# color choice - Seaguar Threadlock Impact Braid 16 strand Hollow core



## searun (Sep 30, 2020)

I have read the excellent posts by Backwater on the Seaguar Threadlock Impact Braid 16 strand Hollow core. It comes in white and blue. Which color are folks using? Does it matter that it is not yellow or another bright color? - Eric


----------



## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

I have a mix of it. It used to come in an Olive Green as well. It honestly doesn't make all that much of a difference to me. The brighter color could help the guide see it but I have not had any issues. You can also run it as a top shot if you don't want to use a ton of it on one reel for cost savings. Run 100yds as a topshot and just Micron or another more inexpensive backing as the bottom.


----------



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

I have blue and white based on what was less expensive at the time of need. I don't think it matters much what color you use. Its just preference, IMO. I use it on reels where maybe I wished they held more backing. It cures that problem. I have blue 50 and white 80. The 80 will splice onto fly lines that the 50 won't.

Be sure to get or make the right tools to splice. A piece of leader wire bent in half is the basic tool. You can splice Threadlock directly to your fly line, itself, other braids or make loops that you will never feel going through the guides. No knots is a good thing.


----------



## searun (Sep 30, 2020)

Thanks Chris and Hank,

I really appreciate that. I like the idea of a topshot. Also I will be sure to get the right splicing tools.

Tight Lines - Eric


----------



## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

searun said:


> Thanks Chris and Hank,
> 
> I really appreciate that. I like the idea of a topshot. Also I will be sure to get the right splicing tools.
> 
> Tight Lines - Eric


Eric, 
Since I do not have to splice very often I don't have Daho needles or anything fancy. I use a folded piece of single strand wire like Hank mentioned. It is very simple and there is a fairly decent video on youtube to walk you through the steps. Here is the link.


----------



## searun (Sep 30, 2020)

TheAdamsProject said:


> I use a folded piece of single strand wire like Hank mentioned. It is very simple and there is a fairly decent video on youtube to walk you through the steps. Here is the link.


Thanks Chris,

That is a nice video. I really appreciate the tips. - Eric


----------



## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Orange backing casts the farthest.


----------



## searun (Sep 30, 2020)

texasag07 said:


> Orange backing casts the farthest.


Too funny. Thanks for making me smile. - Eric


----------



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Hank said:


> I have blue and white based on what was less expensive at the time of need. I don't think it matters much what color you use. Its just preference, IMO. I use it on reels where maybe I wished they held more backing. It cures that problem. I have blue 50 and white 80. The 80 will splice onto fly lines that the 50 won't.
> 
> Be sure to get or make the right tools to splice. A piece of leader wire bent in half is the basic tool. You can splice Threadlock directly to your fly line, itself, other braids or make loops that you will never feel going through the guides. No knots is a good thing.


I like nail knots and pliobond


----------



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

permitchaser said:


> I like nail knots and pliobond


You’d - love - splices if you ever tried them.
Promise.
And I use a nail knot with pliobond to finish off a braid to flu line splice. So, this doesn’t mean you need to forget your knots. It just means there is something better if you want to go a bit further in your rigging.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

texasag07 said:


> Orange backing casts the farthest.



But chartreuse is the most accurate. Always a tradeoff.


----------



## hostage1985 (Feb 27, 2011)

What experience is there with fitting a hollow braid loop over a flyline running line (substitute for factory loop)?


----------



## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

I do this on the back of all my 8 wt and up lines. Very strong and smooth, plus it still allows for easy line changes vs splicing the fly line into the hollow core.



hostage1985 said:


> What experience is there with fitting a hollow braid loop over a flyline running line (substitute for factory loop)?


----------



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

hostage1985 said:


> What experience is there with fitting a hollow braid loop over a flyline running line (substitute for factory loop)?


Works great and you won’t even feel it going in or out.


----------



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

Had a member ask about splicing braid onto a fly line and thought others might like to read up on the subject of braid and splicing lines and loops:

*Splicing 101*
Here you go. Once you see how easy it is you will be tempted to try it and get rid of the bimini. I will adjust my loop sizes accordingly. When you are adjusting the loop size make sure you are making the adjustment by pulling the main line. If the tag line is changing the loop size you did...







www.microskiff.com

*Hollow braid splicing question*
So I am setting up a Tibor Gulfstream for Tarpon and went with 80 lb power pro hollow core for backing. Now I'd really like to insert the fly line into the power pro and have a nice smooth connection. So far I can't get the fly line far enough into the pp to make any kind of connection. Ideas...







www.microskiff.com

*Braided loops for fly lines - or...*
I am getting ready to do a little surgery on some of my fly lines. 9 and 10 weights mostly, cutting off a bit of the front end to get better turn over. And another line that comes without loops. Back in the day I usually used a needle knot with heavy monofilament and a perfection loop (or just...







www.microskiff.com


----------



## searun (Sep 30, 2020)

I like the idea of using braid as a top shot. However on one of my reels I would like to connect the braid directly to the spool. Has anyone had success or issues with this? Which technique did you use to connect the braid to the spool?


----------



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

I just poked the braid through a hole in the base of the spool, back in and knotted. No chance of spinning on the spool.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

TheAdamsProject said:


> Eric,
> Since I do not have to splice very often I don't have Daho needles or anything fancy. I use a folded piece of single strand wire like Hank mentioned. It is very simple and there is a fairly decent video on youtube to walk you through the steps. Here is the link.



@TheAdamsProject , in the video, could you just run the spool of the hollow core through the loop of the wire (like you do with a loop in the backing around the fly line spool to make a loop to loop connection) instead of making the wire go around itself?


----------



## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

kjnengr said:


> @TheAdamsProject , in the video, could you just run the spool of the hollow core through the loop of the wire (like you do with a loop in the backing around the fly line spool to make a loop to loop connection) instead of making the wire go around itself?


I would have to try it but I believe you need to flip the wire to be sure the loop does not pull out. One of the biggest faults with those store bought braided mono fly line loops is they just tuck the tag end into the main strand of mono braid which allows it to just pull out. Same principle with this. Again, I could be wrong and would have to test it myself but that is one thing to watch out for when creating these spliced loops.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

TheAdamsProject said:


> I would have to try it but I believe you need to flip the wire to be sure the loop does not pull out. One of the biggest faults with those store bought braided mono fly line loops is they just tuck the tag end into the main strand of mono braid which allows it to just pull out. Same principle with this. Again, I could be wrong and would have to test it myself but that is one thing to watch out for when creating these spliced loops.



I totally agree. My question is that once you punch the wire loop out of the hollow core (2:40 in the video) it seems to me that having the spool go through the wire loop would give you the same result as flipping the wire. About the 4:40 mark of the video he shows and says "It's essentially running the main line through the eye of the needle". I figured with the loop that big, you could actually run the reel/spool through the eye of the needle/loop instead of flipping the wire around itself. 

Thanks for the heads up about watching out to make sure the loop catches itself. I will be doing some rigging next week and it will be my first time.


----------



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

You will know your loop is proper when you can pull either side of it and nothing comes loose. Its locked both ways. Make several for practice and it starts making sense.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Hank said:


> You will know your loop is proper when you can pull either side of it and nothing comes loose. Its locked both ways. Make several for practice and it starts making sense.


If your loop changes size by pulling on the tag end after turning the braid inside out you have done it wrong. If you can adjust the size of the loop by pulling on the main line then you know it's right. This is all before you tuck the tag end inside the main line.

Glad to see you all coming over to the dark side lol. This group is a little slow to come around to a better system. Been using hollow core braid and splices for probably the last 5 -6 years or so. It's so much better than dacron and bimini knots.

I have used the power pro hollow ace primarily. Whatever you do don't try and use 40 lb jerry brown, it doesn't work.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

el9surf said:


> If your loop changes size by pulling on the tag end after turning the braid inside out you have done it wrong. If you can adjust the size of the loop by pulling on the main line then you know it's right. This is all before you tuck the tag end inside the main line.
> 
> Glad to see you all coming over to the dark side lol. This group is a little slow to come around to a better system. Been using hollow core braid and splices for probably the last 5 -6 years or so. It's so much better than dacron and bimini knots.
> 
> I have used the power pro hollow ace primarily. Whatever you do don't try and use 40 lb jerry brown, it doesn't work.



Thanks. I have a reel that needs a topshot of backing and I will be splicing what's already on there with hollow ace. I also ordered some Seaguar Threadlock for the next time I start from scratch with a reel.


----------

