For fly fishers who struggle tying knots, the folks at Scientific Anglers have the solution for you. Their new Reconnect Leader System has made combining leaders to fly lines a snap, literally. Thanks to a patent-pending line-to-line plastic connector, these leaders lock and unlock to fly lines with a simple twist. It not only gets rid of knot tying, it makes the leaders reusable.
Additional Details
A single pack retails for less than $5. A three pack can be found for less than $10. Not sure what size leader system you need for the targeted species and the rod and reel setup you have in mind. Scientific Angler, a 3M company, even has a line selector application on the 3M Web site where anglers can determine the line that best fits their need. The leaders are available in 3-6X sizes and can be used with 2-7 weight fly lines that are less than .042" in diameter at the tip.
How It Works
So here’s how the Reconnect Leader System works. First, you feed the fly line tip through the plastic connector, which is included with every package, and tie a simple overhand knot at the end of the fly line. Tug on the line and it should get stuck on the inside of the plastic connector. Next, align the notches of the connector with the barbs on the end of the pre-rigged leader and make sure the two ends are pushed tightly together. Tie on your tippet and fly and you should be ready to fish.
Likes: Along with allowing anglers to switch out leaders quickly, these SA leaders are strong and cast smooth. The bright-colored connector (they’re color coded by tippet size) also keeps the line floating higher and can be used as a strike indicator.
Dislikes: The connector isn’t for fly fishing purists, who are veteran knot tiers and stay away from mending line to leader with plastics. Also, if you like to switch reels often, you might have to disconnect the leader before detaching the reel as the connector is often too large to pass through the guide at the end of the rod tip.
Conclusion
While it may be seem odd to add a plastic connector to the end of your fly line, they are surprisingly strong and are aerodynamic to the point where they’re almost unnoticeable when casting. They also make a nice strike indicator, help the line stay on the water, and, most importantly, make attaching and detaching lines a breeze.
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