Nail knot or...

[Vance]

Ted, The splice looks interesting and I will give it a try this winter when it’s snowing outside. I will put it on my 4 wt. then if I like it I’ll put it on my two 5wts. Probablywon’t Fish it until next spring. Bill the mailman

[Theroe]

Just curious how many folks use a nail knot, or braided loop, or other means to attach their leader to the fly line?

I still rely upon a braided loop, which holds up for a season or two, but seriously thinking about nail knotting a 30# test loop to my fly line again, to which I can attach my leader...

Ed

+1 Nail knot

[tailwater]

If you cut the fly line on a angle with a nail clipper and then smooth it out with a little varnish it goes thru the guides with no trouble. Some older cane rods have small guides so that can be a problem. As far as long leaders I doubt I use anything less than 14' and no problem there.

[bearbutt]

Ted,

That's a beautiful splice--handmade all the way, but very nice and efficient-looking.

Next time, please also post a picture of that Ancient Pine tree--we all have trees in our past--mine was a white pine, that took 1 1/2 inches off the tip top of an FE Thomas Browntone alongside the Ausable.

bb

[Matt Grobert]

I feed a section of butt material through the end of the fly line and then nail knot. Works great and no issues going through the guides.

Cut the butt material at and angle so it had a point. Stick a needle in the end of the line and push it out about 1/2" in and let it sit for a bit. Remove the needle then feed the pointed end of the butt material into the end of the line while holding the line at an angle where the exit hole is and the point will feed through it (most of the time, sometimes it take more than one try). Feed the butt material through the hole and then make a nail knot with the knot halfway over the exit hole. I like the direct connection and its never failed on me in fresh or salt water.

IMG_7363.jpg (25.24 KiB) Viewed 341 times

[Castaline]

Interesting Teddy! Can't say I have seen that before...I have been using longer leaders and passing it thru the guides with a fish is getting to be a necessity. I will try it. I like it

[northcountryman]

Matt, that’s a neat idea , how hard is it to feed the butt end thru the fly line though?

[Matt Grobert]

Matt, that’s a neat idea , how hard is it to feed the butt end thru the fly line though?

It's really knot that hard. You cut the butt section off at an agnle with a razor blade so you have a nice point and feed it throughthe line while holding the line at an angle at the exit hole. Sometimes you have to do it more than once, butt it's worth the effort as it lasts for a long time. I'll post a few pics this weekend SBS.

Matt

[corlay]

After five decades of fly fishing I am partial to Wright & McGill Leader Links--the little plastic orange torpedo links--knot the fly line at one end with an overhand knot, and the leader butt at the other end with two overhand knots, and you are good to go.

I use these also, but exclusively for my wet fly rigs, which have 2 droppers upstream of the tippet end.
These leaders take a lot of wear-and-tear and replacing them without having to nail knot is a plus.
I also have never had a "barrel connector" fail on me.

[Laminarman]

Oh my word...lots of time to attach a leader to a line. I have a simple solution: I will not buy fly line without a built in loop. Loop to loop. Done. I don't have much trouble with going through the guides either way as I put a blob of UV Knotsense on the knot below the leader loop. If my line doesn't have a loop I cut the line on a bias, bend it over, whip finish, UV Knotsense and attach my next pre-looped leader.