Stumpy, There is another method for attaching the leader to a fly line. It is totally knotless. I cannot find the link to it but someone may read this and post it. It involves pushining a sewing needle into the end of the fly line about 3/8 to 1/2 inch then out the side. Push the needle through eye first, thread the tippet through the needle eye and pull it out through the line until you have about an inch left. Use sand paper to roughen up the end of the leader, put a drop of crazy glue or zap-a-gap on the leader and carefully, slowly, easy does it pull it into the hole. Stop just when it disappears in the hole. Put another drop of glue on the hole in the line and a little where it exits. Let it set for awhile. No knots to get caught in the rod eyes.
If anyone knows the FAOL link to the article on doing this would you post it. Jim
BTW Stumpy, I don’t know if I said welcome to FAOL.
here is a no-knot connection by save whitlock
Stumpy,
I have converted over to totally furled leaders. Therefore there is always a loop on the end that attaches to the fly line. I use the Castwell Knot to connect fly line to the loop of the furled leader. Quick and simple. And it holds. Trust all the people that made that statement. It does indeed hold. I put a dab of UV Knot Sense over mine just for grins. It is not needed…but for sure will keep water from seeping into the fly line. However, with the Castwell knot I don’t think any water can wick into the line anyway, even without a cover.
ICW changing leaders often, you just snip off the knot, or back it off like a loop to loop back off, and put on another leader. I just snip off the knot and tie on another furled leader if I want to. Thing is, furled leaders last so long I have never had to change one yet. If I am fishing a wet line I put on a furled flurocarbon leader and it stays on my sinking line. If I am fishing a floating line I put on a furled threaded leader…which I can fish deep as a wet leader, or treat it and fish it as a floating leader.
I think it is better, and much easier to find just a couple of knots you can tie, that work, and you don’t need any tools to tie the knots…you are good to go at night, daytime, on the water, anywhere. Because you do not need tools and your knots are simple and easy. And do not waste any more time thinking about all the other many many knots and theories out there.
There are a million ways to do things in fly fishing, you just need to find your favorite. I am satisfied with what I use and do not experiment with other knots as I have found what works for me.
Just my fyi…
I use braided loop to loop connectors like those found here.
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0003291310820a.shtml
I know it’s primitive…but, I use 4-6 overhand knots and pull the snot out of them. Hasn’t failed in what? 50 years or so of flyrodding?
I know it’s ugly and primitive, I just use 4-6 overhand knots and pull the snot out of them, then trim the tag ends. Hasn’t failed in 50 some years of flyrodding. I alse use the loop to loop connection, THAT has failed on occasion.
that looks scary to me…I would agree that it is indeed simple and I would love to believe it would work but totally afraid of it…do you have faith in it enough to fight a saltwater fish such as a bone or permit? what is the largest fish caught using this method? I would try it but dont want to lose everything and leave a leader hanging from a fish…I guess I could try it on peacocks and get a feel for it…I have several knots that are extremely easy but I am too scared to try out…BTW I am a fan of the nail knot and if you practice enough it is easy to tie without a tool in under 1 minute and I have never lost a fish on that knot…it will hold fish up to several hundred lbs
JC used to say he never had it fail and that included fishing the salt.