Knot Tying 101

Below is a pre-cursor to the January meeting.  

It is important not only to select the right knot for a particular job but to tie it properly. Poorly tied knots will mean lost fish and aggravation. Here are a few basic steps to follow when tying all knots for fly fishing.

Lubricate knots:  Before you tighten a knot, lubricate it with saliva or by dipping it in the water. This will help the knot slide and seat properly. Lubrication also decreases excessive heat which dramatically weakens monofilament. Heat is generated by the friction created when knots are drawn up tight.

Seat the knot: Tighten knots with a steady, continuous pull. Make sure the knot is tight and secure. After it is tied, pull on the line and leader to make sure it holds. It is better to test it now than when a fish is on.

Trim neatly: Use nippers to trim the material as close as possible without nicking or damaging the knot.

There are five basic knots you need to know for general fly-fishing. Other knots are beneficial, but not mandatory.  The basic knots you should know are:

1.Arbor Knot

2.Albright Knot

3.Nail Knot or Perfection Loop

4.Surgeons Knot or Blood Knot

5. Cinch knot or improved Cinch knot

We will go over all of these knots at the January meeting allowing you (as time allows) to tie each knot to perfection.  Remember practice makes perfect and I suggest you practice now.  You want your failures to happen now, not on the water when it counts!

See you in January!

Cleveland Fly-Fishing Show January 10th

September 3, 2008

News Release

 North Coast Fly Fishers, Inc (NCFF) is presenting the 8th Annual Northern Ohio Fly Tying Expo on January 10, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the gymnasium of Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland, Ohio 44094. Full details of the Expo along with hotel information and driving directions are on the Expo website at www.expo2009.ncff.net. 
 This event will feature local, national and internationally known fly tiers representing the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) (www.fedflyfishers.org). Many of the featured tiers have been published in national and international publications such as The Flyfisher, Fly Tyer Magazine and Fly Fishing Journal for their contributions to the art of fly tying, and several have traveled internationally to tying competitions in Europe.
 Also featured will be fly tiers from FFF clubs in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan. Fly fishing vendors will display and sell the latest in fly tying materials and fly fishing equipment.
 Included in the price of admission will be educational seminars on Steelhead fishing, as well as materials and tactic seminars. There will be free continuous “Beginner Fly Tying” presented by the teaching staff of NCFF which is an opportunity for men, women and children of all ages to learn to tie a fly and take it with them at the end of the session. A number of on-floor demonstrations will be given including casting demonstrations, fishing knots, gearing up and entomology in Northeast Ohio rivers. Door prizes will be given away, along with merchandise and 50/50 raffles throughout the day.
 Admission is $10.00 for adults 18 and over, $8.00 for kids 12-17. Children under 12 admitted free. For more information contact Joe Valencic at (440) 463-0571 or visit the website at www.expo2009.ncff.net .

DONT FORGET ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY NEXT TUESDAY!!

The annual Christmas Dinner will be held on December 16th at 6pm at Hoss's Steak House in Cranberry. Everyone is welcome to attend! We will have dinner (order off the menu) followed by our trash to treasure auction. If you have anything to auction off, please bring it that evening.

For those coming a distance to join us, here is the address and phone number for Hoss's.

Cranberry
2432 State Route 257
Cranberry, PA 16319
(814) 677-3002
Intersection of Rt. 322 and Rt. 257

Tying Your Own Leaders

There has been some questions about tying your own leaders.  The following excerpt should give you a good start.  Having some leaders tied ahead of time can really save the day.  Keep in mind that there is no leader formula that will work in every condition and these formulas below are just good guidelines.  You will want to adjust your leader to fit the conditions, often changing several times in the course of the day.  

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A Beginner's Introduction to Leaders and Tippets

An excerpt from Fed Fly Fisher’s Booklet,

Introduction to fly fishing by Judy Lehmberg

So that the fly will land correctly on the water, it is necessary to attach it to the line with a tapered leader. The leader is generally composed of monofilament nylon that is tapered to a relatively small diameter tippet at the end.  Leaders are an important aspect of the entire fly fishing system because they are relatively thin and thus vulnerable to breaking, they are relatively difficult to control, and they are the part of the system the fish is most likely to see other than the fly.  

There is no such thing as a perfect leader but there have been quite a few improvements in the last few years.To function effectively a leader must keep the fly far enough from the line tip so as to not frighten the fish, have a tippet that is small enough in respect to the size of the fly and be designed so that the fly will land correctly on the water.  As you might imagine, when you vary the flies you use, you must also vary the leader so that it corresponds to the size and weight of the fly. Because it is not practical to change leaders with each fly, a compromise leaner design that will work over a wide range of fly sizes is desirable. 

Although there are still some fly fishers who prefer a hand-tied leader, one that is composed of five to seven pieces that get smaller as they approach the tip, most anglers are now using the newer one piece, tapered leaders.  The hand- tied leaders do have the advantages that the taper can be changed at will and the material can be changed to get optimum fly delivery.  Two hand-tied leaders are described below.. The Ritz formula, designed by Charles Ritz in the 1940's, is very accurate and lays out straight even in the wind. The Harvey formula, developed by George Harvey, lays out in soft IS" curves ensuring a long, drag-free float. 

The leader length is determined by the tippet size; the finer the tippet, the longer the leader becomes. These leaders vary from nine to 12 feet. Even if you never build your own leader the Harvey and Ritz formulas can give you an idea of how leaders are designed. 

 THE GEORGE HARVEY FORMULA * 10"-.017: Maxima (Hard) * 20"-.015 :Maxima (Hard) * 20"-.013 : Maxima (Hard)20"-.011 : Maxima (Hard) * 12"-.009 : soft * 18"-.008 : soft * 22" TO 28"-.007: soft 

 THE RITZ FORMULA (All hard - Maxima - material)

 • 40" - .018
• 36" - .016
• 6" - .014 
• 6" - .010 
• 6" - .009 
• 6" - .008 
• 25"- .007 

Many fly fishers now use a one piece leader of about nine feet. The diameter of the leader end or tippet is determined by the size of the fly being used.   As a general rule, tippet size is determined by dividing the fly size by four to get the tippet sit which is expressed in decreasing sizes as 0X, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X, 7X and 8X. This is called the rule of 4.  In other words, for a size 12 fly you would use a 3X tippet. For clear and smooth water conditions, it's best to go one size smaller in tippet diameter, therefore the most appropriate tippet for a size #12 fly would actually be 4X. You should carry tippet material in sizes 3X, 4X, SX and 6X.