Lots of Loops

Six ways to tie a loop on the end of your line--and why to do it.

by Ed Russell

If you fly fish, you need to know how to attach a leader to the front of a fly line and backing to the rear. I’ve tried most of the any number of different ways to do this including the hateful little barbed inserts for the tip, which invariably cause the line to crack and hinge, to the floating connectors that look a little like a large grain of fluorescent rice. In my opinion, none of these were satisfactory, so I began using the nail knot to connect my leaders directly to the fly line.

For years, this served me adequately, but it has two failings. One, a leader or backing attached this way is semi-permanent and can’t be easily changed in the field; second, some lines have a different makeup than conventional lines, and the nail knot can cut through and tear off the coating, resulting in a fish lost, or on a strong, long-running species, an entire line lost.

Which brings us to loops. Fly-line loops are not new. They’ve been around about as long as fly fishing, but in recent years, they’ve come to be accepted by many anglers as the best way to connect leader and backing. Their chief advantage lies in the ease with which a leader or a line can be switched. But loops differ in strength and bulk. The loop for the rear must have as little bulk as possible so that it won’t catch in the guides when a strong fish makes a long run. This is especially important to saltwater fly fishers. The loop on the front of the line should be as small and insignificant as possible, especially on delicate, light lines.

RUSS PEAK LOOP KNOT:

Developed years ago by notable West Coast rod builder Russ Peak, this method produces a loop of maximum strength and minimum bulk, but it takes some time to create. Start by soaking the last 2 inches of fly line in fingernail polish remover (acetone) to soften the coating and make the next step easier.

Many anglers consider fly-line loops to be the best way to attach the leader to the fly line and fly line to backing. Loop-to-loop connections allow you to quickly change your leader or fly line.

RUSS PEAK VARIATION

I’ve always liked the Russ Peak Knot but felt creating it was unduly time consuming. Instead of stitching the fly-line core together, use a waterproof cyanoacrylate cement and glue it together. Zap-A-Gap is a good choice.

Follow the steps for the Russ Peak Loop Knot, but instead of stitching the loop, spread a little glue along the rear end, then fold the core back on itself to form the loop and pinch together. Use something other than your fingers such as a pair of tweezers or a paper clamp. Once the glue sets (usually in less than a minute) proceed as above without the stitching. The glue performs the same function as the stitching--keeping the two pieces from sliding and coming apart—and is much easier to do.

TAPERED-END LOOP

This method produces a somewhat bulkier loop than the first two methods, but it is quick and easy to do, and when tapered as shown, will easily slide through the guides.

BRAIDED LOOP

A method that I particularly like, especially for rear loops, is to use braided running line for the loop. This method takes some time, but it produces a loop of any desired size and is exceptionally strong if you add a couple of nail knots.

NAIL KNOT LOOP

Should you need to make a loop in the field, you can create a strong loop using just a nail knot. The only tool needed is a needle or a hollow tube. And, if you know how to make the nailless needle knot (see Practical Fishing Knots by Lefty Kreh and Mark Sosin), you don’t even need that. You also could use a Uni-knot.

Ed Russell has written articles on a variety of topics pertaining to fresh- and saltwater fly fishing. He lives in Fallston, Maryland.

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