Bob.....
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 9:31
AM
Subject: Fw: Leader Knots
Hi Gordy,
Although
I am reading everything available to me on salt water angling, it is not my
forte since I am a primarily a trout and steelhead man. I have attempted to
answer your little quiz, but am very unsure of the answer related to fishing
for amberjack. My answers follow your questions in bold letters. As regards
the trout fisherman question pursuant to making a quick connection between his
line and leader (question 6), I answered the question with the knowledge of an
old trout fisherman (50 years) with lots of experience fishing for super
spooky trout. With this in mind I can attest to the fact that any
quick connection that produces a bulky knot will render the angler fishless
when dealing with wary, college educated trout. So most truly
sharp, experienced anglers learn to tie the tube knot effortlessly and in
a hurry.
Regards,
Bob Rumpf
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 7:08 AM
Subject: Leader Knots
Group...
My last communication with ol Al and his group, got me to thinking of a
very brief quiz for us :
1.) Name at least 3 knots which might be considered for joining the
segments of the tapered section of a fly leader.
A.) Blood knot
B.) Surgeon's knot
C.) Lefty's Simple blood knot
AGREE. OTHERS INCLUDE: DOUBLE UNI KNOT, DOUBLE NAIL
KNOTS, (BOTH SLID TIGHT TOGETHER). BOTH OF THESE ARE VERY STRONG, BUT
MORE BULKY THAN THE BLOOD KNOTS.
2.) Give the ADVANTAGES and the
DISADVANTAGES of each.
A.) Advantages - It is a strong knot
and ideal for saving a tag end, at the tippet joint, for use with a
dropper fly, which will stand away from the leader. Disavantages- Can be
difficult and time consuming for some to tie
B.) Advantage - Strong, easy and quick -
Disadvantages - Can't really think of any except not having tag end
which stands out for dropper fly.
C.) Advantages - Tested at 100 percent, easy to
tie - Disadvantages - Not too many, learning to tie a different blood knot
could be confusing for some.
AGREE.
3.) You need a quick, "emergency" connection between the butt
section of your leader and the end of your fly line after loosing yours to a
barracuda bite. The fish are there.....but not for long, so you have
little time.
What would you do ??
If you are really in a hurry, and this seems to be the scenario
of your question, just tie a double surgeon's loop in both lines and make a
loop to loop connection. The result would be bulky but could be done in
seconds.
THIS WILL WORK. I'D PREFER THE QUICKIE MODIFIED SHEET BEND
SHOWN IN JOAN WULFF'S BOOK. MY OWN, "QUICKIE", IS TO PASS THE END OF THE
LEADER THROUGH AN OVERHAND KNOT TIED IN THE VERY END OF THE FLY LINE, THEN A
DUNCAN LOOP AROUND THE FLY LINE ABOVE THE OVERHAND KNOT.....PULL DOWN
NEATLY. THESE ARE LESS BULKY THAN THE DOUBLE SURGEONS LOOPS, AND (FOR
ME) JUST AS QUICK TO TIE.
4.) You are using a 10 wt. rod matched to a WF11 I line for
"quick casts" to amberjack which show up at close range at any
moment.
What material would you select for the butt section of your leader
?
Not too sure of this one, I'll try stiff mono in
the 30 - 40 lb.range? - I'm looking forward to the correct
answer.
YOU ARE VERY CLOSE. I'D USE 50 LB. SOFT
MONO.....BUT YOUR CHOICE IS OK. (THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO MATCH THE
BENDABILITY OF THE END OF THE FLY LINE, SO IF YOU CHOOSE THE STIFFER MATERIAL,
IT SHOULD BE OF LOWER DIAMETER AND VICE VERSA.
5.) Your student is going to fish a mountain spring creek. He's
been told that the trout are usually very wary, selective, and are taking
flies in the #18 - #22 range. Your rod is a 3 wt., and you are using a
TT3F line.
a. What material would you advise him to use for
the butt section of his leader ?
Mono that very closely matches (a lttle smaller) the diameter of
his line. He will require gentle presentations and has to have a delicate
precise turnover.
I'D GO FOR YOUR, "A LITTLE SMALLER".....ABOUT 75% OF THE DIAMETER
OF THE TIP OF THE FLY LINE.
b. What connection would you advise between this
butt section and the end of his fly line ?
Nail or tube knot.
YES.......A NEEDLE KNOT DONE WELL IS PROBABLY
THE SMALLEST AND NEATEST CONNECTION, GIVES THE LEAST SPLASH DOWN, AND THE
LEADER PULLS RIGHT OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE FLY LINE.
6.) This same student wants to know how to make an emergency, "on
the stream" connection between the fly line and his leader. What do you
advise ?
If he wants to actually catch fish under the
circumstances described, he should still tie a nail knot which can be easily
tied in seconds by most knowledgeable trout fishermen using a tiny tube
which most carry, readily available, in an upper vest pocket. Other knots
wouuld prove too bulky to allow for the desired delicate
presentations necessary to catch these wary fish. On some of these spring
creeks if you make a splash, you'll empty the pool. It's possible I could be
missing the point of this question.
GOOD ANSWER.
7.) a. Do you lubricate your material as you tie leader knots
?
Yes
b. Why ?
Because more knots slip than acutally break.
Since knots slip because they are not pulled tight, moistening them to allow
for pulling them truly tight is a astute practice to prevent the
slippage.
c. With what ?
There are now products on the market just for
this purpose, however most anglers I know, albeit it is not
necessarily dinner table etiquette, just wet the knot with
saliva.
I AGREE WITH THESE ANSWERS ALL THE WAY.
LEFTY, WHO HAS DONE MORE TESTING OF KNOTS THAN ANYONE I KNOW, POINTS OUT THAT
ALL KNOTS SLIP JUST BEFORE THEY BREAK.
GORDY
Gordy