Line to leader connection

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daverson828
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Line to leader connection

#1

Post by daverson828 »

I bought a Pflueger Gem (thanks for the recommendations!) and they didn't remove the old line. When I pulled it off, it had this connection that I'd never seen; appears to be a little ring placed in the end of the line. Came up empty on my internet searches, so I thought I'd ask the experts! I'm also including pictures of the connection to the reel -- I plan to put on a bit of backing to preserve the double taper, but thought this was interesting, too.

Image

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kevinhaney1
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Re: Line to leader connection

#2

Post by kevinhaney1 »

It looks like a homemade deal where someone whipped a tippit ring onto the line.

Kevin
Kevin Haney, Vintage Anglers
http://www.vintageanglers.com

Repleiven
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Re: Line to leader connection

#3

Post by Repleiven »

I looks like the ring end of barbed leader connector. Some line companies actually included them with a line, and most of the tackle shops sold them, back in the day.

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GerardH
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Re: Line to leader connection

#4

Post by GerardH »

Eagle Claw used to have barbed leader connections like that -- I used them when I first started fly fishing in the mid-70s until I learned how to tie a nail knot. Personally, I hated them -- they split the fly line and were prone to rust and breakage. Once I found a nail knot diagram, I never looked back.

SgtMajUSMC
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Re: Line to leader connection

#5

Post by SgtMajUSMC »

It looks like the old "No Knot Eyelet" that I used in the '70's. They used to come 2 to a card, and often one, or both would break when you tried to insert them. An abomination to try and tap into the end of a fly line. I held the tip of the line in a pair of needle nose pliers and tapped the spike in with a teaspoon. When the spike didn't break, it often came out the side of the line (maybe that's why yours is overwrapped with thread). They rusted and broke off. They pulled out (even though the shanks were barbed). The tip of the fly line sank. The good old days...not so much!

Tim

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Hellmtflies
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Re: Line to leader connection

#6

Post by Hellmtflies »

GerardH wrote:
07/23/22 11:45
Eagle Claw used to have barbed leader connections like that -- I used them when I first started fly fishing in the mid-70s until I learned how to tie a nail knot. Personally, I hated them -- they split the fly line and were prone to rust and breakage. Once I found a nail knot diagram, I never looked back.
[/qu


Ditto! I use to warm or heat dubbing needle to insert into the end of the fly line to open it and to ease the barbed eyelet into the line. I would also coat the eyelet with glue before inserting it. Once the line cooled it would squeeze the line and glue. The issue too was that at the end of the barbed eyelet a hing would develop and crack the line and the line would break. After learning to use a nail knot that ended.

daverson828
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Re: Line to leader connection

#7

Post by daverson828 »

Huh! Makes sense, as it feels like there's a rigid section that extends about half an inch down the line tip. I would think it would also tend to sink the tip of the line eventually. Glad I missed those days ;-)

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ttroutt
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Re: Line to leader connection

#8

Post by ttroutt »

They are still available from Netcraft or Amazon.

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GerardH
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Re: Line to leader connection

#9

Post by GerardH »

ttroutt wrote:
07/23/22 16:07
They are still available from Netcraft or Amazon.
And Cabela's.
daverson828 wrote:
07/23/22 15:54
Huh! Makes sense, as it feels like there's a rigid section that extends about half an inch down the line tip. I would think it would also tend to sink the tip of the line eventually. Glad I missed those days ;-)
That's correct. And as Tim described above, you sometimes had to use needle-nosed pliers to push it into the core of the fly line. There was a definite hinge action there and the line would weaken there. Plus the barbs or the point of the leader connector would penetrate through the PVC coating and it would eventually start cracking. They truly were an abomination....but fortunately I was able to get hold of some knot diagrams from a book in our library and I "only" destroyed one line.

SgtMajUSMC
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Re: Line to leader connection

#10

Post by SgtMajUSMC »

I can't imagine why they would still be made or sold! A nail knot works much better, in my opinion. The evolution of the nail knot has even improved considerably, as we don't have to (but still can if you choose) smooth them over with several coats of Pliobond anymore, as better products are available. Of course, after the no knot eyelet there were the Eagle Claw leader links, braided mono butts with various means to fasten them to the fly line, from heat shrink tubing to cyanoacrylate glue, and other miserable ways to connect line to leader. Add to that the frustration of trying to learn from books with line drawings. Instructional materials were pretty humble, and hard to finfd in the public library. Thankfully as a young kid there were a few older fly fishermen around that were kind enough to mentor me. If there weren't, I'd probably still be fishing with bait or would have had to consider taking up golf... Great trip back in the time machine!

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Skeet1969
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Re: Line to leader connection

#11

Post by Skeet1969 »

I remember stabbing my thumb with one of those things in the early 80's, LOL. They were a pain in the... thumb.
Mike B

16pmd
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Re: Line to leader connection

#12

Post by 16pmd »

Lousy connections on both ends. I'd cut off the 1/2" piece where the barbed eyelet is inserted and nail knot a 12" section of 20-25# mono as a permanent butt section. You could do the same on the other end of the line if it's still usable and tie or loop the mono onto the post on the reel arbor.

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