Bamboozle wrote:
The "double cat's paw" looks interesting but how easy is it to execute and undo?
I ask because I use mostly Sci Angler lines which have a smaller loop than Rio lines and some real silk lines from Terenzio with REALLY small loops, not to mention furled leaders & silk blend leaders (also from Terenzio) with tiny loops as well. I can't imagine being able to execute or get a double cats paw undone with my lines & leaders.
I have always used a singe handshake or loop to loop knot, mainly because I change leaders often and I never really had a problem with them. However, they can slip down into a cow hitch or larks head if you don't "seat" them correctly or after going through the guides a bunch of times.
I found this photo that shows the right & wrong way to do it:
I fish these on just about everything. I have loops in my fly line butt and backing to swap lines between reels.
When I use an Otter's Milking egg + thread midge dropper, I use a quilting needle to put the Otter's egg on my leader end and slide up a bare hook - the whole thing bump-stops on my dropper tippet surgeon's knot.
The fish is on the bare hook, the otter's egg slid up to my split shot, and you can see the midge dropper at bottom center.
When I finish the day, I'll cut above my split shot, put surgeon's loop in each end, fold the complex rig into a leader wallet, and loop it on later.
On all my braid spinning and baitcast reels, I tie improved Allbright to high-grade fluoro leader (YGK V12).
I put a perfection loop in the business end of my leader, and loop on lure-swap paper clip, cigar cork for rig, or micro-swivel titanium-wire trace (Euro pike leader).
The loop connection is stronger than any single-bend knot, and really easy to swap rigs.
That's a 1" surgeon's loop (long enough for a cigar cork) in 10-lb Seaguar Blue, titanium leader on the right.
This may help with scale - I always use swivels with spinning tackle (and expensive threadline braid)
A couple of things, the micro-trace pike leaders are light enough weight to tie to the end of your fly leader.
Titanium wire is the ultimate leader material for resilience, ductility, toughness and shock resistance.
It won't tie a bimini twist, but will tie a clinch knot.