Cortland Sylk line failures

[kevinhaney1]

I've had two Cortland Sylk lines fail on me recently. They both were 5wt and only 1-2 years old and they both failed right at the point where the thicker loop section goes back to the regular line thickness. It looks like that creates a hinge that wears out easily. And since the line doesn't come with loops on both ends, that means I won't use them anymore. I know I could use nail knots, but I prefer loop-to-loop connections. Has anyone else had this problem? Any potential solutions? I thought putting a little spar varnish at that point may help the situation.

Kevin

[Brooks]

PVC has inherent problems in regards to welding (reheating the material) to make a loop.
You could clip off the loop and fold the tip over and use a small nail knot of 15 lb mono to form a flyline loop. Or, of course, nail knot on a short piece of 40lb mono (or favorite butt diameter) with a perfection loop to attach your looped leaders.

[Recurve1.1]

Nail knot a piece of heavy mono - I use 25 or 30 lb but your choice, and tie in a perfection loop as above - about a 3-4" length when said and done. I have them on all my lines. Use some kind of pliobond or "knot sense" to smooth out the knots. Good luck - I wouldn't get rid of a 2 yr old line cause of that loop issue.

[barebo]

I've also had 2 Sylk lines and one had 2 "blips" in the coating that I felt every time I cleaned it. The other never seemed to float well even cleaned and lightly dressed. Both sold and no regrets. Most reviews are very positive regarding the line but the peach 444 seems to be a more durable bet, at least for me.

[kevinhaney1]

the peach 444 seems to be a more durable bet

Barebo, does the 444 do as well casting when using bamboo? Does it come in a true double taper with a loop on both ends? If yes, I guess I should try it.

Kevin

[PT48]

Kevin, have you thought about using a needle knot? Get a new tapered leader of your liking, needle knot the butt to the end of the fly line and tie a loop onto the tippet end and use loop to loop to add extra tippet. A little difficult to tie but if you get it right it is very neat, goes through the tip top well, is fairly enduring and gives good transference of energy through the fly line.

[redietz]

PVC has inherent problems in regards to welding (reheating the material) to make a loop.
You could clip off the loop and fold the tip over and use a small nail knot of 15 lb mono to form a flyline loop. Or, of course, nail knot on a short piece of 40lb mono (or favorite butt diameter) with a perfection loop to attach your looped leaders.

I cut the tip at an angle, fold it back over itself, tack gluing it shut, then wrap the join with tying thread, whip finish, and the coat the whole thing with plio bond. Works great.

[adrien schnee]

Can I ask what you refer to please when you say you “tack glue” it shut? I’m interesting in trying the process you described, I think it would be handy for a couple of lines I have. Also how much of the line tip do you cut at an angle before folding it back onto itself? Thanks!

[barebo]

Kevin, the 444 Peach is one of the "go to" lines for bamboo. The current lines are available in DT and I believe have a front loop only. It can be a bit tricky but I nail knot Micron backing to the rear portion and haven't had one come unpinned yet.

[Caneghost]

Cortland, Rio and Orvis all sell braided loop connectors that you can put on the end of any line. They work very well. I recommend sealing the end of the little piece of tubing and where the end of the line stops inside the braid with a drop of Loon Knot sense.

[Short Tip]

Cortland, Rio and Orvis all sell braided loop connectors that you can put on the end of any line. They work very well. I recommend sealing the end of the little piece of tubing and where the end of the line stops inside the braid with a drop of Loon Knot sense.

I second this idea. I cut off welded loops immediately and add a braided loop using a certain method.

I like the Roman Moser Minicons (hard to find) but the Cortland and Orvis loops are ok. After many years, I have evolved this process.

Throw away the little heatshrink tubes which come with the loops. You won't need them. The square edges of the tubing will cut into the fly line over time, exposing the core. The loops are usually too long, cut an inch or so off before installing.

"Inchworm" the loop up the flyline, all the way to the glued loop so there's no hinge. Apply a drop of pliobond or similar to the end of the flyline before the final push. This prevents wicking water up the core which causes tip sink.

The back end of the loop frays when you push it onto the line. Take fly tying scissors and trim the fray as neatly as possible.

Squeeze a little puddle of pliobond or 3M weatherstrip adhesive onto a piece of scrap cardboard. Grab the loop end and the flyline behind the loop and roll the junction of loop and line around in the glue. Form a little glue football covering the junction and hang to dry. It'll shrink a bit as it dries. Repeat if needed. This takes the place of the tubing, preventing the loop from being pushed off from behind and also from continued fraying.

I don't use loop-to-loop, it catches in the guides. I just tie the leader butt to the braided loop with a 4-turn unimproved clinch knot. Quick, small, and the knot is easy to cut through without damaging the loop.

This has worked for many many years, I'm still pretty happy with this method. Never tried the Knot Sense but I may. Real Pliobond has gotten hard to find, the water based stuff is no good.

[redietz]

Can I ask what you refer to please when you say you “tack glue” it shut? I’m interesting in trying the process you described, I think it would be handy for a couple of lines I have. Also how much of the line tip do you cut at an angle before folding it back onto itself? Thanks!

A little bit of CyA glue (super glue). It just to hold the loop closed long enough to whip tight. Or you just put it tight into a tying vise.

[adrien schnee]

Thanks!

[Morten]

There is no difference in diameter between Cortland peach and Sylk. Sylk has a longer tip though, so it will feel a little lighter casting. If you dont like that, shorten the tip. Melted or prefabricated loops will not last on any line, thats why most seasoned anglers use a nail knot on plastic lines. When fishing for huge atlantic salmon, prefabricated loops are prone to fail, not to mention bigger fish like Nile perch. Prefabricated loops, also tends to get stuck in the tip guides, not pleasant when using light tippets.

[Greg Reynolds]

There is no difference in diameter between Cortland peach and Sylk. Sylk has a longer tip though...

Sylk lines are made of higher density material and have a smaller diameter than equivalent 444 peach lines . They do have a longer taper.

https://www.cortlandline.com/collection ... 6282637335
https://www.cortlandline.com/collection ... 6244659223

I bought one to use with a 1920s Leonard with very small guides. They fit those guides where the other Cortland lines I have don't

[Morten]

There is no difference in diameter between Cortland peach and Sylk. Sylk has a longer tip though...

Sylk lines are made of higher density material and have a smaller diameter than equivalent 444 peach lines . They do have a longer taper.

https://www.cortlandline.com/collection ... 6282637335
https://www.cortlandline.com/collection ... 6244659223

I bought one to use with a 1920s Leonard with very small guides. They fit those guides where the other Cortland lines I have don't

Try to measure them, with a mechanic caliper I see no difference. I do not have a digital Caliper, so I might be wrong.

[16pmd]

Looping a leader to a loop in the line is very handy, but in my opinion, a lousy connection because of the real possibility of the connection hanging up in the tip top or guides when landing a fish. Pulling the connection into the guides is usually necessary to avoid putting a radical bend into the rod tip, especially when landing a fish with a long leader (unless you have a long-handled net). Nail or Needle knotting a permanent butt section onto the line is better. If you don't want the hassle of tying a Needle or Nail Knot, take the line to a fly shop and have someone do it. Especially with bamboo rods, putting a deep bend in the tip to leave the connection outside the tiptop or even putting a bumpy loop-to-loop connection into the guides is risking trouble.

[JohnMD1022]

Kevin, the 444 Peach is one of the "go to" lines for bamboo. The current lines are available in DT and I believe have a front loop only. It can be a bit tricky but I nail knot Micron backing to the rear portion and haven't had one come unpinned yet.

I just add a second loop. Never had a problem in 30+ years.

I’ve never had a line fail at the loop connection, but if it did, I’d cut off couple of inches and put on a new loop.

[JohnMD1022]

There is no difference in diameter between Cortland peach and Sylk. Sylk has a longer tip though, so it will feel a little lighter casting. If you dont like that, shorten the tip. Melted or prefabricated loops will not last on any line, thats why most seasoned anglers use a nail knot on plastic lines. When fishing for huge atlantic salmon, prefabricated loops are prone to fail, not to mention bigger fish like Nile perch. Prefabricated loops, also tends to get stuck in the tip guides, not pleasant when using light tippets.

I micced 3 Sylk lines with a tip diameter of 0.030 compared to Peach at 0.032-0.034. Both much better than the SA lines I’ve measured.

[billems]

I cut off all the plastic loops that now come with new lines. They're bulky and slap the water. They hurt the transfer of casting energy. If you must loop, just nail knot a butt section onto the line, say a foot long. The tie in a perfection loop that you attach your leader to with another perfection loop. Works pretty well.