Mike Fandal Last month I was asked many times about Fly Lines , Leaders , Tippets and Knots and how each is attached, so this month I wanted to take time and answer many of the questions about the Fly Tackle listed above. Start with the Fly Line and what I think is the easy way to attach a leader. A simple loop at the end of the line. Fly lines come with welded loops or without. To avoid tying knots buy a line with a welded loop. An issue is more lines come without loops than with loops. I do not recommend using metal eyelets that you stick through the line, they cause the line tip to absorb water and sink so avoid these at all costs. It’s easy to tie a loop on the end of the line using a nail knot. Simply loop the line using the nail knot to attach the loop. To make this easy use a nail knot tool. Very cheap at any good tackle shop. In the picture you see a piece of fly line with a loop tied on both ends using a nail knot. (You can find instructions on tying knots mentioned this month on Youtube or stop in at the fly shop for free instructions any time.) After I tie the knot I seal the end of the line with Zap A Gap. Moving to the leader; I recommend a tapered leader, like fly line, leaders come pre-looped or without loops. Simply use a perfection knot to loop your leader. Take the loop on the mono leader, slide it over the fly line then take the small end of the tapered leader and pass thru the loop on the fly line. It will form a square knot that will not tighten and can be removed easily. Use a leader straightener on new leaders or leaders that get kinked while fishing. Put the leader between two pieces of leather and pull. Heat from friction will straighten the mono leader perfectly. I like to cut about two feet from my tapered leader and add a fly swivel. These swivels have neutral buoyancy in the water and allow me to or change a two foot piece of tippet quickly at any time. This also extends the life of the tapered leader along with stopping the fly from twisting your leader.
