"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
Tom Nakashima writes:

The knots I know how to tie, and I never use the loops, I cut them off.
I was wondering if there's a difference in the way the fly is presented
with
loop leaders

Some folks insist that a loop connection can produce a hinge effect when
casting. I have used the mesh "Chinese finger trap" connectors Orvis
likes so
much, and loops made from mono that has been nail knotted to the fly line.
I
have never experienced this "hinge effect", however, I can understand how
it
got started. If the finger trap mesh thingy is installed improperly, it
could
hinge when the line is not forced all the way to the loops end before
securing
it.


No reason to let this thread die out just because the question that wasn't
asked has been answered!

I think all this discussion about the hinge effect is BS. I only use leader
looks, and after a few hours of fishing, the two mating loops so totally
enmesh themselves into each other that no hinging is possible. Besides, if
you look closely at how two loops join, the hinge effect is only possible in
one direction anyway, and the probablilty of the line unfolding in that
specific orientation is pretty tiny (but this is irrelevant as the loops get
'set' and do not flex after awhile anyway).

The real problems I experience with leader loops a
1) The knots seem to gather all the crud in the world. If I'm retrieving
deep through mush, the leader comes up all stringy with the stuff. If I'm
dryflying through floaties, same story. Cutting the tags close doesn't seem
to solve the problem, as the gunk gets caught up in the little loops
themselves.

2) When I'm stringing up my rod, or if I accidentally reel in too much line
(usually when I have a long leader on), its very difficult to pull the line
back out through the tip top. I have to hold the rod out at arm's length and
the line out at arms length in the other direction, and wiggle the line
until the tag on the perfection loop hops through. I have read about people
snapping their tips doing this, and that always worries me.

I could coat the knots with sealer, but then that's just another mass of
goop making my leader offbalance, and splashing on my casts.

I now swap leaders out far less often than I did when I was a newbie, so I'm
going to cut off all my leader loops, tie a good butt section onto the line
with a nail knot, and then tie on the leaders with another nail knot. Now
that I've been fishing with Vaughan, I've discovered that I love them nail
knots! I don't even do surgeon's knots anymore.

--riverman