Does it have to be a nail knot?

[DUB]

I never had the castwell knot fail while casting or playing a fish. I did have it come apart twice while on the reel between fishing trips. I went to thread my leader through the guides of the rod and somehow it had become unfastened. That planted a seed of doubt in my mind and I gave it up for the nailess nail knot. No tools needed and uses very little of your fly line. Just my experience.

The castwell knot was used on a 5 wt floating SA plain jane line, and Rio 9 or 7 1/2 foot 3X leader, Mono.

[Allan]

I don't use any 'knot' to attach the leader to the flyline. I use the 'Krazy Glue' splice, shown to me years ago by Al Caucci. I believe Dave Whitlock uses a very similar splice for the conection he uses between the same two lines.
Also, I recall J. Castwell and Lady Flyfisher did/do not like the nail knot for a specific reason and I'll leave it for someone else to specify that reason.
Anyway, when done right, and I hope I do it right, the Krazy Glue splice will not fail. It has yet to fail me. Maybe others can or will chime in about this conection. Oh, another thing: This connection is perfectly smooth. There's no bump at all so your line will not get hung up at the tip top or any eye along the length of the rod.

Allan

[Lotech]

Hooked,

Don't use the end of your line when you are tying on a new leader, you will use up too much of your line after a few leaders. Do as suggested, put a very short, 3 to 4 inch really thick butt mono leader on the end of your line, yes, using a nail knot, and form the perfection loop on the other end then loop your leaders onto that butt section.

But, you do need to have a tool on your lanyard that will save you hours of grief over a period of time. Buy yourself a Tie-Fast Nail Knot Tool, trust me, that is one of the most important tools you can have with you.

Check out the You-Tube video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=611JWRtkjOc

Here is the company that sells them, but if you are close to any fly shop they should have them:
http://sierrastreamflyshop.com/


I never leave home with out this tool when I go fishing or casting. Never!!

Larry ---sagefisher---

I've had a Tie-Fast Knot Tool for about 10 years. Now I finally know how to use it.

[Chuck S]

As Allen said, I also use the Crazy Glue splice, especially when fishing weeds are involved. Smoooth and slick! I also have, looking around my room here, rods rigged with needle knots, whipped loops and braided loops. All have their purpose and work great. I will admit to using an old trick that was mentioned above where you nail, or needle knot a short piece of butt section (six inches) to your line and tie a very small Perfection Loop in the end of it to loop to loop leaders on when needed. I've known about the Lap knot for years but seldom use it as I also had one failure (untieing itself)

[dave potts]

Would the Castwell knot also work to attach the leader tippet to the fly? Wouldn't the eye of the fly be analogous to the loop in the end of the fly line?

Dave

[sagefisher]

Dave,

I suspect two similar tippets materials like that would just slip thru each other. I think I would stick with a double surgeons knot or whatever you use now.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Hookedintheear]

Explain the Krazy Glue splice please.

[tailingloop]

Would the Castwell knot also work to attach the leader tippet to the fly? Wouldn't the eye of the fly be analogous to the loop in the end of the fly line?

Dave

No. Look closely at the Castwell knot and the way the flyline forms around the thinner leader and then bites into its soft coating and locks in place. This won't work with the hard metal hook eye. The mono will slip right out.

[tailingloop]

My solution for lines that do not have a built in end loop:

I attach the first leader with a nail knot. When I am ready to change the first leader I cut it off, leaving a about 12 inches still attached to the flyline. That section will become a permanent leader butt. I leave 12 inches so I have some extra to work with. Next I tie a perfection loop in that 12 inch section that is still attached to the end of the line. I put the perfection loop about 6 to 8 inches from the end of the flyline and cut off the tag end of the perfection loop knot. Now I have a leader butt with a loop in the end. I attach the new leader to the leader butt I just made using a loop to loop connection.

Most new leaders have a loop already tied in the end. If there isn't one I just tie a loop with another perfection loop knot.

[bluefish]

I've always tied nail knots, even going to the extent of learning the nailess nail knot so I could tie one without a tool of any kind. I've always like the nail knot as a direct connection for the butt of the leader when using long leaders for the best transfer of energy. I just learned the Castwell knot from this post, tied a small perfection loop in a leader butt of a 15' leader and tried it. No discernible difference in turnover. I also couldn't break it. Just amazing. You can adjust the knot before tightening to lose almost nothing off the end. I then tried it on a piece of T-14 shooting head. Unbreakable. Just made it incredibly easier to put sections of sinking line mid-leader, as I like to do for steelhead. The only thing I could see was the connection to the end of the shooting head made an abrupt 90 degree face that could hang up coming in the tip top. A drop of Aqua Seal or Knot Sense would cure that very quickly. This is the best tip I've learned in ages. Thanks Guys!!!!!!!




Charlie