Loop or nail knot?

[Sully]

Long time ago I think the standard method of attachment...of the leader to the line was a nail knot. Then at some point someone started using a loop made into the line and leaders with loops for quick attachment..??

First time I hired a guide out west, he immediately cut the line off and tossed the loop and we went with a straight , knotted attachment because he said that loops would cause the leader to "hinge" and I wouldnt be able to cast "straight"..? Soooo...thats how Ive done my attachments ever since....BUT

Lately ( because Ive been looking at a new 5 wgt line) I see the loops made into the end?? I have no problem clipping off that last 1 1/2 inch of line if the loop is useless or a hinderance...but is it?

What do YOU use? A nail knot or a loop??

[Martin McFly]

I use to do the nail knot to the line but now I use a piece of mono with a loop and I haven't had problems with it so far. I guess you have to use a piece of mono that matches your fly line just like the butt section.

[kglissmeyer]

I agree with MM. I attach a stout piece of mono to the end of my flyline with a nail knot, and then tie a perfection loop in the end of that about 3 to 5 inches from the end of the fly line. To this loop I attach my leader which is also looped for easy attachment/detachment. Works for me.

Kelly.

[Buddy Sanders]

Sully,

For many years I always used a loop of some sort.

The ones that come with the fly line are fine. Probably the 'best' method since it's integral to the line.

The braided loop connectors that slip over the end of the line, if properly installed, work quite well.

Tying a piece of butt section to your line with a nail knot and adding a loop to THAT works too.

I've used all of them, and can't seem to find a reason to use one over another. Now, I use the Castwell Knot, unless the fly line comes with a preinstalled loop (then I use that).

The guide you used was misinformed, as the 'hinging' thing doesn't happen as long as the leader butt and the fly line loop are properly sized. It's not uncommon for some very experienced anglers to harbor long held misconceptions.

Luckily for us, it really doesn't matter HOW you attach the leader to the fly line as long as it stays attached and YOU are happy with the method.

Buddy

[sagefisher]

Sully,

I use a new leader every time I go out so I quickly gave up on using the nail knot to attach my leaders as it ate up too much line. If the line has a loop, go ahead and use it, but there will come a time when you will want to cut it off as the leader can really wear into the loop. That is when I take a stiff short 6 inch butt section of leader and use the nail knot to attach it to my line and I have a perfection loop on the other end and attach my leader to that. I do that on my dry fly lines as well as my nymphing lines and sinking lines.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Sully]

OK guys. I gotcha and appreciate the input. Thanks

[Big Bad Wulff]

Neither.

Scientific Anglers L2L leaders. Best thing since sliced bread..............or before.

[bonefishwhisperer]

I always use the nail knot...much depends on what you are fishing for...for me loop to loop presents more problems than it helps...for starters I never change out leaders except for tippet...I use the same butt section and leader until it needs changing which is maybe once a yr at best...also I use long leaders from 13ft to 20ft and dont have the luxury of false casting so the loop tends to stick or hinder the cast when it needs to clear the guides...the same can be said when landing a fish...if the current is moving and the fish is fighting it is very difficult to land the fish without bringing the leader into the guides which will cause the leader to wrap the tip more often which can/will lead to a broken tip or a rod getting yanked out of your hand...with smaller fish it dont matter I guess...besides that I can tye a nail knot faster than most could ever change a leader....I have never had a nail knot fail in over 35yrs

[Normand]

if you want to keep the loop then use the loop to loop connection

if you want to cut it off, then use a nail knot connection

it seems you have used both, so why not use what you like to use?

[Jeff Clough]

I'm new at this, so I'm still trying out various knot systems. From the information I was able to find and the many opinions I've seen on the topic, I've settled on using a nail knot to connect my leader butt to the fly line and using a loop to loop connection to connect my tippet to the leader.

From the opinions I've seen, a fair amount of people find no problems with this sort of setup, but a similar amount of people cry "hinging" and would never touch it. The truth is probably in there somewhere depending on the size of the leader, tippet and the type of fly line.

I don't know enough about all of this yet to form a truly educated opinion, but I do know that when I catch a tree, the last thing I want is to have to tie a new nail knot or blood knot before I can be fishing again.