In tying my knots I use several guiding principles. (1) keep it
functional and simple.
(2) the knot must test at 100% of class tippet strength. What this
does in most cases, is to emiminate the simple Clinch knot and even the
Improved Clinch knot as knots to use when tying to the fly. The Trilene
Clinch, the Palomar or the Turle are all close to 100% knots whereas the
Clinch and Improved Clinch rarely test above 70% of line test.
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Going back to the leader itself. I use a Doubled Surgeon's knot (that's
four times through since a Surgeon's is twice through) for joining
leader sections 5X and below. A Blood or Barrel knot will rarely test
above 80% in 5X or lighter material. The Surgeon Knot (twice through)
tests about the same while the three times through ups it another 8-10%
or so, until you go to the four times through knot or the Doubled
Surgeon's and get right at 100%.
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For when loops are necessary in attaching flies:
Use the Orvis, Pitzen or Uni-loop to get 100% again. The Perfection
Loop is a great loop but does not come close to the 100% mark for test
strength. The Perfection Loop is simple to tie and is great when tied
upline in heavier material since it's tag end exits at 90 degrees and
will not catch guides as will a Single, or Doubled Surgeons Loop.
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For attaching leaders to flyline: For all my leader butts, the
Perfection Loop is used sicne at time you might get it back throught the
gides somewhat. On the flyline end, use the slip on loops (see
www.DanBlanton.com tech tips) or a sewn whipped loop. The only line to
leader connection where I do not use this combo is when fishing in
places where weeds or debris can get caught on any knot.
There I use a factory tapered leader inserted via needle into the
flyline end and out the side of the flyline about 1/2 inch into the
line. I pull it out a bit and melt a ball on the leader butt end and
then pull ball and all back into the line with a little Zap-a-Gap on it
for lube and insurance. A Knot Sense ( another type of glue) coated, six
turn Nail knot around the flyline with leader inside and betwen the end
of the flyline and that burned ball, makes for a very secure near 100%
connection that is very smooth and weedless.
For attaching the flyline to backing use the sewn and whipped loop
on the flyline or the slip on loop ala Dan Blanton's site. For the
backing, I want a large loop, to loop to loop to my flyline so I can
change lines as needed.(the large loop must be of sufficient diameter to
slide over a line spool or the reel itself.) In my reels for hard
fighting fish I use 50 lb spectra as backing and this requires extra
twists to keep from slipping and failing. In the other reels it's 20 lb
micron.
First for the Spectra filled reels. I use a 50 turn Bimini to form
a double line of about two feet. Then double this over and tie a smaller
loop using a Locked* Doubled Surgeon's Loop. This loop should slide over
a reel spool to change lines when needed. You need the four thicknes of
line to match flyline diameter when doing your loop to loop otheerwise,
the handshake configuration will slide to a girth hitch configuration
and the Spectra will cut through the flyline core.
*Locked - take a three turn lock around the running end of the
backing similar to the lock you should use for the Bimini Twist or
Albright.
This causes the tag end to exit at 90 degrees and will not hang in the
guides. I coat these all with Knot Sense to smooth also.
For the Micron filled spools I use a 30 turn Bimini Twist to form a
smaller loop but large enough to slide the reel or line spool through.
This line will form a nice handshake configuration with your flyline
loop in a loop to loop hookup.
At the arbor end of the 20 lb test backing use a 30 turn Bimini
Twist to form a lop large enough to slide over the backing spool or
reel itself. Use this in a Girth Hitch configuration to secure it to
the spool. Ensure that the running lines exiting the hitch do so
opposite the direction the reel will turn when winding it on.
For the 50 lb Spectra backing. I tie a 50 turn Bimini in it and
then since I use all large arbor reels I can feed the doubled line
through abor ports where it is secure against slipping. I use a ten
turn Trilene knot here, working both the tag end and running end until
it is down snug and secure. If your reel isn't ported and you chose to
use Spectra backing, you'll need to lie down a few feet bed of regular
backing first to keep the Spectra from slipping around the spool.
Back to the other end of my set up for the finishing touches: On
leaders for salt where a shock tippet of heavier mono is needed I use
the Locked Albright on lighter shocks up to 40 lbs and the Huffnagle on
heavier to attach shock to tippet.
To attach flies to heavy shock, I either snell them on to the hook
shank (not through the eye) or if a loop is desired, I use the Homer
Rhodes Loop. For wire I use the Huffnagle on the leader end and a
Haywire Twist on the fly end.
A further discussion on building leaders can be found in my
webpages. Click below and then go to Flyfisihing Tips and Instruction
and then to Leaders.
Good Fishing
Chuck S
http://community.webtv.net/fishing-folks/ChucksEastCentral
