Welded loops on fly lines Jan 2007

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is my take on the welded loop situation as of January 2007.

Trout/fresh water lines:

For 2007 Orvis is having someone (SA?) make their Wonderline and Clearwater ($29) floating lines with very small welded loops on the front end. They seem much small than anyone else’s I have seen so far.

I really like welded loops on fresh water lines because people can loop on a tapered leader that has a perfection loop on the butt end in seconds. This is particularly nice for beginners and the older crowd as well.

It looks like the welded loop might have several other advantages. One, the end of the line is not cut and open to suck up moisture that can cause the tip of the line to sink. Secondly, with the material double=le it looks like the end of the line might have more floatation which could keep the tip from sinking ass well.

I would like to see these very small welded loops on the front end of all fresh water lines.

A loop on the rear of fresh water lines is debatable because for us it only takes few minutes to put a “needle nail knot” into the rear of those lines. It might be nice for those customers who mail order lines or shop at box stores and have no one to install them.

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Tropical lines:

For tropical lines with a hard mono core we like a medium size welded loop on the front end and a long weld loop on the rear so it can be slipped over the plastic spool the lines come on from the factory. On tropical lines we have to use braided mono loops that we make ourselves and this takes a lot of time while trying to rig people and wait on others at the same time. With the welded loops we can tie a bimini twist with loop in the braided backing and loop on the fly line. Then the customer can loop on the leader. I think all leaders, fresh water and salt water, should have a perfection loop on there butt end.

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Shooting heads/running lines:

Rio has a full range on 30’ shooting heads with a loop on both ends. Airflo has a full range of 28’ heads with a welded loop on the back end only. This is very nice for all.

Rio has running lines with a medium size welded loop one end and a longer one on the other. Airflo has running lines with a medium size welded loop on one end.

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So far I see that Rio, Airflo, SA/Mastery and Orvis have welded loops. Others might have them for 2007 but I have not seen them yet.

I think that welded loops are very important for today’s fast moving market. Anyone who does not like them, which is not many, can merely cut them off and be happy.

[Crazywader]

Mr. Kiene,

What are your thoughts on RIO's decision to not include a welded loop on their Selective Trout DT lines where they claim, "delicacy is of the utmost importance?"

Also, I would think that there must be a way to seal the end of the line to prevent it from absorbing moisture if they won't weld it close, no?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hello CW,

I think that Rio is trying to reduce the mass at the tip of the fly line by not having a welded loop so it will lay down gently on smooth water associated with "Selective Trout" conditions.

That's just a guess though.

We would use a "needle nail knot" to attach a knotless tapered mono-filament leader or a mono-filament butt section to the Rio "Selective Trout" double taper floating fly line.

You could use Loon's "UV Knot Sense" or "Super Glue" or "Zap-A-Gap" to seal the end of the fly line.

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I like the new floating fly lines that have a special coating/finish on the front taper and a welded loop for general fly fishing.

This would be the Rio "Rio Grand" and the new for 2007 SA/Mastery GPX with "dry tip" technology.

Out two biggest selling floating trout lines (WF5F & WF6F)) for all around use have been the Rio "Rio Grand" and the SA/Mastery "GPX".

Our other top selling line in Nor Cal is the Rio "Salmon/Steelhead" floater from sizes WF6F to WF8F.

Next is a Rio "Nymph" taper line.

**Beginners and old duffers (like me) that can't see anymore love welded loops.

[Darian]

I'm curious about welded loops, as well. My take on them is that for freshwater applications they're satisfactory but I don't trust them for saltwater or Striper fishing.... I make my own out of braided mono.

Not sure I would want a welded or other type of loop on either end of a double taper line. To me they're not likely to land delicately on the surface of the water. A nail knot provides a good connection, small and will not land heavily on the water (good for dry fly fishing)....

[Adam Grace]

I love welded loops, but if I wanted to be very "selective" and stealthy when fishing in technical situations for weary trout I would cut off that larger bulky loop and needle nail knot a supple yet firm butt section to the fly line, then tie my long leader to my butt section so that the tip of my fly line is light, thin so that it'll make much less of a disturbance when landing on the water or for reducing light refracting dimples on the surface of the water.

This new welded loop technology is very cool. Fly line design is right up my alley!