I'm replacing the loops on my fly lines and am wondering about wether I should put braided loops back or go for a more compact gray loop or nail/needle knot.

Does the needle knot allow water into the line and how do you stop this

Anyone use the grays loop?

What about using the thick taper section of a sea shock leader to add a gentle taper from line to leader?

Thanks
AL

__________________

Needle knot for me, it is by far the neatest. I can't say I've ever had any trouble with the line tip getting waterlogged but I do always put a dab of varnish on the knot. The ends of fly lines aren't sealed anyway so the possibility of water getting in is there with every method

I think you will find the thick taper section of a shock leader to be very much stiffer than most flylines so it might not work as you are hoping.


Andy (last of the needle knotters)

Another needle knot aficionado here.

__________________
*
How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

~~*~~~~~
*****©(

If I do needle knot them whats the best way to seal it melting it with a match or varnish

__________________

Never trusted braided loops since one pulled out in a fish and I hadn't had the loop on long.

I use a Greys loop - it's simple and effective......

__________________
"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

For a lot of my reservoir lines I needle knot the top 4 to 6ft of atapered leader to the end of the fly line. I cober the knot with UV Knot Sense as I often use long leaders and it helps to smooth the passage of the line through the tip ring.

At the business end I attach a micro ring and tie various lengths of level mono / droppers depending upon how I'm fishing.

__________________
[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

[url]www.wildfly.net[/url]

[url]http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk/[/url]

Now THAT seems to make a lot of sense!

The needle knot is so tight around the line that no water could ever seep inside. You don't need varnish or glue. It's all here.

richard

__________________
Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Hi needle knot on fly lines and RIO braided loop with nail knot at the end of the braid and one near the loop with no glue on my Salmon lines, I don't use the rubber sleeve Dave.

I've settled on the Gray's Loop. I make it quite small and tidy and sometimes I shrink a plastic sleeve over the knot for added neatness.

The loop to loop connection with the leader allows me to change the set up quickly.

I don't seem to have a problem with the tip sinking, but I use a smear of mucilin to help the last 2 feet of the line stay on top.

I'm another of those who has become a fan of the tippet ring at the other end of the leader. I can change the tippet lots of times without munching up the leader and I fancy the nylon to ring connection (Davy knot here) might be a little stronger than nylon to nylon.

I've never really taken to braided loops.

Gudgeon