[Mike Barrio]

Braided loops are an easy way to connect your leader to your fly line using a 'loop to loop' connection.



(1) This is a twin walled braided loop, the expanding mesh braid has been inserted back inside itself to form the loop and then travels along the full length inside the outer to form a strong twin walled construction. The green sleeve tubing will be used to anchor the braided loop to the fly line.



(2) To get started, I usually grab about 10 inches of thick spare nylon, which I thread through the loop and hold back in a 'U' against the loop.



(3) Push/slide the sleeve tubing over the loop and leave it sitting on the thick spare nylon, out of the way.



(4) Pinch the braid about a centimetre from the end and push it onto the fly line, making sure that you keep the fly line in the center of the two walls of braid. The braid will fray a little and it might take a few attempts to get it centered. The line should be inside the inner braid and not between the inner and outer braid.



(5) Feed the line up through the expanding mesh braid, from where it is in photo 4 until it reaches the point where the loop is formed in photo 5. We do this with a 'pinch-expand-push' caterpillar shuffle kind of process.



(6) Now hold the spare nylon and push/slide the green sleeve tubing back over the loop and along the braid towards the other end. You want the line visible between the loop and the sleeve to be about 2.5cm to 5cm, depending on your preference for a short or long braided loop.



(7) Once you are happy with the sleeve tubing position (longer is stronger) trim back any surplus/frayed braid behind the sleeve.



(8) To finish off, push/slide the sleeve tubing a smidgen further to cover up the loose ends. I like to have about 3/4 of the sleeve sitting on the braid and 1/4 on the fly line.



Additional notes:

A braided loop works by constriction, so the harder you pull the braided loop from the loop end, the more it will tighten and grip the fly line between the loop and the 'sleeve anchor point'.

Braided loops work well when simply fitted as above and this is how I fish them, but I know some anglers like the added assurance of a spot of superglue on the sleeve.

If you do apply glue - only use a tiny amount, as slightly too much can cause your fly line tip to sink.

I hope you find this wee step by step guide useful 

Cheers
Mike

[Steven Dawson.]

I river fish mainly with your Small Stream lines Mike, hard to beat in my book.
Over the years I've been making my own welded loops, and I find them very easy on your lines.
Unlike the factory made ones, I can make them very small and unobtrusive.
Couple of inches of heat shrink tube and a candle flame is all that's needed takes five minutes from start to end, and I very rarely get hinging problems.
Loop to loop a thread furled leader on, and it slips through the top eye beautifully.
S.

[Terry Coging]

Braided loops are very convenient however I have never liked them - preferred constriction nail knots in the past.  All very well until a new butt needs to be fitted at the waterside in the cold and wet using ageing stiff fingers. So I ordered some Roman Moser trout loops from Mike along with a new GT90.  These loops are neat, I mean NEAT.  They make previously tried loops look clumsy.
I assume that they have a neutral density?...and wonder how they will behave on sink tip and midge tip lines?

[Mike Barrio]

Pleased you like them Terry

Yes, I believe they're neutral, I can't imagine that anything was added to make them float.

Best wishes
Mike

[Dave Felce]

I've used the Roman Moser loops for a couple of seasons now and, having had a few issues with welded loops splitting, I now  just snip them off and put Moser loops on from new.  They are incredibly strong and supple. the braided leaders are very good, too 

[Roy Clark]

Due to arthritic finger joints I was taking ages to put on Braided Loops. When fishing at Greenwood Loch an angler from Blairgowrie recommended Roman Moser loops.I got some from Mike & can't believe how simple & quickly you can put them on.

[Jeremy Bennett]

The Roman Moser braided loops are easily the best out there and as mentioned above are just the right length.
As Mike mentioned above I did fall into the "too much super glue trap"