slip on leader loop

[herefishy]

Whenever I see mention of nail knots, whipped on loops, and such, I wonder why nobody seems to like the "slip on leader loops"? They do add a little weight on the end of the line, but I don't seem to notice the connection to sink. They are so easy to put on.

[Jayatwork]

I don't trust the packaged ones with heat shrink. I've seen them come off. I have used Dan Blanton's method though and that seems very secure.

[herefishy]

I always dab a bit of superglue on them, don't trust the heat shrink either.

[sagefisher]

I had one fall off while I was fishing, I cut the rest off the other lines and tied my own loop. The same thing happened to a friend of mine while we were fishing. Nope, don't use the premade ones, I prefer to tie on a short butt section and make a loop in it. Larry ---sagefisher---

[johnstoeckel]

I think whipping a loop in the end of the fly line is just as quick and easy. It's very secure / durable, I can make one with materials I always have on hand (monofilament thread and Pilobond), and I can vary the loop size to meet my needs. Plus it doesn't pick up dirt that will sink the tip like a braided loop.

[herefishy]

The loops that come in the new lines seem so easily cut through, though. Maybe I will try just nail knotting the pre made loops on and ditch the heat shrink.

[ScottP]

Years ago, I had one of the store-bought/shrink tube ones give way (on a snag, luckily) and ditched the rest. Made my own with braided nylon running line (think the idea came from a Dan Blanton article) and they worked pretty well, but I find the whipped loop using just the flyline more durable; just my 1/50 of a dollar.

Regards,
Scott

[Allan]

I don't use a loop. I use what Al Caucci taught me and he called it a Krazy Glue connection. There's no knot at all. The connection is smooth and almost invisible. End of leader goes into the core of the fly line and is glued. Most importantly, I've never had the connection of line to leader break or fail. Must admit though, I've only used this connection for trout, large (5-6#) catfish, carp and a few salmon. I believe this connection was described in an article in the Archives.

Allan

[Betty Hiner]

I don't like them as they have a tendency to crack the line where the loop hinges against the line. Not good to get a good hit/fish on and loose the entire "everything" from the hinge point on down.

[tailingloop]

I use slip on leader loops on my medium to heavy wt rigs when the line doesn't come with a loop or the factory loop wears out.

I build and install double catch loops as Dan Blanton describes as others have described. The article is here
http://www.danblanton.com/blog/getting-looped/

These loops are very strong. I have them on lines I have used for tuna, giant trevally, sharks, and other big things. I have had fly lines fail but never had one of my home made loops fail.

I had several failures of the typical commercially available loops end on trout and panfish rigs. Most of these are single catch designs where the braid is pulled back into the standing part only once then typically glued with a super glue type of glue. The glued section is usually somewhat rigid and over time as this section flexes and the glue breaks down and the loop pulls apart. This is how most of the failures occurred that I had.

I also had a couple secured with tubing slip off while fighting a fish. I suspect that the tension on the line was enough that as the line stretched slightly it shrank enough that the tube loosened and the braid lost it's grip on the line.

If you use single catch loops it is a good to inspect them before and after each outing. It only takes a few seconds. I routinely check my connections regardless of types.

The most secure way to secure braided loops is with a single trap nail knot at the end of the braid where the line enters the braid. No need for glue unless you put a bit of Pliobond or other flexible glue over the nail knot so it will be smooth going through the guides. If you put glue along the between the nail knot (or heat shrink tube) you actually defeat the Chinese finger trap effect of the braid in the line. Use of non flexible glues like super glues or the use of tubing to secure the braid can lead to cracking in the flyline where the line enters the braid.