Jonh, When I first started fly fishing and didn't know any better, I used to tie my flies directly onto the end of a tapered leader. One drawback to that approach is your leader gets shorter and heavier each time you change flies.
I tried tying tippet to leader using surgeon's knots, but whenever I had to tie on new tippet, I was right back to shortening my leader. A good friend and fishing mentor showed me how to tie a perfection loop on the end of my leader and another on the end of a tippet and just loop 'em together. Changing tippets doesn't affect the length of the leader and with medium to fine tippets (4x-6x) the knots and loops are barely visible. I also tie loops on the end of my butt section and on the fat end of the leader so I can easily change leaders as well. When combined with hand-tied leaders though, all those knots can sometimes get hung up in my rod's tip top or snake guides, which can be a problem when trying to land a fish on a long leader. Has anybody tried something to coat the knots with to make 'em more streamlined? Kent Lufkin >Kent: Do you use a perfection loop-to-loop connection for leader to tippet? >I've never tried a loop-to-loop connection for tippet to leader, so I'm >curious how well that works. I usually use a double or triple surgeon's >knot. > >John > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Kent Lufkin >Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 8:36 AM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: Knots > > >Sheesh Sean, compared with your arsenal of knots, it looks like I >might flunk my knots merit badge ;-) > >I regularly use only two terminal knots: an improved clinch to attach >flies to tippet and perfection loops to attach tippet to leader and >leader to butt section. I use a turl and a Duncan loop only very >occasionally. I use the same formula as you do for the number of >turns on the clinch knot. > >I use blood knots in tying leaders, nail knots to attach butt section >and backing to my fly line and a spool knot (I think that's what it's >called) to attach the backing to my reel. > >So did you catch any very large fish on that local lake? > >Kent Lufkin > >>I was out on a local lake today, and was thinking about knots. I was >>tying on a fly with the expectation of getting into some VERY large fish >>with light tippet, so the idea of good, high-percentage knots just >>naturally came to mind. >> >>My question in many-fold: Just how many knots does a good >>flyfisherperson really need to know? I regularly use improved clinch, >>duncan loop, orvis, blood, surgeons, and less often a nail knot. That's >>just six knots that cover almost ALL of my fishing endeavors. On those >>terminal knots we use most often (Improved Clinch, Duncan Loop, Orvis >>Perfect) how many wraps do you fellow fisherpersons use? Does it change >>with tippet size? FWIW, I tend to go tippet size plus 1 on the Improved >>Clinch and Orvis Perfect (5x would be 6 wraps, 4x would be 5 wraps, >>etc., etc. and never less than 3 and never more than 6 wraps) while my >>Duncan loops are 4-5 depending on leader thickness (4 wraps on steelhead >>tippets, and 5 on trout). Surgeons are ALWAYS 3, though I've heard of >>folks going to 4 wraps. >> >>Hoping for a spirited thread (pun intended!) on this one, as this might >>be of some use to the newer members who can benefit from the wealth of > >knowledge of our more seasoned vets. > > > >Sean
