how the hell do you tie a coily on

[Daniel Podobed]

I haven't come across anything this frustrating in quite some time. I tried the davy wotton leader connection knot, but good luck getting some memory filled coiled nub to go over under, over under.


What do you guys use to connect your coiled sighters to your leader systems. I may just go with a backing sighter if it doesn't get any easier.

[Anita Coulton]

Agree.  I use a blood knot, but getting the over/under thing with a curly is a feat of persistance and frustration.  Usually takes sitting down with a beverage of choice, letting a few curse words fly, and getting it after many failed attempts.  Second option, in my case, is giving it to someone who actually knows what they're doing, and let them tie it.  Good luck either way.

[Jeremiah Hamilton]

Did you leave un-curled ends on your curlie?  leave about 2inch tag on ether end past your stoppers, so that you have something to tie on to.

[Daniel Podobed]

I didnt make my batch yet. I had previously purchased a pen's worth from another forum, they said makes 10 coily's, but they only have 2 tag ends, 1 at the start, 1 at the finish, and I am in the middle.


I'm basically going to throw those out, and go buy some mono tonight, or pick up the jan siman bi colored material and so some straight, some coiled. But I'll definitely do the coiled individually, not a long lengths worth as it would make my current dilemma disappear.

[Chris Puchniak]

I usually have a few curlies ready to go with Duncan Loop's on either end that you can tie a leader to then pull tight into a full knot.

Leaving enough of a tag on the curlie also allows you to tie it to the leader with a blood knot when needed (as a backup)...

[Josh Graffam]

I just tie an over hand knot on each end of the sighter... then tie a clinch knot on the end of the leader and attach my tippet the same way... dont know if this is what other people do.. it seems to work for me... havent lost a fish yet... basically just using the over hand knot at a stop..

[Todd Oishi]

I use microrings...

[Chris Smith]

Daniel,

You can order the bi-color Coiled indicators directly from Jan.  Just ask him to leave extra long tags. 

[John Killinger]

I leave one end 3-4" straight,  then 8" of coil, then the other end I pre tie a perfection loop prior to boiling. I make 4 of these per 1/4" bolt.

[Loren Williams]

I just tie blood knots.

[Daniel Podobed]

I really appreciate all the help. I'll be getting them from Jan, I'll mention the extra long ends.

Speaking of that bi color material he sells, has anyone used it straight as an indicator?

[Loren Williams]

Yeah--I use for straight and curlies--been doing so for a few years.  If it has one flaw it is that it  fades but the stuff is cheap so replacing it is no great shake.  The fading issue is less troublesome with curlies because the coils are more visible themselves.

[Fred Dewees]

Loren what is the life of the bi-colored before it starts to fade ?

[Josh Graffam]

where are you guys getting it from Jan?

[Mike Wisniewski]

I use micro rings and tie the curly with a cinch not and leave a bit of a tag end.  Have had no problems so far.

Mike

[Jason Baker]

where are you guys getting it from Jan?

http://shop.siman.cz/

[Alain Barthelemy]

I use straight mono sighters or none at all.

If you simply tie on a straight piece of mono, then drag your thumbnail across it a couple times, you can add enough coil and wave to detect strikes and float the sighter with Mucillin.  If it straightens out on you, drag your nail across it again.

The trade-off between the wind resistance on the cast due to a coiled sighter versus the "enhanced" strike detection is your choice, but I think eventually you will all go to straight mono and just learn to watch the leader.

If you choose to use the colored mono bicolor from Siman, buy a couple of packages, knot the lengths together and wind the bicolor on a spool to carry in your vest.  It is way too hard to get a short piece from the package in the heat of battle, but easy to peel off a length from a spool.

[Dejon Hamann]

Your assertion makes me think Alain.  I've heard many to the same, but still I'm a constant fan of a standard 10" bi-color curly.  It just works for me.  Yes, maybe to date I've been too lazy to really "watch" a straight indicator... maybe that's the next step, but for now I've got a curly on unless I'm explicitly throwing dries or bombs. 

The trade-off between the wind resistance on the cast due to a coiled sighter versus the "enhanced" strike detection is your choice, but I think eventually you will all go to straight mono and just learn to watch the leader.

[Mark Hanes]

I have gotten to the point where I role with both.  Their are just situations where the curly is better than the strait and vise verse.  I will admit I have been using the strait sighter for 90% of my nymphing lately.  But with smaller light nymphs in skinny water I will go with the curly more times than not. 

If I am long lining the curly is also the way to go but the strait will work fine here to.  I do feel at a greater distance the curly does have better strike detection.  If its a mid to short range fishing in faster to moderate current I am also fishing the strait sighter.  The strait sighter also makes it easier to fish dry/dropper if I feel that change is in order. 

I know it has been said before but you have to be adaptable to the situation that you are presented with on stream so the curly will always be part of my style when I think it is the best approach.

[John Killinger]

I switched to a straight sighter for everything except when I float long distances, then it's the curly.

[Jason McWilliams]

When you guys are fishing with a straight sighter do you place it in the same spot as the curly or do you prefer it directly below the flyline (essentiallly high on the butt end of the leader).  I have been struggling with the placement of the curly and straight sighter and wouldn't mind some insight on placement from some of you guys.

[Pat Weiss]

I think its a matter of preference.  Most people, myself included, have the sighter just above or very near the start of your tippet.  I do, however, have times where I run a long section of bright mono as the butt section, or sometimes the first 2 sections of a knotted leader when glare is an issue.

[John Killinger]

I put it in the same spot as the straight sighter.

[Alain Barthelemy]

I also put the straight sighter in the same place.  If I want a bright leader butt area, I prefer to add a FL Orange tip on the fly line with the UV Magic Paint, after I do the no-knot.

On the straight sighter, sometimes I will knot a two same diameter pieces together.  The benefit of the knotted sighter is that the knots act as discrete reference points.  I believe this is comp-legal, but if not, step the pieces down in diameter.  Even mono sections in the same color are good; the knots really glow.

My whole straight sighter is about 5in.  I always use a tippet ring on one end, as this saves tippet; a good thing for the environment and my wallet.  Always good to reduce waste.  If I was competing, I would replace the ring with a Davy/Clinch knot, as we've discussed before.

[Dejon Hamann]

Curly and Straight in same place for me.  In between my "leader" and tippet.

My usual rig is: Hends Leader (cut back to match Bicolor sighter material diameter) - Sighter (straight or curly) - 1ft 3x - 2-7ft tippet.

I always boil the curlies with 4inch straight tags off each end.