Clear fly line....

[Chucker]

I am also one who cuts off the loops and ties the leader butt directly on to the fly line. The knot I use is half of a grinner knot with 4 turns - which is topologically the same as a snell or a nail/needle knot but easier to tie. The initial set of wraps around the standing part of the line might seem superfluous, but they the wraps invert so that the leader is coming out of the center of the knot on both ends.

 

[Pink Nighty]

Considering this was posted in the salt forum, and this is no doubt a sub surface line, there's really not many scenarios where one would want to fish a leader long enough where the loop is ever really entering the tip of the rod to cause any issues.

Same kinda goes for worrying about a loop causing any turnover or presentation issues. Just not really a concern for any of our saltwater fishing where one would be fishing sub surface.

As far as loops durability....I've never seen any issue. (With the exception of a few infamous lines that were known to fail in general). I've caught countless albacore on factory loops and have yet to have a single issue.

At the end of the day it's personal preference no doubt, but there's a big different between fishing long leaders and turning over indicators and such on stillwaters, and casting and retrieving flies for aggressive fish in the salt when it comes to these details.

This is likely why I have never cared to tie nail knots. I'm not much of an indicator guy nor do I fish deep very often. For my lake/pond fishing I'm usually 9ft or less from fly line to fly.

I will admit to breaking a tip years ago while stringing up before I knew about braided loops. I had tied a loop into the fly line with a surgeon's loop, leaving a pretty fat knot in it that caught in the tip. A stupid sharp yank to get it through busted the tip on my pretty little redington 4/5 that I got for a song in the cabelas discount cave.

 

[Chucker]

Considering this was posted in the salt forum, and this is no doubt a sub surface line, there's really not many scenarios where one would want to fish a leader long enough where the loop is ever really entering the tip of the rod to cause any issues.

That‘s only because we don’t have any good flats fishing opportunities around here. Once climate change kicks in and we are all fishing the south sound bonefish flats, we will all need to know this stuff.

 

[Nick Clayton]

Just when I think I've at least heard of most knots out there, @Chucker goes and shows me a new one!

Never heard of the Grinner. Cool stuff.

 

[Nick Clayton]

That‘s only because we don’t have any good flats fishing opportunities around here. Once climate change kicks in and we are all fishing the south sound bonefish flats, we will all need to know this stuff.

Does bring up a good point, I was definitely thinking about salt fishing in the NW. I don't know a darn thing about warm water techniques.

 

[Wadin' Boot]

The worse my tremor gets the happier I am for a loop to loop connection.

 

[headduck]

That‘s only because we don’t have any good flats fishing opportunities around here. Once climate change kicks in and we are all fishing the south sound bonefish flats, we will all need to know this stuff.

Get ready for the "golden age" of climate change...Wa is a winner for sure.

 

[clarkman]

I've always been an Albright guy. It's a touch bulkier, but I always tie it where the top loop of mono just covers the end of where it's folded over. Plus, with a little Loon Knot Sense, it smooths out perfectly (although I rarely bother. Bottom line, I've never had it fail where occasionally, a nail knot will pull off the coating.

It should also be noted that I'm using far larger diameter stuff than the vast majority with 400gr intermediate lines married to 40lb fluoro. If using thinner lines, that bump wouldn't really be noticeable, imo.