Avoid jamming connections
The leaders we use to search for salmonids are, except in exceptional cases in streams or small rivers, long or even very long. It is common to have a distance of more than 5 meters between the leader and the fly. This means that when you take out your fly line to cast or pull it in to bring in a fish, for example, the fly line/tip connection passes through the rod rings. And there's nothing more unpleasant than a connection that jams. And there's nothing more unpleasant than a jammed connection, which can even lead to a broken leader in a rush to the landing net.
That's why I avoid using silk loop or sock-type connectors.
An effective method for tying line and leader
I'm going to give you my method, which has the advantage of having a leader perfectly aligned with the line and, above all, which passes through the rings without any problem.
Equipment required: silk, of course, a heel of leader (maximum 45 hundredths in this case), a needle (or possibly a small gimlet used by dentists), a lighter, instant glue and a pair of scissors (or wire cutters).
If your silk ends in a loop, cut it off. Thread the needle through the silk for about 1 cm.
This step can be tedious, depending on the silk. Do not hesitate to press the heel of the needle to force.
Extend the needle tip 1 cm further and heat the needle to make the passage. It's best to heat gradually, otherwise the silk coating will melt.
Take the heel of your leader and bevel it to facilitate passage through the "tunnel" formed by the needle. Sometimes it's easier to start at the hole than at the end of the line.
Once the heel is through, I simply heat the end of the nylon to create a ball that serves as a stop. The nylon must be brought very close to the flame without touching it.
Immediately after forming, I tap the ball a little with my finger to flatten it.
Next, I apply glue to the end of the nylon and pull so that the stop comes into contact with the tang. You have to pull quickly or the glue will act while the stop is not yet in contact.
And that's all there is to this extremely discreet connection.
