Right about now, Ol’ Man Winter has given most flyrodders a case of the blahs. To find relief from February’s doldrums, we head to the basement workshop to tie flies, clean tackle, listen to Jimmy Buffet tunes, and get ready for the first warm blush of spring. Making new loops at the end of the fly line is a useful winter project that requires just enough concentration to forget about chilly temperatures, and they’re quick and easy to make.
Most popular fly-line manufacturers now package their lines with factory-welded loops, which are fine for most fly-fishing, but they can become worn out and then an alternative is needed to create a new loop. And, no matter how good the welded loops are, many fly guys have more trust in the old-fashioned hand-made whipped loop, nail-knot loop, mono loop or braided loop. Loops are a good idea at the front and backing end of the fly line, and while each loop type has its own dedicated fans, in actual fly-fishing use, they all work about the same.
The beauty of the loop system, unlike the old-time semi-permanent nail knot connection, is the ability to quickly replace a damaged leader, change to a shorter or longer leader, or change the fly line from, let’s say, a floater to an intermediate or sink-tip, without need of re-tying knots. Another advantage is that the loops between the leader butt and backing offer a sleek low-profile connection that is strong and readily passes through guides.
Factory-welded loops are convenient because they require no additional attention from the fly-angler – just loop the leader to the fly line and you’re ready to fish – and they’re strong. The days of welded-loop failures have just about disappeared, but any loop can fail from hard use and should be regularly checked for wear.
Capt. Andrew Derr of Long Island On The Fly charters generally uses the manufacturer’s welded loop on fresh, new fly lines. He said, “When it wears out or if no loop is factory installed, I use an Albright knot to attach a short length of 40- to 50-pound mono to the end of the fly line. Then, I tie a perfection loop at the end of that short piece of mono to create the loop that attaches to the loop on the leader butt.” Many guides favor this connection because the Albright will never slip off the end of the fly line and it is one of the strongest connections to join mono to the end of the fly line. Finish the knot with a thin coat of Loon UV Knot Sense.
The whipped loop was popularized by Lefty Kreh when his book Fly Fishing In Saltwater was first published in 1972. It’s simple, strong and durable, so it’s no wonder it has stood the test of time. And, it’s easy to make. With a single-edge razor blade, shave the last quarter-inch of the fly line at an angle, then fold the line over to form a small loop. With a fly-tying bobbin, whip-wrap about an inch of the folded-over fly line until the wraps cover the shaved end. Some flyrodders add a drop of a cyanoacrylate super glue to secure the threads and then finish with a protective coating – years ago, Pliobond was the favorite and it still has many fans, or you can apply a coat of Aquaseal. An advantage of the whipped loop is that it can be made in any type of fly line: braided core, mono core or full mono.
A similar loop can also be made with several small nail knots tied closely together instead of the whipped wraps. Craig Cantelmo of Van Staal Reels said, “I like to make my own loop in both ends of the fly line using 6- to 8-pound mono for the nail knots. I make a minimum of two nail knots (sometimes three) to complete the loop, then hit all the knots with a drop of Zap-A-Gap for good measure. I’ve never had one fail and I use this loop connection for tarpon, blackfin tuna, amberjacks, big stripers and bluefish. Many manufacturers now form a pre-made loop in the PVC coating, but I have had the coating come off the core after a long battle, so I am more comfortable forming the loops myself.”
Fly-fishing writer Nick Curcione showed me a variation of the nail-knot loop that marries a separate short piece of mono directly to the fly line. He uses this setup for surf, inshore and offshore fly-fishing and says he’s never had a failure. Fold the mono and pinch it to form a “V” in the middle, then use four or five nail knots made from 20-pound Dacron or 30-pound gel-spun braid to hold the two legs of the mono loop tightly to the fly line. A drop of super glue on each nail knot, followed by a coating of Pliobond or Aquaseal, makes a smooth appearance. The knot will have a nicer taper if the last quarter-inch of the mono legs is flattened slightly with pliers.
Many captains prefer making spliced loops from hollow-braid mono, Dacron or gel-spun, and then push the fly line into the braid. The splice is exceptionally strong with an ultra-slim profile and fly veterans like Capt. Jim Freda of Shore Catch Guide Service rely on it. “I’m kind of old-school,” Jim said, “and I will cut off the welded loop and use a pre-made Rio braided loop about 4-1/2 inches long. It’s like a Chinese finger trap with my fly line threaded inside the braid. I then spin (whip-finish) thread around the joint of the splice for about an inch and then cover and seal it with Pliobond.” Jim guides for everything from big stripers and bluefin tuna to back-bay weakfish and inshore albies and bluefish, and the braided loop has never failed.
Capt. Ray Szulczewski of Tide Runner Charters in Cape May also relies on the spliced braided loop. “For fresh and salt, I prefer the premade old-fashioned Chinese handcuff-type spliced loop on the fly line, and a double surgeon’s loop on the leader end. I like to keep it simple,” he said.
There are several variations of braided-loop construction and I covered one of them in the March, 2017, issue of On The Water. Some fly-anglers find it easier to make the splices with Dacron instead of braided mono. A coat of Pliobond makes the Dacron slightly stiffer after the splice is created so it feels more like a fly line.
Capt. Robbie Barradale of the Bayshore Saltwater Flyrodders is another advocate of the spliced loop connection. “I prefer a splice where the fly line is threaded into the braided mono and it works like a Chinese finger puzzle. I finish it with a drop of super glue. For the loop on the mono tippet, a four or five turn Spider hitch does the job. It tightens smoothly, and when neatly trimmed, does not pick up as much seaweed or other vegetation For me, the perfection loop seems too bulky at the juncture of the knot. I try to keep it as simple as possible.”
Long-time flyrodder Rick Ferrin of Long Island uses two types of fly-line loops. For heavy-duty fishing, he prefers the spliced hollow-braided loop, but for light fly-fishing, he nail-knots a 2-foot length of 30- or 40-pound Ande mono onto the end of the fly line. “I like the slim profile of the nail knot,” he says. “It never hangs up if I trim the ends very close and I also coat it with Loon UV Knot Sense. I then tie a surgeon’s loop at the end of the mono that connects to a loop on the leader butt section. This works very well for my 8- to 5-weights.” Ferrin stopped using the nail knot connection for heavier fly-fishing after he pulled so hard on the fly line to free a snagged fly that the nail knot slipped off the end of a mono-core fly line, stripping the coating right off!
Ian Devlin of Capt. Ian Devlin Charters out of Norwalk uses several different loop connections, depending on how and where he’s fishing. Speaking about factory-welded loops, “Prepared loops on fly lines are very smooth and fairly strong,” he said, “but if I need a stronger one, I craft up one of two options. One is tie two to three nail knots of 15-pound mono over doubled-over fly line. The other loop I like is a section of braided 30- or 50-pound mono using a braided splice loop and then a nail knot 15-pound mono where the splice meets the fly line, then some Aquaseal over the spliced area and the nail knot. Both riggings are stronger than the fly line. Two other options are either a nail or Albright knot of 40- to 60-pound mono over the front of the fly line.” Capt. Ian then uses a perfection loop at the end of the short piece of mono to make the loop-to-loop to the leader.
Some fly guides, like Capt. Jason Dapra of Blitz Bound Guide Service, like to keep things as simple as possible and forgo using a loop, saying, “I prefer to attach a short butt section of medium stiff mono, usually 30- to 40-pound test, and tie it directly to the fly line with an Albright knot. I then blood-knot a midsection of lesser pound-test mono and finally blood-knot the tippet to the midsection. I just prefer the more streamlined and continuous leader coming directly off the fly line. I think there is less hinge effect, which may help the turnover of the fly.”
After making a loop in the fly line, you need a strong loop knot in the top end of the leader butt and in the backing to complete the loop-to-loop system. Make a 9-inch loop in the backing with a splice, bimini twist or Spider hitch. For the leader butt, use a bimini twist, Spider hitch, surgeon’s knot or perfection loop, and make these loops as small as possible, about an inch.
Join the fly line to the leader by passing the fly-line loop through the loop in the leader, then pass the tag end of the leader through the fly-line loop and carefully pull tight. For the backing, it helps to have the line coiled on its storage spool or with pipe cleaner twists to keep it from unraveling. Pass the backing loop through the line loop, and then pass the backing loop over the line spool. Craig Cantelmo advised, “Always pass the leader loop twice through the fly-line loop for the strongest connection and to better distribute the load with less cutting.”