I know, I should have done this earlier but putting a new fly line on a reel tonight and the Rio has loops on both ends. Yep, the end that goes to the backing has a loop and the end that goes to the leader has a loop. So what knot do I use to attach the loop to the backing. A loop to loop connection like I use for the leader would mean slipping 200 yards of backing through that loop???
I usually tie an Albright for backing to fly line, but it doesn’t make sense to cut the loop that is there. In the Rio package is suggests knots for fly lines without the loop on the end.
I could still tie an Albright into that loop, what do you think?
I wasn’t implying that it was less secure, I was just asking what knot should be used to attach the fly line to the backing when there is a loop at the backing end of the fly line. What knot is appropriate? I couldn’t find a recomended knot on the Rio site, so here I am - AGAIN.
Tie a large loop, big enough to get the whole fly line (coiled up) through. Then you can loop to loop the connection easily. As for the knot, for something like this, a double surgeons loop would be plenty strong.
Hello Clay, i don’t recall who posted the answer a few months or more ago, but you simply put the backing on the spool, tye a loop that is long enough to pass the spool through, pass the backing loop through the flyline loop, then pass the spool through the long backing loop.
Actually, I’ve just been using an albright and it’s been doing just fine. The would be a good idea if you saw yourself changing lines back and forth from time to time, though.
I suppose I should have been explicit. I think the Albright Knot would work just like it always has for you. The geometry of the knot would be virtually unchanged once tied. That is unless you somehow feel mysteriously compelled to go loop to loop when that is not your normal modus operandi.
The big loop thing sounds grand. Last night I finally just tied an Albright to the loop and spooled up the line. Should have been much more prepared, I hate doing things at the very last minute. Meet a friend in 20 minutes for a salmon run. Looking forward to chasin’ monsters today. Thanks for all of the help guys.
Since you’ve already gone with the Albright knot this question is probably moot but I’m curious … Why would you have to pass the entire length of backing through your fly line loop?
Unless I’m mistaken you would spool your backing onto the reel and tie a loop at the end. Pass the backing loop through the fly line loop and then thread the tippet end of the fly line through the backing loop. Yes, you would have to pass the entire length of fly line through the backing loop but that isn’t all that bad.
I had never seen this before but last year I bought some SA lines from a fellow on here and when I got them they all had about 2 feet of backing knotted to the back end of the flyline with a big surgeons knot loop in it. All I did was tie a loop in my backing and do a loop to loop by passing the reel through the over sized loop. Works slick and I will do this to other lines as I change them around. I have never seen any backing so don’t really worry about strength, but I can’t see how it would be any weaker than any other connection.
OK. But if you buy a dt with loops on both ends, then tie your backing via an Albright knot, don’t you wind up cutting that loop off when you go to switch ends? I doubt the amount of line that you wind up cutting off will have a negative effect of how the line will cast.
you would with an Albright…but as mentioned, i’d loop the backing to the flyline loop and when i turned the flyline around i’d just unloop, switch ends and reloop the backing to the flyline. I’m big into loops these days.
I do agree that cutting a bit off the end of a DT won’t make any difference in how the line feels when casting. My thing is that although i can tye all kinds of knots for this purpose, once i tried the loop to loop (backing to flyline, leader to flyline, tippet to leader) I saw no use for all the other knots i’ve tried/used. I’ve even gone so far as to loop the fly to the tippet because i’m so lazy i don’t want to loop on a new piece of tippet to the leader once i’ve changed flies enough to shorten the tippet beyond half a foot. Good question anglerdave, thanks.
Several of the new Rio outbound lines that I have have loops on both ends. These are integrated lines. Rio puts loops on both ends of all premium trout lines, specialty lines (Outbound, Carp, Steelhead, Bass etc) and saltwater lines. This includes DT, WF and specialty tapers.
The loops make for quicker line changes and I do not need to bother installing back end loops myself. I install a loop on the back end of every line that does not have one built in to facilitate line changes. I have more than 60 fly lines from 3 through 14wt and do not have 60 spools. The loop is very useful.
All reels have loops in the end of the backing for the same reason.
Why even bother threading the line through the loop. Thread the tag end of the backing through the line loop BEFORE making the loop in your backing. Basically tie your backing loop with the line loop already in it. When you change lines THEN you’ll have to un-thread the entire line. But 90’ of line is better than 100+ yards of backing. I bought one line with loops on both ends, any lines bought after that without loops, get loops added.
Thanks for all of the comments, the new line did a fine job on the salmon today. I see the way to really handle the situation was to tie a loop large enough the pass the spool through. The Albright did fine for today since Salmon did test the knot and it did just fine. I might still try to get the Albright out and retie using the big loop.
The real moral of the story is to not try and put backing and line on the night before a big trip.
If you make the loop in the backing big enough, you don’t need to thread anything. Either pass the coiled up or spooled flyline through the backing loop or pass the reel through the backing loop.
