Furled Leaders

[Ben 0]

Try this...

http://furledleaders.proboards.com/index.cgi

 

You have to create an account to gain access to the message board. Once inside you'll notice a section titled Leader Tapering and Peg Positioning Calculator. The first thread in that section has an MS Excel file that allows you to easily plan a properly constructed leader.

 

I've been furling for a couple of years now. I also prefer the mono leaders to thread. Mostly due to the cost. Uni-thread is expensive! I use 1,2, and 4lb mono mostly. Ice fishing line usually goes on clearance after the winter, so you can pick some up for a dollar or two per spool. I can get two full leaders out of one 110yd spool, but I'm going to adjust my peg board and try some new wrapping patterns this year to squeeze out one more. Ice fishing lines come in some cool colors too! Red, royal blue, and silver are a few colors that I have in my collection.

 

The clear mono sewing thread you find in craft stores like Michael's or Jo-Anne's is about 1lb test and its, (wait for it) CHEAP. (I'm a cheap guy, what can I say?) It comes in clear and smoke gray. You can mix and match this stuff with the ice fishing lines to make a two-tone leader or keep it all one color.

 

Once you get your rhythm down, you can make a leader in about 10 mins. Just as fast, if not faster, than knotted leaders.

[Ben 0]

Sorry to duplicate Brian's link. I missed his post when I was reading.

[tmatt26 0]

I have had luck using Mr. Crappie 4lb. line. lowest lb test i can find around here that comes on a large spool. There is 3100yds on it an relatively cheap.

[UtahAngler 0]

Try this...

http://furledleaders.proboards.com/index.cgi

 

I've been furling for a couple of years now. I also prefer the mono leaders to thread. Mostly due to the cost. Uni-thread is expensive! I use 1,2, and 4lb mono mostly. Ice fishing line usually goes on clearance after the winter, so you can pick some up for a dollar or two per spool. I can get two full leaders out of one 110yd spool, but I'm going to adjust my peg board and try some new wrapping patterns this year to squeeze out one more. Ice fishing lines come in some cool colors too! Red, royal blue, and silver are a few colors that I have in my collection.

 

 

I've used Danville thread without any ill-effects (at least, I think so, I can't tell the difference) and its cheaper. I am however, going to try using mono, to see if I like it.

[flytire 0]

here is another method that does not require making a board for furling. just remember its only another method and will not be for everybody.

 

 

 

this is very similar to whats called a "singapore leader" if not the same.

 

http://www.ukswff.co.uk/Tips_Singapore.shtml

[troutguy 0]

I traded a turkey skin to RSTOUT (a member here) for furled leaders. They work awesome. I have used them in saltwater with a 9WT and for trout with an Orvis Flea and 3 WT line. Rob gave me three different types. they are three different colors and all different feel. (he is not paying me to print this) I have no idea how they are made, but the heavy are stiff, yet not too stiff. I am a convert. I just replace the tippet each time. Presentation is great. The trout fishing was in clear water at an NC State park with heavy pressure. I often fish 12 and even 14 foot leaders with 8X tippets in this place. The delicacy of the small furled allowed a shorter leader and tippet.

 

 

I'm hooked on them :yahoo:

[deeky 0]

Why furled leaders? Try turning one over using a casting motion with just your hand. Now do it with with a manufactured mono leader. It will quickly become obvious. Plus, you can taper it to your own specs without a ton of knots, and they have almost zero line memory.

 

I would be careful heating the ends of a mono leader to fuse them. Most will tell you to wet any mono line before pulling a knot tight to avoid weakening the mono from the heat of the friction when pulling tight.

 

For the 4 weight, don't be afraid to try using 8/0. You can always use more loops if you want a little more thickness at the tip. I'll use 1-2 lbs. mono. At minimum you have 6 strands of material at the tip, so even with 1 lbs test, you have 6 lbs. of strands that will actually test out higher when furled together. But finer material will give you a smoother diameter transition to your tippet.

 

I will use either Uni or mono - absolutely on the ice fishing spools. They are a good size to work with and ice line is often formulated to be extra limp.

 

As for the cost, I have to disagree with Uni being expensive - I had it figured out a few years ago and a leader that ended up around 5 feet long used a total of less than 40 cents worth of Uni Thread. Tough to beat.

 

I have typically used a cup hook chucked in a cordless drill, but have struggled with getting the same amount of twist in each leg. The other day at the big box hobby store, I happened to find a battery operated winder for rubber band airplanes. It was like $9, but this particular store often has discount coupons in the paper. A little fiddling with the end (a simple paperclip bend will make it work), and I have a turner that is almost as fast as a drill and has a counter to give the exact same amount of twist to each leg.

 

There's what I've got to add.

 

Deeky

[Ghostrider 0]

I am wondering about furled leader lengths? I have never tried one but am going to buy a couple to try and often see them in 5 ft lengths, wouldn't I need a very long length of tippet then? I usually fish with a 8 - 10 foot bought tapered leader. Or am I missing something? Fishing a 6 wt line/rod for trout. thanks

[jburge 0]

I got Kathy Scott's DVD and have been a furling nut ever since:

 

http://flyanglersonline.com/prorevw/kathyscott.php

 

With little investment, I've been able to furl up some really nice leaders. It also gives me the chance to experiment with different mono and thread manufacturers to see how they work. And I gonna echo the advice about being forewarned... furling leaders can become as addictive as tying flies :-)

 

John

 

[FoulHooked 0]

I am wondering about furled leader lengths? I have never tried one but am going to buy a couple to try and often see them in 5 ft lengths, wouldn't I need a very long length of tippet then?

 

in a word...yup.

 

i typically fish a 5.5' furled leader and 3-4' of tippet, sometimes up to 5', on my 3 wt and the leader turns everything over well (unless i'm using heavy nymphs). you can find/make leaders in other lengths as well.

[Ghostrider 0]

Thanks for the info, cheers

[Ghostrider 0]

Sorry to revive an old topic here. Well I finally got around to buying a few furled leaders, fishing season opens here tomorrow so I am going to try them out. The ones a bought have a loop on each end, not the little metal ring. So I have two questions; 1) i assume a loop to loop connection is used to attach the tippet? and 2) how is the furled leader attached to the fly line?

Last year I had a short length of mono, maybe 6-10 inches, attached to my fly line using a nail knot(?, i think, its a a nice smooth knot), and I had a loop tied in the end of it, I was then using store bought tapered leaders with a loop on the end and connecting the two loop to loop. But I found my casting suffered greatly (the loop to loop connection was hinging i think) , as soon as I got rid of the loop to loop connection and tied the leader directly to the fly line with a nail knot my casting was back to usual.

Now I'm thinking the only way for me to tie the furled leader to the fly line is by doing the same as last year and having a 6-10 inch piece of mono tied to the fly line with a loop in the other end to attach to the loop in the furled leader? Is there another way to do it? I'd rather not use the loop to loop connection after the problems i had last year with it.

 

Any tips or info would be greatly appreciated, thanks Glen

[eastern fly 0]

You may have to use the nail knot. I do use the loop to loop with out problems. I have been tying leaders since this started and have done well with them. I have someone that wants me to do some in colored mone with a clear mono tip so i'm trying to find colored mono.

 

Kevin

[perchjerker 0]

Must have been sleeping to have missed this thread until now, and would like to add my$0.0002(yep, 3 zeros) to it.

 

Many of us who furl use the German-made Gu(e)termann threads. (The parenthetical "e" replaces the umlaut over "the "u" in the original spelling.) They have a complete series of polyester threads that are equivalent to both the polyester UNI threads and the Danville threads, which are nylon. The down-side to them is that most are not readily available in this country, except for their "Sew All", which is equivalent to the UNI 3/0, and is readily available in Joanns Fabrics and Crafts Stores. On the bright side, they can be ordered directly from the US Distributor, Oshmann Brothers in New York City (Google them). There is a minimum $25.00 order requirement (maybe not good), but you can get the UNI 6/0 and 8/0 equivalents on 5,000 meter spools ( that's 16,950 yards, folks) for about $11.00 per spool (darned good!). How is that for cheap?

 

Yes, that is a lot of thread! I shared an order with a cohort in Holland last year. I ordered and had it shipped to me, and I then trans-shipped his to him for a whole lot less than he could get it in Europe. Plus, he split the shipping from NYC to Houston with me. GO FIGURE.

 

Perhaps the most informative info on furling is to be found at: furledleaders.co.uk. Karel Gol has expanded upon Steven McGarthwaite's Big Furled Leader Formula (BFLF) to create an excel spread sheet that will enable you to design, and make, a furled leader from any kind of material that will have the same mass in the butt section as that found in either a drawn, or hand knotted, tapered leader for any weight fly line you desire. This site should be checked out by anyone serious about furling.

 

As I fish mostly southeast and central Texas waters for largemouth bass and sunfish, I make my leaders out of the SewAll, which comes in more colors that I ever knew existed! I make a 6ft. 5.5-3.5-2.5-3.5 3-step leader, with a slope of 60%, and with a 10% reduction factor. All of these specs can be plugged into the spread sheet, and give you the exact location for each peg, etc. About the only thing it won't do for you is to thread the layout and do both the twisting and the furling.

 

I finish them with a Shorb Loop at each end, for loop-to-loop connections.

 

 

Cheers,

aged sage