Attaching Fly Line to Backing (Welded Loop?)

Sagebrush

Smolt
I see that everyone who is using a loop to loop is using a double or triple surgeons loop, why not a perfection loop?
 

Salmo_g

Legend
Forum Supporter
I see that everyone who is using a loop to loop is using a double or triple surgeons loop, why not a perfection loop?
A Perfection Loop knot is pretty weak, about 60% of line test strength as I recall. Surgeons loops are supposed to be a lot stronger. The ones I tie break way too easy, so I must not do them right. But that's a separate matter.
 

Sagebrush

Smolt
They've worked all right for me, the couple of failures I've had were on me. I thought the knot was a little more streamlined than on the surgeons loop.
 

afried

Smolt
In my opinion/experience the perfection loop is great in mono at leader butt diameters, but very weak at say about 15lb on down. From there on down go double surgeons, if not triple. Never tried a perfection in backing, and don’t plan to. For backing I’d say triple surgeons or bimini.
 

_WW_

Geriatric Skagit Swinger
Forum Supporter
I'd snip it off and tie an albright knot to connect the backing to the fly line.
That's me. I had one of those factory loops fail and got to watch an $80 full sinking line go through the guides and into the Skagit River.

The nail knot at the leader connection can be smoothed out with a little bit of Loon knot sense or UV flexible stuff.
 

ifsteve

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
For the record even the GT guides in the Seychelles no longer recommend cutting off the factory loops (which I haven't done for years and have never had one fail although I do know guys who have had a failure). The technology has improved to the point where you don't need to worry about it.
 

skyriver

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
For the record even the GT guides in the Seychelles no longer recommend cutting off the factory loops (which I haven't done for years and have never had one fail although I do know guys who have had a failure). The technology has improved to the point where you don't need to worry about it.
Yeah, if your line is like a Rio In-Touch or any brand that has some sort of core material like mono or dacron then it's not going to break. At least not in reasonable situations. Now if it's an older line or just one that doesn't have a core then you may not want to trust the loop. Especially for heavier stuff like 7wt and above.

I'm a nail knot guy for older/cheaper lines that don't have a back loop. Even then, you have to be careful. As long as the nail knot is good and it grabs the line without stripping it, things are fine. I've tied a bunch of them.
I've had steelhead, salmon and carp all take out backing and never lost a line because of a nail knot or a loop. I might let the pros take care of my line for things like GTs. :)
 

Kfish

Flyologist
Forum Supporter
All my Dacron backing connections get a reverse blind splice. Stronger than the backing rating, knotless and thin.



It takes a little bit of patience at first but HIGHLY recommended. Use brassie or small wire instead of piano wire 👍

My latest reel purchase came with backing ready for fly line prepped this way. First time seeing it, pretty cool. Going to try it next time.
 
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