Is there a good way to connect shooting head to running line? Yeaaahhh…, connections are always frustrating some one can say. Maybe, but we can get use to it, and with the certain improvements we can achieve loop to loop connection that will not disturb casting during the double haul. Ok, ok there are also double handlers and of course there are no hauling and connection point always stays outside the rod tip, so it will not disturb the cast – strength is an issue here. For sure, one of the best loops are factory made – yet little bit bulky, but smooth, long lasting and powerful.

If you have loops on both ends of your head – brilliant, but if don’t, or if you are going to customize the head…? I`m the one who likes to customize the heads, so loop preparation is a must.
In this short article i will go through different types of connections and give my Pros and Cons on them.

#1 LOOP on Core.

The strength of the system is limited by the strength of the fly line core.  If we remove the coating (5-10 cm) of the fly line and put the perfection loop (knot) on the core we have pretty neat loop with the quite small knot on it. More important – this  type of the loop have the same breaking strength as fly line, hence it is usable for salmon fishing and double hinders. Also sometimes when it is necessary to adjust head on stream this is the fastest way – so let`s say it is on the stream solution.

Meanwhile, I will not recommend it for single handlers, hence it will stuck in guides more the other types during double hauling. You can see it in the picture below.

Also this type of loop connection does not perform perfect with mono core or braided mono core lines, hence knot is bulky and after some usage knot weakens. To be honest i still use some single rod heads with such a loop connections, but for sure I will not prepare new ones in such a way.

#2 Braided LOOP connectors. When these where introduced some 15 years ago there where quite many fishermen who were shore that this is the one! Of coarse best one. Today we are not so sure about it. If we are putting on these connectors without gluing them on the fly line we are not on the safe side. During hauling or even if we retrieve fly line connector can easily slide down and you can loose your head during the next cast. On the other hand this type of the loop is strong enough if we apply it properly. To have smoother surface where the connector is fixed, i apply couple of turns of tying thread instead of the plastic tube that usually comes with these connectors.  If you look hard, (arrow indicated point)  in the picture below you will notice the turns of the thread around end of the connector. To finish the connection I`m applying a drop of Aquasure type glue to fix the thread, heat it a little with fan and wait some hours. I`m not using the super glue – it is to stiff and will moulder quite fast. If you prepare this  connection acurately it will serve you long on both single handlers and doubles.

Generally I use this connector`s quite rare, but these are the best ones for mono core lines, hence it is not possible to melt these lines without destroying them, and  Loop on Core is not the best as it is described before.

Also, you can prepare loop connector on the fly line core in the same way as commercially available connectors are made. In such a way you will have pretty neat and slim junction point on the loop, that will knot “kiss” the guides during the hauling. Again it will work with almost all type of the fly lines except mono cores.

First step.  Insert the needle in the fly lines core and put the end of the core in the needles  eye.

Second step. Pull out end of the core with the needle and trim it with scissors.

Finishing. Glue the junction point – Aquasure is better than super glue, but both will serve here. If you like to  insure the junction you can seam this point with thin tying thread before gluing. If yo would like to have junction point inside of the fly line (beneath the coating) you must put the needle in the end of the fly line, not just in core.  For heavy shooting heads, especialy for salmon rods, i would recomend to glu entire loop. This will make loop stiffer, last longer and much more easier to open when changing shooting heads on stream.

#3 Melted LOOP. This is the latest innovation first published by our instructor Sepp and it is real nice if prepared properlly. To prepare it you must have a 5 cm piece of Heat-shrinkable tubing. Just put tubing on the junction point of loop and heat it with lighter. Important – put the end of line inside of tube for smoother surface.

You can achieve better result if you are pressing the heated tube with the wet fingers (because tubing get`s extremely hot). If you are accurate and do not overheat tubing (it will result in burning down the fly line – color will be brownish) connection will also serve quite long. During heating, fly line will melt and and form an accurate connection of coarse without any bulky knot.

This type of loops cab be used for double handlers directly, meanwhile for singles you must modify it otherwise you will have bulky connection, that will also bounce in a guides during casting. How to? It`s easy, just remove the fly lines coating directly on the loop and you will notice that connection are much smoother.

This is the way I go with most of the single handed shooting heads. After some usadge sometimes coating break in few place, but it will not affect breaking strength.  Just remember not to use it with mono core lines, because it will melt also mono-filament and loop  will have low breaking strength.

#4 Seamed LOOP

Time consuming, but yet effective solution. In general this type of loops are prepared in the same way as braided loop conectors. After pulling in the core,  seam junction with thin tying thread. Apply couple of drops with Aquasure glue, heat it with fan untill it gets less viscous and leave it for 12 hours. Because of the high glue temperature it will penetrate  the core and you will have uniform loop that will look like an factory made and last for life time. In such a way you can prepare also other end of your fly line where te leader is connected. Realy neat and lite connector, hence it is suitable for lighter fly rods also. Sometimes, like you can see in picture, i`m painting the loop in bright color before applying the glue, so i will have a strike indicator on the end also. Just give it a try!

I will be in fly festival in Kolding Denmark this  week so come back soon to see reports about tying and other interesting things.

Tags: Conections

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 at 00:47 and is filed under Tackle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.