Backing & Knot for Steelhead Tackle Question

[Bruce Berman]

This is kind of a steelhead question because if the fish weren' t so hot I wouldn't have this problem. I've got a large arbor reel that doesn't hold much backing so I've got gel-spun on it to maximize my backing length. I've heard that gel spun can cut through a fly line unless you use a Bimini Knot to attach the two. That ain't gonna happen. I tie a mean Albright. This is going on my lighter SH rod for smaller fish (Trinity, Klamath, Feather, Rogue) but, of course, anything can happen...that's the reason I want a lot of backing. Will an Albright with gel-spun work or should I rip it all off and put on my trout backing, which I believe is Dacron? In case it matters, the gel-spun is giving me somewhere around 100 yards of backing.

[shawn kempkes]

Bruce

instead of a bimini you could just do a triple surgeons loop on the gelspun backing.That is all i ever use. Besides those fish you have been zipper lipping never get into the backing anyways. LOL

[Rick J]

Bruce _ I would agree with Shawn on a triple surgeons but I would make a long loop and then double it with another surgeons - so the loop is 2 strand - this will seat better on your fly line loop and have less tendency to cut.

If the back of your fly line does not have a loop, you can put on a mono loop or likely the Albright would work

[winxp_man]

Bruce

instead of a bimini you could just do a triple surgeons loop on the gelspun backing.That is all i ever use. Besides those fish you have been zipper lipping never get into the backing anyways. LOL

+1 I like a double looped triple surgeons loop.

Basically you end up with two large loops which for me have held on a long time.

[Darian]

Looking at it from another perspective, maybe you need to get a reel with a higher line capacity for both dacron and gel spun backing. Just a thought....

[jbird]

Another vote for the surgeons loop. You will need a loop on the back of your flyline to make this work because its a loop to loop connection. I make my 3 surgeon loops large enough to pass over a flyline spool for easy change of lines.

an albright knot will hold if tied perfectly but thats not the issue, its a very bulky knot that can and will hang up in your guides. bad scenario with a really hot fish.
backing cutting through a welded loop isnt gonna happen with steelhead (or even salmon for that matter). Thats a scenario for big game discussions where your class tippet is 25# +.

[Bruce Berman]

Ah, but my Danielsson FW 4/seven is a thing of beauty, and it really picks up line quickly. I've got a 2-loop double surgeon's on there now, looped to the welded loop at the back of my line. I was considering cutting 20 feet off of my 100 foot fly line and then attaching my gel-spun. Maybe the Albright with Pliobond glue is my best option. Thanks for all the replies...and I'm still open to other suggestions.

[Rick J]

Bruce - just put on a braided mono loop - you can make your own or buy them - at the end of your cut back fly line then use the doubled over surgeons

[briansII]

Ah, but my Danielsson FW 4/seven is a thing of beauty, and it really picks up line quickly. I've got a 2-loop double surgeon's on there now, looped to the welded loop at the back of my line. I was considering cutting 20 feet off of my 100 foot fly line and then attaching my gel-spun. Maybe the Albright with Pliobond glue is my best option. Thanks for all the replies...and I'm still open to other suggestions.

Another vote for a double line, triple surgeon loop. Not sure why you say a Albright is your best option when most of the advice is for a surgeon loop. It's about as simple of a knot as you can tie, and very strong. It's been tested with gel spun and found to be a strong, trustworthy knot.

briansII

[JD]

What Darian said...although I would just settle for less backing myself, if push came to shove. Probability that you are going to need that much backing for smaller fish is close enough to zero that I would just use Dacron myself. YMMV.