Splicing Line to Backing

[denver]

Does anyone have any instructions for splicing backing to fly line. I have seen the $25 Whitlock kits and decided I could do it myself for $0. So far, I have put a needle up the center of my 5wt line about 3/4". I then pulled the backing through the center of the line and out at the 3/4" mark ( where the needle came out ).

Now What?

Thanks,
Denver

[The Ole Man]

Denver
At this point, you now make a nail knot with the backing-around the line. Lay the backing along side the flyline going up away from where the backing comes out of the line. Go up 2 or 3 inches, stop and now bend the backing over making a loop. Take the tag end of this and make 5 loose turns around the backing and the line . Stop and now feed the tag end back up thru the loop turns you just made. Squeeze the loop turns you just made, using your right thumb and forefinger -now pull on the tag end to tighten the loops but not completely tight. Now pull on the backing where it goes into the end of the flyline to slide this semi-tight loop joint back down to where the backing comes out of the side of the flyline. Keep the loop joint squeezed with your left thumb and forefinger so you dont pull it apart when you do this. When the nail knot is positioned over the exit point of the backing from the flyline. pull on the backing and the tag end to tighten the nail knot very tight aroung the line. Grip with hemo's to pull with if necessary. Trim the tag end with clippers. Frankly, I dont fool with any of this. I use an Albright knot to join the backing to the flyline. Unless you are hooking trout in the 25 to 35 " cl****or fishing steelhead , bonefish, stripers, albacore, bonito, or some other long running, spool stripping fish you're never gonna go into the backing anyway. So, I dont take the trouble to do what you're doing. But,hey, they are fun to play with.

[denver]

Thanks Ole Man,

What I want is the splice to be a no-knot backing to line connection like they offer in the Orvis catalog when you buy a line and backing together. I've seen a kit by Whitlock that will do this, but wanted to try it myself.

Today, I simply put enough superglue on the backing to saturate it. I then pulled the glued portion into the center of the fly-line. I trimmed the tag end close to the line and it is perfect ( for now ). I stress-tested it and it's strong as anything, however, I don't know how well the superglue will hold up over time.

I don't usually get into big trout, but I did have 20"+ brown run me into the backing last fall ( 6x tippet ). I didn't think the Albright knot was going to go through the guides and thus decided had to be a better way to make the connection.

Again,
Thanks,
Denver

[WDN FLY]

IF YOU ARE USING BRAIDED DACRON FOR BACKING IT SHOULD HAVE A HOLOW CORE. IF THIS IS THE CASE SIMPLY OPEN IT UP A LITTLE AND SLIDE THE FLYLINE IN. SLIDE IT IN 3-4 INCHES. NOW WRAP THE END OF THE BACKING WITH YOUR FLY-TYING BOBBIN. A LITLE WATER PROOF GLUE WILL HELP BUT THE "REEL" STRENGTH COMES FROM THE BACKING SQUEEZING THE FLY-LINE. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE EXTREEME ROUGH THE SURFACE OF THE FLY-LINE BEFORE YOU SLIDE THE BACKING OVER IT. SIMPLE,SOLID AND NO NEEDLE. GOOD LUCK AND TIGHT LINES. WDN-FLY