Here's a different point of view.

I nail knot some red amnesia to the end of my fly line and tie a surgeon's
loop in it --if it doesn't already come with a loop like, for example, the
Rio Grandes do. Then I use a loop to loop connection for the leader.
Again, RIO's come with a loop already in them. It doesn't seem to harm my
casting at all.

My son, on home leave after combat and peacekeeping in Iraq, asked me to
take him FFing for the first time. We're past the season for dries and so
are chucking nymphs with indicator and weight. Not surprisingly, as a total
beginner, he's getting the occasional snarl.

We could spend time fixing the technique flaws that caused the snarls. I
did a bit of this, but I don't think he's going to get enough enjoyment from
that to hook him on the sport. We could sit there on the stream bank and
work out the snarls or retie leaders. But I figure his time on the water
actually fishing is precious and new leaders are cheap.

Today we cut off 3 of his snarled leaders and got him back to fishing fast.
He caught 4 trout and grinned all the way home.

I can get a 3-pack of leaders for about what it costs me to rent a DVD. The
loop to loop makes it really fast to change leaders. Beginner's casts
aren't influenced as much by the connector as by other issues. If you've
only been at this for a year, "transfer of energy" is more of a concept like
global warming than an issue like standing on a burning bridge.

Getting through a total season with one leader is not my goal. I wanna
catch (and release) fish. I wanna have days filled with fishing, not
unsnarling knots or reconstructing leaders. Unsnarling knots and
reconstructing leaders is too much like what I do for a living as a
consultant, not what I want to do for fun.



"Ernie" wrote in message
y.com...
Tim,
Sierra Fisher and Wolfgang are giving you good information. Leader
Links
allow you to change leaders quickly and they last a long time. They don't
catch moss, cause drag or make a splash and they transfer power well.
They
are strong and you will break your tippet long before you break them.
They
are very economical.
Leader Link - A small nylon device that connects your line to the leader
with a simple overhand knot. Can be purchased from Eagle Claw Country
Store
Phone 1-800-628-0108. Get LL1 for tapered lines and LL2 for level lines.
Ernie

"haresear" wrote in message
My Question: Are loop connectors at the end of your fly line an
advantage? They sure make it easy to change leaders, but do they
provide sufficient transfer of energy from line to leader? Is it
"better" to use a nail knot? Or does it matter?
Tim