Braided loop connectors: I officially give up on them.

[jayL]

To raise the oft-discussed topic of fly line to leader connections once again....

I am officially done with braided loop connectors.

I had one fail on me at the Salmon river. As I was in the endgame with a large fish, I could see it failing. The thing was halfway slipped off at the time. In their defense, I think that when I pulled it through my tip top a few times, it worked it off a bit. Even so, I'm done with them for good.

Luckily, the damn thing held long enough for me to land the fish, but I pushed it off with my thumbnail right after.

I improvised an albright special at the river to do the job for the rest of the trip, but I think I'm going to be using the old super glue whip finish loop from now on.

 

[jaybo41]

For trout, they aren't too bad, and they are very good for newbies that are trying to learn about fly fishing. They have failed me before too, but after lots of use. They do have their place, however I much prefer a Nail Knot for just about any kind of fish. They're extremely strong and durable when tied right.

There are lines out there with loop tag ends. Rio has some of them and I believe SA is making some now also. Orvis Wonderline has some sort of loop for easy leader connections too. I've got the Rio Grand on my 5 wt and the loop end works very well. It's easy to change leaders and I don't find the performance any different than a Nail Knot.

 

Due to health reasons, but also..just because I like them.... I use a lot of the braided loop to loop line ends. All my Airflo lines come pre-looped of course, but when I use an after market one, once I've slid it onto my fly line, I apply a small dab of "Zap-A-Gap" right at the end terminus and have never had one fail me.
They're SUPPOSED to work, of course, on the theory of the old "Chinese handcuffs"................... "The tighter they're pulled on, the tighter they'll cinch down on the fly line". But, as found in many "brilliant ideas", they don't, always work that way and then fail!
Thus, I learned the hard way, (with lost fish), to use the Zap-A-Gap backup method.
Another, thing that I found with these connectors......... it's VERY important, that one uses the right sized one, for the line size it's designed for. I've seen beginners, trying to use 8wt. loops, on 5wt, lines and they WILL slide off, when you least want them to!

 

[pete41]

This is last century but I needle knotted a foot of heavy mono,then tied a loop in the other end and that would last as long as the fly line.If I was going to use a strike indicator[seldom] I just made a small section of mono with knots on both ends.

 

[abbrod]

The best loop for the fly line end is one made yourself. Slice the line at a angle to create a smooth ramp when you fold it back on itself to make the loop. Use flat waxed nylon tying thread to whip this connection closed. I use a bright color to serve as a built in indicator. Coat with Zap-A-Gap or something similar and your done. I've had them last for years. I think I saw it originally in a Lefty K. book.

 

[afishinado]

What Abbrod said....easy to do, slides thru the TT, easy to change leaders, floats well, never failed yet.

BTW, try Knot Sense to coat it.

 

[sandfly]

some good ideas here, but remember zap-a-gap wil break down in time being exposed to water. I suggest covering it with softex or thinned goop to completly water proof it...I always whip some thread on the end of the braid to keep it on the line..covers the ends too.

 

The thinned Goop, I've also used and you're right, it works better than CA, (which I should have said, I usually only use stream side, from my kit bag, sorry!).

But, I REALLY appreciate, the "thread over the ends" hint! I do that, when making my loops from the fly line, itself, but hadn't thought of dressing off a slip on braid that way. I tired it and it also LOOKS a whole lot better!! Thank you!

 

[shultzy501]

What do you use to thin the Goop? I just tried to put on a new braided loop connector and I've always had a hard time with the heat shrink tubing, so I used the thread whip finish over the end method. I'd like to coat it with some thinned goop.

 

[sandfly]

Tolene for thinner...Also using glue to hold braid in place defeats the chinese finger theory..It has to be able to move to shrink on itself...

 

[afishinado]

Sandfly wrote: "using glue to hold braid in place defeats the chinese finger theory..It has to be able to move to shrink on itself..."


Listen to the man - a 5lb or 6lb smallmouth is still swimming around with my fly, leader, and braided loop attahced to his jaw...


For quite a while now I whip finish the end of my flyline into a loop, and have never looked back. Some of the newer fly lines now have a welded loop on the end.

 

[mrchunk]

I like the actual loop with the whip finish too.

Many of the factory welded loops seem to break down pretty easily (ie - they crack at the non-loop end where the taper meets the loop). I've at least seen it happen on Rios and Cortlands.

 

[tomgamber]

I just use a surgeons loop...used braided once and had the same experience Jay did...I don;t see the big deal...most of my tip tops are over sized and never had a problem getting the line to go thru... how many times while fishing do you take the end of your line back thru the tip anyway?