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With all this concern and talk about ways to
connect your leader to your fly line, a company
called Scientific Anglers decided to do something
different about it. They created a little system
called an L2L or leader link system. This system
is supposed to help the user attach a leader to a
fly line without the use of a nail knot. It does,
and it does it with a few quirks that you should
know about.
Before I go there though, you need to know a bit
more about me. I'm the guy you saw 20 years ago
sitting on a rock near a stream trying to tie a
nail knot with a nail or any other small thin item,
along with leader and fly line. If you ventured
too close, you probably had to wash your ears out
with soapy water when you got home. I hated nail
knots. In fact, I absolutely, without a doubt,
without any question and beyond any reasonable
grace hated nail knots. If this knot system had
come out 20 years ago, I would have been one of
their best customers.
However, before the L2L connection system came out,
another little tool for making nail knots hit the
streets. It is simple, small, easy to use, and
makes nail knots in about 20 seconds. In fact,
there are at least a dozen copies of this thing
that all do the same thing; they make simple nail
knots easily. You can buy them with files, clippers
and hook eye finish removers. Some work better than
others, but they all work faster than the L2L system.
So, I had a definite prejudice when I tried the L2L
system.
That said, the L2L system works great for most lines.
You put your line through a tiny plastic piece and
tie a knot, then wet the end of the leader connection
and insert it in the plastic piece. A bit of force,
and you have a solid connection. It takes maybe a
minute to do. That is a far cry from the half-hour
I used to shed tears in, when I tried to use a nail
for the knot thing. The L2L system is reasonable
and stout enough for any freshwater fish.
On the positive side, here are a few things I liked:
- They come attached to some really fine leaders.
I really like SA leaders for my fishing.
- If you don't already use a knot tool, or you
can't get your hands to use a knot tool; these are
the fastest ways to connect a leader to your fly line.
- The plastic connector is small enough to fit
through most fly rod guides.
- The plastic connector makes a handy strike indicator.
- It only takes a few minutes to learn how to cast it
without a splash.
However, there is also a negative side. Here are a
few things I didn't like:
- First of all, I have two custom rods with
guides small enough that the tiny plastic clip
hung on them. It isn't all that great with
small lines.
- It takes too long to do. I know it is faster
than the old way, but so is a knot tool; and I can
do at least 3 knots with a tool before I can do one
L2L connection.
- It costs too much. It doesn't take long at
all to pay off a knot tool with the money you spend
for an L2L setup.
- I don't have to spit on a knot tool to get a
good connection.
That said, it is your choice. If you hate knots, and/or
you don't have or like a knot tool, you need this system.
It is far better than using a nail. However, if you
have a knot tool, you might not need this system at all.
It really isn't workable on my 3wt, but works well on
my 5wt. Like I said, it's your choice. Some will love
it and others will not like it at all. I guess that is
what is called the American way. ~ AC
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