Line Hacking or Line Weld

[bigfoot 0]

In the recent edition of fly rod and reel magazine their is an article called Line Hacking. The article stats that you can make a loop at the end of a fly line with an ink pen cap and a curling iron. I was wanting to know if anybody had tried this and what their thoughts were on how it turned out?

[JSzymczyk 0]

I've done it with a small pencil-type heat gun. I found it a little difficult to control the heat as well as it needed, and it didn't look too good, and I didn't trust it although it didn't fail when I used it. As soon as I could, I cut it off and installed a tried and true whippped loop which is bomb-proof and always stronger than the main line so there is no doubt in my brain. I use a whipped loop on almost all my lines and have not ever had one fail in 30+ years of fly fishing, so I have no valid reason to do things differently except in emergencies.

[Woodinfliezz 0]

i need to learn this bomb proof knot now lol -.- i fail daily

[bigfoot 0]

Where can one learn the whipped loop knot?

[phg 0]

I'm not sure what's being called a "whipped loop knot", but I always nail knot a short length of 30# Maxima (mono) to the end of my fly line, and tie a perfection loop in the mono. Recently, I've started coating the nail knot with Clear Cure Goo, so it will slide through the guides a bit easier when I'm stringing up.

[JSzymczyk 0]

It's fairly simple and super strong. Basically you use a bobbin and fly tying thread. Adjust tension by wrapping the thread 2 or 3 times around an arm of the bobbin then spin the bobbin around the doubled line (loop) as many times as it takes to bind the loop, whip finish, glue, and fish until the line is completely worn out in a few years. I must have learned this from a book because I was doing it as a kid long before the internet. Here are a couple links, the video makes it look more complicated than it is, and the link to Lefty's book shows it as simply as possible.

 

 

 

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=YxnU3Ggj1DoC&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=lefty+kreh+whipped+loop&source=bl&ots=B5fZA8R3DQ&sig=Cz8mv3Yznf4UpFCsJESszhtpaOg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7cMAUMSjHIW70QGQ4tGnBw&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=lefty%20kreh%20whipped%20loop&f=false

[bigfoot 0]

Thanks for the help.

[ditz2 0]

I certainly agree with JSzymczyk on the whipped loop. Big, strong fish such as Tarpon MAY require something else but for most FF it will work flawlessly.

[flytire 0]

[JSzymczyk 0]

I certainly agree with JSzymczyk on the whipped loop. Big, strong fish such as Tarpon MAY require something else but for most FF it will work flawlessly.

 

I've never hooked a tarpon so I won't say for sure BUT based on my own testing I know the whipped loop when done correctly is stronger than the main fly line, so I don't require anything else.

[michiganborn 0]

X2 Whipped loop, it's my preferred method too.

I've used reel backing on thicker lines.

[JSzymczyk 0]

I like the heat-shrink idea. I am going to have to try it and do more tests.