Joining thick butted leaders to flyline.

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Joining thick butted leaders to flyline.

Postby Paddy5 » Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:20 pm

Am fond of trimming long beachcasting tappered leaders to form heavy duty tappered leader for both salmon fishing and now bass fishing, normally the butt end of these leaders could be 35/40 lb breaking strain and while great for turnover the knots are very bulky, tried a few different techniques none of which was completely satisfied with, however recently found that by making a loop with a bobbin threader in 30lb fly line backing I can easily make very long thin braided loops for small money, the heavy leader material can be threaded up very tight to the formed loop a couple of whip finishes/bug bonded or varnished seals the deal. Great for joining to factory loops as a simple loop2loop joining has you ready to fish in seconds and not likely to cut through the flyline coating, give it a go, if the description above has you confused let us know and I will tyry and clear up.

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chuckaroo (Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:12 pm)
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Re: Joining thick butted leaders to flyline.

Postby salar » Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:12 pm

Loop to loop is a brilliant way to make things convenient.

What I have always worked with is the weight required to load a particular rod. Any rod can be calibrated regarding weight by casting a line ( of any weight) and lengthening or shortening it until a comfortable casting length is attained. That length is marked and then weighed (with a scales designed for light weights - ie jewellers - ebay around a fiver) . All subsequent variations of line weight and taper - for that particular rod - are then based on that weight.

My current switch 11' rod #8/9 loads a 26gram line overhead to a measured 100 feet plus and a spey cast with a 32 gram line to 90 feet plus

In the real world I am casting - on average -around 60 - 70 feet which - with a properly weighted and tapered fly line - can be achieved effortlessly even at my advanced age.

The front tip can vary a bit (loop to loop). It can be 5 or 6 feet weighing 5 grams or so and turn over big heavy flies or it can be long and light - up to 20 feet still weigh 5 grams but turn over small light flies to spooky mullet.

Loop to loop tips and leaders there is no need to own a battery of fly rods - in hindsight fishing since the early 1950's with greenheart fly rods of 16' in length to graphite rods of 8.5' in length I would have caught most of the trout and nearly all of the salmon that I have ever caught with my present 11' foot switch rod equipped with the correct weight line and a battery of loop to loop tips both floating and sinking.

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Paddy5 (Sat Sep 27, 2014 8:55 pm)
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Re: Joining thick butted leaders to flyline.

Postby Paddy5 » Sat Sep 27, 2014 9:13 pm

Sounds the job Salar. Managed to get myself an 8/9 switch just recently, am still not sure what lines really suit it best, the switch line I got for it is similar to the set up you describe, a short stout belly with three tips to suit, not to happy with the performance overhead though. have an old two weight D/T line here somewhere might weigh it up and try it as you describe. although an alternate longer belly using the tips I have already might be another option. The winter is long I guess.
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Re: Joining thick butted leaders to flyline.

Postby salar » Fri Oct 10, 2014 9:22 pm

Paddy5 wrote:Sounds the job Salar. Managed to get myself an 8/9 switch just recently, am still not sure what lines really suit it best, the switch line I got for it is similar to the set up you describe, a short stout belly with three tips to suit, not to happy with the performance overhead though. have an old two weight D/T line here somewhere might weigh it up and try it as you describe. although an alternate longer belly using the tips I have already might be another option. The winter is long I guess.


I have been away for a bit and apologize for the late reply.

I have been mainly fly fishing with 'short' double-handed rods since 1959 which is puzzling since our American cousins seem to have only very recently 'invented' the concept.

If your switch is performing reasonably well roll casting ( whether Spey Or Underhand cast)you will find that the overhand cast requires considerably LESS weight. If your fly line roll casts well at a given weight it is simply a matter of retrieving several feet of line 'inside' the rod tip to execute the overhand cast. Presumably your joins will be sufficiently streamlined so that will run easily through the rod rings

This is because with the Roll, Spey or Underhand Cast (aka Göran Andersson) several feet of line or leader is attached to the water surface as anchor to your D Loop - and the D loop is the part which loads the rod. However with the overhead cast you aerialize ALL of the line and therefore you have to subtract the amount weight which makes up the anchor or the rod will be OVERLOADED.
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