So, we have embarked in the joyous adventure of getting that flyline to go into the next zipcode. It's going alright, but the line has it's limitations; it's simply not long enough.
Yeah it's great to shoot some backing into the cast, but every so often the knot that connects the line to the backing hangs up in the rings and gives premature turnover. And as if that's not enough, the limpness of the backing creates some tremendous tangles. This goes to make that cast we finally hook up, a somewhat rare event. (And no we don't suggest Viagra)
Ok, so the backing doesn't cut it, ”what about mono?” you say. Well there's that knot again, and even though the knot is smaller, it's still there, and with the memory of mono. ”Stretch it!” you say and still it tangles with the flyline.
All right then; why not just lengthen the flyline with, yup you guessed it, flyline…
The question now is just how do we get two pieces of flyline together without some sort of bulky knot, in short how do we get that smooth sexy connection?
I use two different ways to connect flyline to flyline, and they are as follows:
Get hold of the desired length of flyline in the same diameter as the end of you chosen flyline.
Strip approximately 2 centimetres of coating of both.
Place the stripped parts on top of each other, and sew them together with rodwrapping thread or unwaxed tying silk.
Then wrap the stripped parts with thread and build up and evenly layer, finish of with a couple of half hitches.
To get a smooth finish, cover the wraps with flexible glue.
This is a fairly fast and good way of connecting two pieces of flyline, but if we want that really smooth and sexy one, we will have to do it like this:
Get a hold of a length of flyline the same diameter as the backend of your chosen flyline.
Strip approximately 6 centimetres of coating from one of them.
Fray the end of the stripped core 1 centimetre, using a needle to get the braid apart.
Now cut of half of the frayed end!
Moisten the frayed end, and put it through the eye of a needle (a needle with a big eye is really helpful here), insert the needle through the centre (core) of the flyline, as far as you can get it, then out through the coating.
Pull the needle all the way through bringing the stripped core inside the core of the other flyline. Before pulling the two pieces tight together, soak the stripped core in flexible glue. Pull tight, wipe off the excess glue, and let it cure.
When the glue has cured, cut of the excess core material as close to the coating as possible.
There you have it, a nice smooth sexy connection.