I have used those Cortland slip-ons before and found them to be so-so. Never had one come off but did not like the leader performance using them, especially with dries. Since I was originally taught a loop to loop connection, for the most part that continues today, only I use a few other methods ~ Nail knot, old timey Eagle Claw line-to-leader plastic connectors, making a loop at the end of the fly line and securing that loop by winding.

On my trip to Alaska this past August, for the first time ever, had a healthy pink salmon (I think, that was what we had been catching), actually break my fly line just above the loop. I cannot ever remember a fish breaking the fly line, leaders where always the weak link. Was using about a five foot 12 lb mono leader looped to my special hand crafted fly line loop. Was not a new line, in fact really cannot recall when that particular line was put into service. What I did right there in the field was to tie a perfection loop in the end of the fly line, trimmed the excess close, and continue fishing. The particular rod I was using (a 9wt), has large rod guides so getting loop hung up was not a problem.




Dale