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[halcyonguitars]

Is that a good idea, or should one stick with a Uni/surgeons knot? Seems like the best way to keep your versatip at full length would be to put a loop in the end and a loop in your leader, is there any reason not to do that?

Also, how long do you like to make your mono leader at the end of a versatip?

[bigsnag]

I tie a 3' butt of 15# maxima directly on to the tip with a nail knot.  From there I add my tippet of 8, 10 or 12# maxima with a surgeon knot. I keep my leader at 5 ft, butt + tippet.
The 3 ft section of butt should last you for the season, depends on how much you fish.  If you do need to change it, you only waste half an inch of your tip. Don't sweat over it.

[Fish Assassin]

I put a loop at the end of the Versa Tip

[tburns]

I would do either a triple surgeons or a figure 8 loop.  Perfection loops are awful for snapping... 

[HOOK]

I use an Albright knot to attach the mono to the sink tips and like my butt sections to be 20-25lb and around 8-12" long then tie in a double surgeons knot in the end for the loop/loop connection

I usually change off the mono every 5yrs or whether it's looking horrible. I had one last me about 10yrs before I changed it and that only happened because the 25lb loop finally broke on a big spring


There is another thread about this very topic in this section where I explain it better 


EDIT - here is the topic - http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=38446.0

[RalphH]

I would do either a triple surgeons or a figure 8 loop.  Perfection loops are awful for snapping...

At a typical strength of 95% of the line, perfection loops are fine for butt material and the knot itself is much smaller than the alternatives. A double surgeons loop is moderately stronger but with 15lb and heavier butt material it's meaningless.

[tburns]

At a typical strength of 95% of the line, perfection loops are fine for butt material and the knot itself is much smaller than the alternatives. A double surgeons loop is moderately stronger but with 15lb and heavier butt material it's meaningless.

ive had too many times the leader snap at a perfection loop.  If i'm to lose a fish or have to break it off, i want it to break through down at the fly at my standing loop.  Not once have i had a triple surgeons snap first since i switched.

[halcyonguitars]

Ha, so I learned:)

[bigsnag]

Ha, so I learned:)

Really? Fly guys not trusting nail knots; leaders snap at a perfection loop........ what's going on?

The only time that I had a problem with a nail knot was with a Rio Versatip 9 wt where I had problem tying my butt section onto the T8 that came with the line. The knot simply strip the coating right off. That T8 tip looks and feels different to the T8 tips one buys in bulk. That was 10 years ago and I blame the tip rather than the knot. I suppose if that had happened earlier in my fishing career I'd have thought differently about the knot. 

As RalphH mentioned, perfection loops are fine for butt material.  I have never had a problem with it either and I like the fact that the line comes out straight and centered.  I do wonder how others use it. Do some of you do a loop to loop with say a 25lb to a 10lb connection?  The loop in that case do not sit properly, just wondering........

For a floating line, I stick to a nail knot. I personally feel that the slimmer the profile the better.

[Sandman]

I will still use a nail-less nail knot when attaching leader to floating line as I tend to use longer leaders and frequently need to draw the knot through the eyes of the rod tip when landing fish.  Should the fish try a final run, the slicker knot provides less chance of breaking off the fish should it catch on the eyes. However, with the very short leaders (4-6 feet max) that I might use with sink tips, like Hook I use the stronger Albright knot to attach the butt section to the line, and I never have to curse another chum from stripping the coating off the line. I also use a double surgeons loop, rather than perfection loops for the loop to loop connections and double surgeon knots for the tippets.  I find these the easiest and quickest knots to tie with high breaking strength. I also use a no-slip loop for the fly.

[HOOK]

I will still use a nail-less nail knot when attaching leader to floating line as I tend to use longer leaders and frequently need to draw the knot through the eyes of the rod tip when landing fish.  Should the fish try a final run, the slicker knot provides less chance of breaking off the fish should it catch on the eyes. However, with the very short leaders (4-6 feet max) that I might use with sink tips, like Hook I use the stronger Albright knot to attach the butt section to the line, and I never have to curse another chum from stripping the coating off the line. I also use a double surgeons loop, rather than perfection loops for the loop to loop connections and double surgeon knots for the tippets.  I find these the easiest and quickest knots to tie with high breaking strength. I also use a no-slip loop for the fly.

Exactly the same knots I use through the entire setup.

I wonder how many of you guys have targeted huge fish and hooked them consistently with your nail knots. In the first couple years of fly fishing I chased everything I could with a fly. Chum and Chinook will absolutely test your knots every time you hook up. After having nail knots stripped cleanly right off my line I searched for a new, stronger and better way. (my nail knots were always done by M&Y back then)

[bigsnag]

I wonder how many of you guys have targeted huge fish and hooked them consistently with your nail knots. In the first couple years of fly fishing I chased everything I could with a fly. Chum and Chinook will absolutely test your knots every time you hook up. After having nail knots stripped cleanly right off my line I searched for a new, stronger and better way. (my nail knots were always done by M&Y back then)

If I target chums and springs I would use my 9 weight.

However, we caught them often enough when going after lesser game, such as right now, using lighter rods.  Most of the time we are able to land them and we land them consistently with nail knots, that is, if hooked in the mouth.  The ones that have your nail knots stripped cleanly right off your line may well be foul hooked. 

Having said that i do use the Albright knot myself on some of the tips.  The fact is if the knot can be stripped off it should have happened when you test it. 


 

[clarkii]

If my flyline has loops, I use the loop to loop.

If my fly line doesn't have loops, if its a heavy sink tip I'll use an albright knot, if its a sinking or floating line I will tie a nail knot loop.

[RalphH]

Frankly loop vs Albright knot vs nail knot doesn't matter all that much. Each is effective and each has advantages and disadvantages. None of these are all that significant so it comes down to personal choice. Best I know Versa tips come with a loop at both ends these days. Use it. Other tips may not so try an albright or a nail knot. Once you've tried make your choice.

[halcyonguitars]

All the versatips I've bought have had 12" of mono at the end with no loop.