Needle knot or braided loop

[exerod]

Needle knot every time for me. I've never had one fail, not even when playing good sized oak trees! A needle knot is the neatest method as well. I've tried braided sleeves and they seem secure on most fly lines but I have also had them pull off a very smooth clear intermediate. So I'm always left with the nagging doubt that they are only held by the glue and that fiddly little bit of tubing.

[Tyne Angler]

Graham

What method have you found best to strip the coating off the braided core ?

[Tyne Angler]

Cheers Graham, will give that method a try. Normally don't have a problem but the IG intermediate is proving to be hard work.

[juniorspey]

I have used neither of the above methods for the last two seasons, i strip th core, then fold it over, wrap a few turns of fly tying thread round it, then super-glue it. Whilst the glue is still wet i build up more thread, I then varnish it and coat it with aquasure or similar. It may take a while, but it holds well, last year I had 20 or so fish up to 18lb with the same loop! Due to the aquasure it runs through the rings easily!
good fishin'
Blair

[Fruin]

I nake up my own braided loops and whip and glue them onto the fly line.

I also use the method suggested by juniorspey for the loops from fly line to running/shooting line and for home made sink tips. Neither method has failed me so far.

Braided loops must be checked regularly, as some of the mono in the braid can break, weaking the connection.

[juniorspey]

I agree that braided loops should be tested regularly, last year at Delfur on the Spey I heard of two good springers lost due to the loops simply pulling of-nae nice!!!!

[Fruin]

The wife's nail varnish remover is good for softening fly line coatings prior to stripping. Just submerge the end of the fly line in the bottle for five minutes.

[wilbert]

I use braided loops but put a nail knot at the top end of the rubber sleeve just as a bit of extra security. Not had any slip yet using this method but like everything else in life there is always a first and then there will be a few Anglo Saxon words spoken loudly.

[salmonfly]

graham said:

I am happy with a Moser type minicon braided loop with a little super glue at the braid end of the silicon sleeve and have never had one fail. Another method I have used in lines with a braided core is to strip the coating off about 1 1/2 inches, double the exposed core and stitch the two parts together, then whip finish, to form a loop. I coat the loop in aquasure to stiffen it to stop it hinging.

Here is a picture of some my tips, the first line is a floating line without a sleeve,Then a Sink tip line and the others are both ends of the intermediate line.



Colin, I do the very same thing with all my shooting head and never had one failed on me yet, for sink tip lines I only use Cortland braided loops, with which you have to heat up the tube sleeve and then needle knot in about four/ five places with 3x tippet, I then add a little aquaseal on the needle konts to finish.
PS: You cannot strip the core from intermediate or sink tip lines as the core is made of mono, so you will always have to use a braided loop, I hope that this helps.

[Fruin]

It is true that the clear sink tips and intermediates always have a mono core, but the coloured ones sometimes have a braided, or other, core.

If you intend to do anything with a line other than fit braided loops, it is best to hunt for one that does not have a mono core. I don't like lines with mono cores, so that suits me.

You can still strip the coating from a line with a mono core, however, mono can stretch and weaken. Due to this you are better finding another method of forming loops in mono cored fly lines, as Salmonfly suggested.

Incidentally, this is also why I never use factory made poly-tips. They suggest that you make a loop by forming a knot in the bare mono core at the front taper of the tip. I have found that this is prone to breakages (maybe they use cheap mono?). I always make my sinking poly tips from cut sections of old fly lines with the cores looped and whipped at the ends.

When I want a clear intermediate poly tip, I again use cut sections from old fly lines or mill ends and put a small braided loop at either end(whipped and glued).

It may seem a bit laborious, but it adds to my confidence and I can make up tips of any length and density I want.

[munro]

The Ian Gordon Intermediate has a braided core and the coating can be removed quite easily using nail varnish remover . The end result of whipping and varnishing looks pretty good too ( I also use a spot of superglue - just in case). Takes a few tries to get the hang of but easily the neatest finish of all.

[kercock]

I also make my own braided loops using 30lb braided backing. Having made the loop I put it on to the flyline, then using a short length of mono through the loop I get the two ends of the mono together slide on a short1/2inch length of silicon tubing slipping it over the loop and down the flyline to the end of the braid (it keeps things tidy),cut off the frayed ends then cut another length of silicon tube about 2inches in length, down the mono and the loop length and position it 50-50 onto the end of the flyline and up towards the loop , this ensures that it will not ever "hinge" , a TINY drop of superglue on the base of the loop, another drop just above the short piece of silicon on the flyline. I never ever have any problem with that setup and I've done hundreds. sounds complicated but really it is very simple.

[sjf]

The very best way is to strip the outer off the braided core, then, using a blunt darning needle ( the type supplied in some braided loop kits ) weave the loose end back through the braid twice and finish with the loose end tucked up inside the hollow core of the braid. Sunug it tight then whip this with tying silk and aquasure to smooth and stiffen.

This is the way braided constructin ropes are made in to loops it is very strong as it constricts on itself. I may be a crap fisherman but my loops are perfect.