Making DIY Fly Line Welded Loops - Fixing and Repairing Fly Lines

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Having the welded loop on the end of your fly line break can be a real bummer. The good news is that you can fix it and make your own! This will work on new and old fly lines alike. There is a bit of an art to this, and practicing is key to making nice clean welds. No doubt that the fly line manufacturers have an automated machine with the right amount of pressure and heat ready to go. But we can get very similar result with a little practice and some heat shrink tubing. In this video, we will show you how to fix, repair and make new welded loops on your fly line. In this video, we used a floating line and is the most common among anglers. If you are using a sinking line, there is no need to remove the shrink tubing. Since the lines sink anyways, you can just leave the shrink tubing in place!
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[@xt8ob]

Great video. I highly recommend using clear heat shrink tubing to take the guess work out.

[@AkFlyFishersmembers]

I use heat gun - but essentially same technique. This lighter method would work on the river. We clean grease/oils off the line with rubbing alcohol first. Not all fly line brands will melt thoroughly but I haven’t had a problem. Nice video!

[@jonathanboucher9500]

Personally i use clear heat shring and dont even remove it. And for all those saying that a loop is useless and ‘’just use a nail knot”, it all depends what you fish. I use my 8wt for everything from salmon, bass, stripper, pike, chad in one season. On fishing trips I’ll do multiple species in a week, sometime in a day. I tie all my leader in advance with loops and carry intermidiate and sinking tips with loops at both ends. Time on the water is precious and i don’t want to waste it making knots, alot easier to just do a loop-to-loop conection.

[@samh4232]

@Dragomir Ronilac what do you do when you start taking to much of the fly line when you have to cut the knot off?

[@zachknight5393]

what size shrink tube for 5 wt floating line?

[@johnhutchison6144]

Brilliant! I used the idea to weld some braided bricklayers twine. I needed it to go around a pulley and didnt want a knot. Worked a treat....thank you!

[@InTheRiffle]

Glad it helped

[@erikkarlsson5727]

Great video but just a tip. You cutt the end of the tip of the flyline in an angel with a very charp sissor, a razorblade works aswell. Then you get a much smoother transission and not a bump. Also use clear shrink tubing, then you can see when the coating melts. Another thing is to use a hair straightner with a temp control, I recomend 170 degrees celcius but it depends on if its a floating line or a sinking line. 👍

[@Elodiejtml]

Erik 170 for floating line. What temp do you use for sinking line?

[@kingkiddfishing]

Great tip for people. I honestly have stopped dealing with loop knots, since they don't slide through the guide as easy. But I know alot of people love having loops.

[@HelgraMike]

I agree 💯

[@tman6762]

I have not done this procedure but plan on trying it (disclaimer HA!). I would recommend the following possible improvements. 1) With a paper towel carefully clean the line with acetone or maybe MEK on a paper towel. I would try doing this a couple times so it has a chance to soften the line. Alcohol might might work too but better as a cleaner. Acetone or MEK will actually soften the material and clean it and promote fusion of the material. 2) Use a small alcohol burner as a flame. The flame from an alcohol burner is cooler compared to the Bic Lighter. It is easier to control and much less likely to burn. I learned this from building fly rods. It is a common short cut to use a lighter which can blacken (leave soot) and burn the surface, etc. Make sure to take extreme precautions when using flammable liquids and open flame!!!!! Also, the flame from an alcohol burner is practically invisible. It's easy to forget that it is there.

[@flyrodhiker8326]

I really need to do this! Thanks so much!

[@dennisstolte1103]

Wow that’s ingenious! So much better than a double mail knot. Thank you, I’m a new subscriber.

[@acerview77ctre]

Looks Great, Easy to See and has the Strength You Need

[@neosovereign5954]

Clear Heat shrink FTW!

[@kenwebster5053]

I use clear heat shrink so I can see when the coating fuses together. Also, I think it is important to ensure that the scarf cut in the end faces the running leg if the line. This ensures that the cut core is sealed within the weld preventing water ingress along the core. I cut a hole in some offcut Masonite & put this over a toaster to control the area of heat from the toaster while welding the loop. Welded loops are not too bad in the thin tip of a flyline However, they are not the slimmest loop connection possible. If the line has a braided core, you can strip the coating near the tip, then pull the tag end up through the middle of the line, to a point just inside the end of the line coating. Then work some SeamGrip through the coating & leave it to set for 24 hr or so. It's completely waterproof & such a deadly thin loop connection that it can be cast right through the tip guide, no need to have the entire leader out of the rod, just enough to get some turnover for the leader will do the trick. I would use a solvent to soften the 'coating or SeamGrip for removal. It's been a while, not sure now if I used acetone of lacquer thinner. Another thing I started doing was making a loop splice in the backing so that I could easily change over fly lines The loop needs to be large enough to pass completely over the reel while it’s attached to the rod, & also large enough to pass over a line spook, whichever is the greater of these. I would also use a loop like this to attack backing to the reel spool. Could use the SeamGrip trick as above or do a locked Brummel splice which is perhaps more secure. Backing is so thin, it’s hard on flyline coatings & will cut through to the core. To solve this, I used to 2nd piece of backing braid so that I was doing a double braid splice. This protects the real connection from wear and also protects the line loop connection from being cut by the backing. It’s a good system that effortlessly slips through the guides without fuss, extends the life of loop connections and gives you fast line changes for versatility in changing conditions.

[@rajivkotwal]

Great Tip. Thank you.

[@halcopeland1462]

Awesome video. Thanks

[@Wogger46]

Hey spicer, that was cool

[@andrewparkeruk]

Really impressed by lots of the work being done away from the camera. Here’s one I prepared earlier

[@lespaul3717]

If you use small spout kettle, the type for camping, steam the tube. This way you cause no damage to the loop or the line, so 1. You dont have to be so careful. 2. You get a perfectly sealed shrink wrap. Just be careful you do not scold yourself while doing this. I am in the UK and we use techniques like thick with shrink tubing all the time. Have a look at some carp techniques, you may find some of them help you, as I have watching fly video's. 😁

[@gillboygd]

Could you do a video on that?

[@lespaul3717]

@@gillboygd Yes I'll try and sort one out this week to show you the principle . If you search on here you might find something by searching, "steaming Shrink tubing - fishing". Its exactly the same principle of the video shown, just using and small camping kettle, that has a small spout, to do the heating.

[@N2theBlue1]

A heat gun works a lot better than a lighter for heat shrink, but not sure if it has the temp for welding the loops.

[@coreytohme9861]

I would think a heat gun would work better than a lighter as well. From my experience, a heat gun does a better/quicker job than a lighter of shrinking tubing over wires, so I would think it would have enough heat to melt and fuse the fly line. I guess there is only one way to find out.

[@jimmahoney5876]

Saw one with a hair straightener. Used my wife's curling iron . Has to have adjustable temp settings.

[@perbrev]

I use hair straightener instead of lighter. Works perfect.

[@georgebanker2669]

Last time I have a welded loop break was in a flats boat while bonefishing. No lighter and use of same would have proven problematic in the wind. Solution was to quickly tie on a new leader with a Albright Special knot.

[@troutseeker6785]

Great video, followed this and made my own loops. Would this work with a tungsten shooting head line? I might try that to make different length full sink tips for spey casting.

[@thomastuorto9929]

Great tip with the Fly line starting to wilt. Is this method strong enough for larger fish like Stripers & Bluefish in your opinion? Also, what weight was that fly line? I need a little more strength than when you pulled & broke the loop. You think the heat had anything to do with it?

[@cachi-7878]

I’m wondering if this method is good for GTs and other saltwater species. I know some guides will cut off the factory-built welded loops and make their own connections; sometimes too bulky for my liking, though.

[@sweynforkbeard8857]

I've never had a nail knot fail, they are especially strong if you epoxy the knot.

[@0128okuzono]

for smaller game? sure. But for big game no

[@sweynforkbeard8857]

@@0128okuzono Good to know, my Muskie lines have a built in loop so I have never put it to the real test.

[@jernall683]

@@0128okuzono I use a nail knot connection every day to tarpon fish, no problem with them. Some of the fish push 100lbs.

[@KFB1957]

A heat gun and clear heat shrink works better; you can see when the fly line welds together.

[@miguelgoizueta7103]

Is this applicable for any fly line? Are all fly lines are made of the same material?

[@InTheRiffle]

With RIO, SA and orvis lines it works. But not sure about airflo since I have never tried it?

[@DanieHattingh]

Airflo floating works.

[@alkinceratfafterthefly6284]

Yes. Cut the loop off. Tie a 5 to seven loop snail or "nail" knot at the butt. You'll soon find that you don't re-tie the entire leader as often as you think. And it's a lot more sleek!

[@28theark]

@@InTheRiffle hi 👋 do you know if this method will work for fluorocarbon and mono line?

[@droper40]

What size heat shrink tubing?

[@bobclark4706]

Why not use clear shrink tube then you can see whats happening

[@InTheRiffle]

Yes, that would be very handy!

[@johngraham5996]

@@InTheRiffle is there any advantage or disadvantage to using superglue to bond the fly line together before you put the shrink tube over it, have you ever tried it? i fish for scottish salmon and need to know i can trust this diy loop

[@nathan.bechelli]

Mine keeps on breaking right after I cut off the shrink tube?

[@chrisnorwood8613]

I have the same scissors. I love them.

[@austinrags]

At what point is the fly line trashed? I just accidentally cut mine about 9 feet down

[@georgebanker2669]

Depends on the profile of the line but I’m guessing that at 9’ your fly line is toast.

[@frankwice4864]

Try an electric heat gun with heat control

[@mattp6355]

So not the heat shrink with the glue inside

[@user-if9ri2sp1s]

That is nice only most of the time your hands were not visible. when you were working with the heat shrink at didnot see what you did . nice but show your work better Thanks

[@ut_trout_bum]

Might as well add some split shot to the end of your fly line. I like Brian Flechsig’s method of taking some Maxima clear and nail knotting it to the end of your fly line and then make a perfection loop 6 inches down from the nail knot. I can switch out leaders easily and my casting is not only not affected, but improved in my opinion cause that bulky heavy loop is completely gone.

[@samh4232]

Now this is an interesting idea…

[@WaschyNumber1]

Or you use a known heat source like a hair straightener 🤔

[@DZ9191]

Nail knot it and be done with it.

[@edperry6199]

WTF? cut the loop off and tie a simple Nail Knot.

[@Jukithesuzuki]

I assume it's like a math equation. If you don't understand, there's the solution!

[@Rubo7]

Tell me how you attach sinking line or thicker line to the fly line with a nail knot? You will have a massive knot. I agree with you for a nail knot on small leaders. But the problem with nail knots is after awhile of keep cutting your fly line and changing your leader. Your line becomes shorter. If your using cheap fly line it doesn't matter. But when your using expensive $100 fly line. Which has certain sections of the line tapered. You want to keep it that way for a long time. Not cutting off sections to do mail knots everytime you bust your leader.

[@ademirsantana8529]

👏👏👏👏👏👏😀

[@101mossie]

It’s a waste of time, it’s gives you a slight weight imbalance at the tip of your line and throws the leader left and right and causes tangles especially on light 3/4# gear. Why would anybody not use a braided loop? Much more balanced and they last forever.

[@GABTICO94]

this is fine, but not suited for big fish, i would use this for 8wt and under, not for when you are fighting the monsters

[@jessebourneau6426]

Not cricket

[@jbowmanbooks]

When making a video, always good to always have what you want folks to see in the field of view. Too much empty space here.

[@alkinceratfafterthefly6284]

And to add; a snail knot doesn't have the chance of hinging like that loop you're putting on the fly line

[@alkinceratfafterthefly6284]

Just put a snail knot on it. I haven't changed the butt part of my leader in months and it's still trustworthy. I know it's not pertinent to your video but it's a whole lot easier especially if you don't have the time

[@mvnowak8350]

Factory-welded loops are simply not reliable when fighting large fish, and I would trust a home-made version even less. They do look neat though. Braided mono loops are much stronger and more trust-worthy and, I think, the way to go. A video from you on how to put a braided loop together would be useful for information and balance.

[@KjartanAndersen]

Well, that was a nice film of a wooden table....

[@jimflynn466]

Do you reckon it’s either oak or pine 🤔🤔

[@mikeking453]

I cut the loop off

[@gregb8824]

Do you deal the end? What sealer?

[@mikeking453]

@@gregb8824 I just use a nail knot and do away with the loop altogether

[@gregb8824]

@@mikeking453 so nothing to prevent water from penetrating the core?

[@mikeking453]

@@gregb8824 I never had any problems

[@mikeking453]

Although I do put a coat of Sally Hansen's on the nail knot.

[@billhill897]

The first thing I do when I buy a new fly line is cut off the welded loops. They are for amateurs. I replace them with a nail knot or I use an eagle claw line link which is the size of a grain of rice and only requires a single knot in the line and the leader.

[@MS-we4wi]

You sound ignorant. Nail knot is weaker than welded loops...

[@billhill897]

@@MS-we4wi resorting to insults is ignorant! I am simply exchanging ideas. A properly tied nail knot will not slip or let go and is much stronger than the ultimate weak link in the line which is the tippet and the knot holding the fly. Further it is smoother and slips through eyelets with less resistance than bulky loops. Skilled fisherman know that successful fly fishing is about finesse, not strength.

[@MS-we4wi]

@@billhill897 Exchanging ideas is good, calling people amateurs for prefering something else than you is ignorant. A nice welded loop to perfection loop connection slides through the guides without problems and makes it much faster to change leaders to suit different situations. I don't think amateurs changes leaders much, unless they get knots on the leader. Also, a welded loop floats better when fishing dry flies. FYI, I don't mind you or anyone else using nail knots or whatever you prefer.

[@mikeshorephoto]

all this bullshit when you could just tie a 5 second knot?!

[@andrewsmyth6027]

try keeping the subject matter in shot , looking at a wooden plank is fairly boring, otherwise a great video