Braided Loops

[darrinhurst]

I saw a set of Braided Loops for connecting leader to fly line when I bought some new leaders this morning. The package said that they had a 30lb test to them. Seem kinda gimmicky to me, but also useful and less awkward than the mono loop tied onto the fly line or doing a nail knot everytime.

 

Anyone ever use these things?

 

PS - I did a search already and didn't come up with much. Some of you had discussion in the Spey Casters lounge about Kevlar loops, but not sure if they are the same thing as I am not a "spey caster" and I don't even know what "spey casting" is.

[birchy]

Yeah they work alright if you put them on properly. They are a pain in the arse to get on though!! I used to use them with my old TFO line that came with my combo.. but since have switched to SA lines with the pre-made loop.

[headscan]

I used one of those braided loops years ago when I first started out and they can hinge quite a bit. The mono loop you have at the front of your line is much better (provided it was done right). Another option is to fold the end of your fly line back on itself and secure it with a couple of nail knots to make your own loop. Throw some UV knot sense or Aquaseal on it to streamline it a bit so it goes through the guides easily.

 

Looks sort of like this:

[maxwell]

i dig the braided loops.. love doing what headscan does to too some of my sinking lines but either of those two options are the only ways i attach leaders too my fly lines

[headscan]

i dig the braided loops.. love doing what headscan does to too some of my sinking lines but either of those two options are the only ways i attach leaders too my fly lines

 

You don't find that the braided loops hinge a lot? It was years ago that I last used one so maybe they've improved them since.

[j5ep00]

i was just about to make a post asking how to put these things on properly.

do you just slide your line in and thats it?

i got the line in all the way to the glued part by the loop but it pulls out with a big tug.

am i supposed to glue it?

im tyring to make some sink tips but getting no where!

[darrinhurst]

i dig the braided loops.. love doing what headscan does to too some of my sinking lines but either of those two options are the only ways i attach leaders too my fly lines

Do you keep them full length or do you trim them down some?

[j5ep00]

I used one of those braided loops years ago when I first started out and they can hinge quite a bit. The mono loop you have at the front of your line is much better (provided it was done right). Another option is to fold the end of your fly line back on itself and secure it with a couple of nail knots to make your own loop. Throw some UV knot sense or Aquaseal on it to streamline it a bit so it goes through the guides easily.

 

Looks sort of like this:

 

 

is it just tying thread you used?

how many wraps did you do on the nail knot.

and do you think head cement would work rather than knot sense?

[Weedy1]

i was just about to make a post asking how to put these things on properly.

do you just slide your line in and thats it?

i got the line in all the way to the glued part by the loop but it pulls out with a big tug.

am i supposed to glue it?

im tyring to make some sink tips but getting no where!

 

You have to inch the loops onto the fly line a little bit at a time. The braided loops usually come with a piece of heat shrink which covers the open end of the braid. Heat has to be applied to the heat shrink very carefully. I put a piece of tin foil between the heat shrink and a lighter so as not to melt the fly line. They're available in both floating and sinking.

 

The Cortland loops have worked well for me. They do have a tendency to hinge but so far has not posed much of an issue.

 

http://www.firsttackle.co.uk/acatalog/Cortlandloopsy.jpg

[j5ep00]

ahh well that explains it!

i picked up 30ft of t-14 from rio that came with three loops but no heat shrink!

maybe i just heat the braids them self?

[headscan]

is it just tying thread you used?

how many wraps did you do on the nail knot.

and do you think head cement would work rather than knot sense?

 

That's 10lb Maxima Chameleon mono and I think there were five wraps in the nail knots. I've since gone down to only two nail knots instead of three. Another thing if you're going to use these loops is to check the line at the base about once a month. It'll wear out eventually and the line will start to crack a bit. Once that happens you'll probably ldr the next big fish you hook along with your leader. I don't know if head cement would work, but I use knot sense because it's flexible and you can also use it streamside if needed.

[headscan]

ahh well that explains it!

i picked up 30ft of t-14 from rio that came with three loops but no heat shrink!

maybe i just heat the braids them self?

 

Try superglue and/or nail knots instead. I don't think heating the braids would work since they're just nylon.

 

http://www.danblanton.com/gettinglooped.html

 

Check out step six at the bottom of the page.

[toolman]

I use the folded loop method for the front end of floating lines, as Headscan has described. I use braided loops for the back end of shooting heads and on both ends of some of my custom cut sink tips. I'm going to start welding loops on all of my lines this year. Just getting the equipment neccessary to be able to weld custom loops on all fly lines, shooting heads, running lines and floating/sinking tips.

Another expensive flyfishing indulgence? Of course...

But it's so much fun!

[Conor]

The braided loops don't hinge as badly if you inch the fly line all the way up as far as the braid is hollow. A little glue at the end of the fly line and at the end of the braid and you have a pretty smooth consistent connection.

 

I got sick of replacing the braids, though. I found they wore out too quickly. I use the nail-knots now. Just two 5 turn nail knots with 5x and a bit of glue or cement and you are good to go all season.

[DutchDryfly]

I use braided loops almost as long as they exist, and probably will use them the rest of my life.

What ever yoy do, do not glue them. The glue wil harden and eventually crack the flyline.

Just use some tying thread to secure the braided loop and then slide the heat shrink over it and shrink it.

Just remember that not all braided loops comes with heat shrink, there are some that come with just ordinary rubber tubes.

Also be sure to get the correct size braided loop for the flyline, as they come in different sizes.

[Teck71]

if you don't have the heat shrink just go to the electical section of canadian tire and buy them there

.

[darrinhurst]

If that's the case, you could do that with headscan's line loop as well to make it glide through the guides better.

[gillmy]

I've used the Rio brand of meshed loop - it has the shrink tube. It is a little tought to get one, you need to kind of "inchworm" it. I then glued it with Zap a Gap and smoothed it out with aquaseal. It doesn't hinge at all as the loop is quite stiff, but you need to make sure that you get the end of the fly line to butt up against the back end of the loop.

 

Thanks

 

Mike.

[headscan]

If that's the case, you could do that with headscan's line loop as well to make it glide through the guides better.

 

Never tried it, but I suppose it could work if you can fit the tubing over. Much easier to use some UV knot sense or Aquaseal to sort of form a bullet or torpedo shape around the the part with the nail knots so it doesn't catch on the guides. Also keeps water from seeping into the end of the line which can cause your floating line to sink when it gets waterlogged. I think the tubing on the folded loop would potentially cause it to be too bulky.

 

The good thing about the folded loop is that if it breaks (it eventually will) while you're on the water you can easily make a new one in five minutes with a little practice.

[SilverDoctor]

I've been heat shrinking and fusing them and I really love it. You do have to be careful through adn it does take careful heat control.

[Harps]

How to tie loops here:

Gray's loop> http://www.graysofkilsyth.com/fishing-knot...'s-loop.htm

a variety> http://flyfisherman.com/skills/erloops/index.html

More

http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/loops.htm

 

and (very cool) fixing a cracked or cut (coating) line with extra line and heat shrink.> http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/smoothconnections3.shtml