to go any further. So, I have about an inch of the braided sock that has no fly line inside it. I guess that is okay.


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## davidb (May 10, 2006)

Check Dan Blantons bulletin board under tackle and techniques. Look for an article called "Getting Looped" this goes into detail about the braided loops.

I don't trust the braided loops unless the fly line goes into the doubled tail end of the loop. The shrink wrap is OK but I usually tie one or two nail knots over the braid and then put Plio Bond or Soft tex over the knots only.

I have also been using two nail knots with the lower one on a bend, just a short section of doubled fly line. This works well on the slick mono core lines and I have not had one fail yet. For heavy lines I sometimes whip over these knots and coat them.

Another method with heavy lines is to strip down to the core with acetone or nail polich remover, just get it soft and tie an overhand knot with a piece of mono and pull it off. Usually this will strip the coating. Then the exposed core can be bood knotted to the leader butt. This is good for using in grassy areas. Should only be used with cores that test 30Lbs. or more.


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## Lat22 (Apr 7, 2005)

I haven't even received my first fly outfit from UPS yet, but why couldn't you just use an allbright for every line to line connection. I only ask because I can tie the heck out of those on conventional lines.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Rookie here, but for the leader to fly line connection it is better to have loop to loop. That way you can change the leader out very easily which in my case I do quite often because of the knots I frequently "tie" in my leaders 

Same deal on your leaders. You can change out tippets if you use loops without shortening the butt section. A butt section should last a long time.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Lat22 said:


> I haven't even received my first fly outfit from UPS yet, but why couldn't you just use an allbright for every line to line connection. I only ask because I can tie the heck out of those on conventional lines.


I didn't know UPS made fly outfits. 

To answer your question, you probably could use an albright to tie a leader to the fly line, but I've never tried it. I would think it would make a very fat knot that might not fit through the tip of the fly rod. This means you would have to cut it everytime you broke the rod and reel down. You don't want to do this as fly line is very expensive and it would mess with the weight characteristics after just a few cuts.

The knot would also create additional wind resistance which affects casting.


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## Skinny Water (Oct 12, 2004)

Lat 22 - You can use an Albright, it just makes it harder to switch out your leaders. I use Albrights on my 10-12 weights and only change the butt section a couple times per season. I just replace the class tippet and flouro or wire shock tippet as needed.

If you tie your own leaders you could Albright a butt section to the fly line and replace the rest of the leader as needed. If you use pretied or tapered leaders then you would start to shorten the line rather quickly and that would impact the front taper of the fly line.


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## Lat22 (Apr 7, 2005)

Thanks for the answers. Makes perfect sense. I wish conventional tackle all came with loops on them. The man in the brown truck delivered my Lefty Kreh instructional DVD, a box of redfish flies and some leaders but I'm still waiting for the real hardware to get here. BTW, after watching that DVD, I'm more confused than ever. I'll be taking real lessons for sure.


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## BlueDog (Sep 4, 2005)

You have 2 options that leave you with a practically seamless connection. These methods are a little difficult to explain, but I will give it a shot. You will need a tool that I only know as a needle vise, wich is a tool that will hold a sewing needle with the eye exposed and the point inside the tool. These methods will only work with dacron core fly lines. Method #1; 1. pass the eye of the needle through the end of your fly line (inside the dacron core) approx 1/8" to 1/4", then poke the eye of the needle through the fly line exposing the eye. 2. Using a knotless tapered leader pass the end of the tippet through the eye approx 1/8". 3. Pull the needle with the tippet back through the fly line. 3. pull the entire leader through the fly line leaving enough of a tag end to tie a nail not around the fly line. 4. Dress and tighten the knot and coat lightly with Knot Sense, another UV activated glue that leaves a very smooth surface.

Method #2 is very similar up until #3 of the aforementioned. at this point you will need a small piece of sand paper & Zap A Gap. rough up the very end of the butt section of the leader & add a drop of Zap A Gap. Now before the Zap A Gap sets pull the leader through until the portion of the leader with the Zap A Gap on it is inside the fly line (the Zap A Gap will likely prevent the leader from completely passing through the fly line). Clip any exposed tag end of the butt section & go fishing. A word of advise, if you have never used Zap A Gap be very careful not to glue any parts of your body to another, this stuff is very powerful!!!!

Method 2 sounds a little far fetched, but once you see it work it will be the last connection you ever use.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Steven


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## BlueDog (Sep 4, 2005)

Lat22

Don't go pay for any lessons, pitch in on some fuel for the skiff & after a day on the water I feel that I can get you well on your way! PM me & we can set it up.

Steven


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## cheetah (May 30, 2006)

http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php

Check out this site
Capt Andy Hernandez


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