[acercon3]

Reading the Don report and particulary Ben's comments re home made shooting heads it brings to mind problems that I encountered with my first effort.

I made one from a Barrio 11 wt DT but do not think that it is the best and probably needs some refining .

The main issue that I have is with the running line/shooting head connection. I put a braided loop on  the end of my shooting head and connected to my Guideline LRL ( running line) by a loop to loop connection. The loop in the running line is fairly large in order that I can change shooting heads quickly by passing the coiled shooting head through  the running line loop.  Anyhow I am not too happy with the less than smooth passage of this connection through the rod rings and would have my concerns if a fish was hooked.

I decided on the braided loop connection because I felt that a loop made from the flyline would be too bulky , especially from such a heavy line as the 11 wt.

Can anyone offer their opinions on how best to construct a neat loops on both ends of the shooting head ?

Ben , do you loop to loop your running line/shooting head connection or do you make this a more permanent arrangement ?
Thanks

[Ben Dixon]

Don't tend to use braided loops for much these days.  I expose about 1.5" of the core at the rear of the head and whip back to the coating with flytying thread, I make three whippings and then aquasure over the top of it all.  This leaves a loop made from the core that should be smaller then the diameter of the rear of the head, I work aquasure into the loop to give it some strength and stiffen it up a bit.  I then loop to loop connect the running line.  Front loop is the same except I whip the core to the line so that loop is made from coated flyline rather than exposed core.

Hope this helps


Ben

[Irvine Ross]

Ben

Any reason why you don't whip the core back onto itself rather than the coating? That would give a slimmer loop, or maybe it would be too slim.

cheers
Irvine

[Ben Dixon]

Ben

Any reason why you don't whip the core back onto itself rather than the coating? That would give a slimmer loop, or maybe it would be too slim.

cheers
Irvine

Hi Irvine,

I would be concerned about the loop slipping, the thread bites into the coating of the line and I believe it creates a stronger loop.  Whipping back onto the coating does not not leave such a difference in diameters either, I have in the past expose a long length of core an perfection looped it, the difference in diameters and the step up to the diameter of the coating can cause the line to jam in the tip ring when reeling in.

Front loop to leader


Rear loop to runningline


Cheers

Ben

[acercon3]

Ben, thanks for your explanation and photos , it is now clear what I must do.