So, why doesn't everyone just use furled leaders??

[Kentuckysteve 0]

The leaders i make do the same thing mike.I guess any line that is not a single strand is going to pick up water.I don't like it but i like the way the leaders work so i just put up with it.

[Poopdeck 0]

Given that we have strayed off topic as far as we have I think I will take a stab at the original question that was asked by the OP. Not everyone uses them for one real reason whether they realize it or not. In order for a furled leader to perform well it needs to be built for the particular application in which the will be used. I am going to suggest that in most cases people who tried them and did not like them were using an off the shelf furled leader. Off the shelf type furled leaders are no better and sometimes worse than tapered mass produced mono leaders.

 

Keep in mind I have been fishing them for 20 years and LOVE them. I also am building a business based on furled leaders.

 

Mikechell: if you shoot me a pm or post your specs I will build you a couple of furled leaders to play with and we will see if you like them. I will need to know line weights, fly type (big and bushy or more stream lined), primary tippet size and if you use a nail knot or a loop in your fly line. There are other details we could get into but that will give me a basis to go off of. It may take me a couple of tries to nail down what you like because we don't fish together but I believe I can come up with something you will really like. If we fished together I would have it sorted out in one shot.

BAM!!!!!! They are so infinitely adjustable that anybody who does not like them simply did not have the right one for them and unfortunately they are so expensive that cost does not allow heavy experimentation. I think the first person that develops an industrial machine to crank out furled leaders will make a killing. 12 bucks for .75 worth of thread is a sale killer.

[Dave G. 0]

I had a certain interest in trying these so called furled leaders about a month ago, mostly on a curiosity level than anything else. But since concluded that the hand tied Maxima Chameleons I've been using for more than 20 years now really don't need to be replaced or improved on.

[ThreeJsDad 0]

 

Given that we have strayed off topic as far as we have I think I will take a stab at the original question that was asked by the OP. Not everyone uses them for one real reason whether they realize it or not. In order for a furled leader to perform well it needs to be built for the particular application in which the will be used. I am going to suggest that in most cases people who tried them and did not like them were using an off the shelf furled leader. Off the shelf type furled leaders are no better and sometimes worse than tapered mass produced mono leaders.

 

Keep in mind I have been fishing them for 20 years and LOVE them. I also am building a business based on furled leaders.

 

Mikechell: if you shoot me a pm or post your specs I will build you a couple of furled leaders to play with and we will see if you like them. I will need to know line weights, fly type (big and bushy or more stream lined), primary tippet size and if you use a nail knot or a loop in your fly line. There are other details we could get into but that will give me a basis to go off of. It may take me a couple of tries to nail down what you like because we don't fish together but I believe I can come up with something you will really like. If we fished together I would have it sorted out in one shot.

BAM!!!!!! They are so infinitely adjustable that anybody who does not like them simply did not have the right one for them and unfortunately they are so expensive that cost does not allow heavy experimentation. I think the first person that develops an industrial machine to crank out furled leaders will make a killing. 12 bucks for .75 worth of thread is a sale killer.

 

I have designed exactly what you are talking about. I am going a different route though, I am selling the machine and building system so people can make them at home. They take about 10 minutes to make and with my system they are really easy to do. With the tools I have put together they are easier to make than tying a blood knot with cold fingers. The first one may take a little longer because people will be unsure they are doing ti right because it is really that simple. The art comes in when selecting different tapers and different materials. I have even developed a floatant for them that people can make at home. The basic materials can be found in most craft stores or in a decent sized fishing shop.

 

I would rather enable fly folks to build their own and make them for their friends than to sell the leaders. Everyone likes something different so this way we all get to fish with what really suits us.

[ThreeJsDad 0]

I had a certain interest in trying these so called furled leaders about a month ago, mostly on a curiosity level than anything else. But since concluded that the hand tied Maxima Chameleons I've been using for more than 20 years now really don't need to be replaced or improved on.

Send me your specs and I will send you one to play with. Who knows you might like them. I was just like you only we need a bigger way-back machine to reach when I was using the hand ties Maxima leaders. They were the first ones to have an 8X that was worth a fart....

[Kentuckysteve 0]

What's your machine and system going to cost? Got photo's?

[Dave G. 0]

Thanks for the offer TJD but I think I'm all set .

[Poopdeck 0]

I wish you the best. I'm curious about the price point and what the "system" and tools are comprised of.

[Fry Flier 0]

They wear out too fast, I just had to replace one on my 6wt and it was only 4 years old

 

Just being a smartass, I really like the furled leaders, have a few made from UNI thread an a couple fluoro. Thinking about seeing if I can have someone make me one out of PowerPro braid.

u

Hello JOE, not a ghost from the past, just not been around for a while. Eyes have gone and sold off my tying equipment and supplies.

Furled leaders I have done and I ask what for or why braid. With the lack of stretch in braid I found that it is easy to lose the fish with a regular hook set and pulling the fly out of the mouth and lips of the fish. Braid to me is not the fly fishers friend unless you are going for toothy critters like pike and Muskie.

[fishinguy 0]

Braid floats! It's also very thin for its lb test. I don't think the lack of stretch would be much of an issue. That's what the rod is for. Braid is very limp though, I'd be curious to know if it will turn over when furled. I doubt it would work very well as a single strand.

[Cold 0]

 

They wear out too fast, I just had to replace one on my 6wt and it was only 4 years old

 

Just being a smartass, I really like the furled leaders, have a few made from UNI thread an a couple fluoro. Thinking about seeing if I can have someone make me one out of PowerPro braid.

u

Hello JOE, not a ghost from the past, just not been around for a while. Eyes have gone and sold off my tying equipment and supplies.

Furled leaders I have done and I ask what for or why braid. With the lack of stretch in braid I found that it is easy to lose the fish with a regular hook set and pulling the fly out of the mouth and lips of the fish. Braid to me is not the fly fishers friend unless you are going for toothy critters like pike and Muskie.

 

As Fishinguy has said, first of all, braid floats. Now that it's been mentioned, I'd be highly interested in a 5 to 7' furled leader made of thin-diameter PowerPro, preferably in the yellow, for dry fly fishing for native brookies.

 

Also, the lack of stretch is a pro, not a con...I want as close to zero stretch as I can realistically get in the line/leader/tippet. (Which is one of the reasons I'm really liking that Rio is going to no-stretch cores for their lines).

 

It's very strong and durable...to everything except abrasion. When nymphing with it, I'd recommend a good length of abrasion resistant tippet. Other than abrasion, though, it'll likely be durable enough to outlast the fly line it's attached to. I have taken to modifying my mono furled leaders (Mostly the Blue Sky brand with the non-furled waxed loops at each end) by nail knotting a short (approx. 1" total) length of Powerpro to the tippet end with a small perfection loop. I'd found that, over the course of several months of hard fishing, the tippet end loops were blowing out on my furled leaders, so I added the PowerPro loop, and now I've had at least two of the leaders modified in this way wear out (after a few seasons) with the PowerPro loop still going strong.

 

For abrasive applications (streamer fishing, nymphing, etc.) you're likely better served with a different leader entirely (not furled), but if you wanted to go furled, I'm not sure I'd go with PowerPro (though the no-stretch nature of the material would be put to its greatest advantage in this use!).

[ThreeJsDad 0]

 

 

They wear out too fast, I just had to replace one on my 6wt and it was only 4 years old

 

Just being a smartass, I really like the furled leaders, have a few made from UNI thread an a couple fluoro. Thinking about seeing if I can have someone make me one out of PowerPro braid.

u

Hello JOE, not a ghost from the past, just not been around for a while. Eyes have gone and sold off my tying equipment and supplies.

Furled leaders I have done and I ask what for or why braid. With the lack of stretch in braid I found that it is easy to lose the fish with a regular hook set and pulling the fly out of the mouth and lips of the fish. Braid to me is not the fly fishers friend unless you are going for toothy critters like pike and Muskie.

 

As Fishinguy has said, first of all, braid floats. Now that it's been mentioned, I'd be highly interested in a 5 to 7' furled leader made of thin-diameter PowerPro, preferably in the yellow, for dry fly fishing for native brookies.

 

Also, the lack of stretch is a pro, not a con...I want as close to zero stretch as I can realistically get in the line/leader/tippet. (Which is one of the reasons I'm really liking that Rio is going to no-stretch cores for their lines).

 

It's very strong and durable...to everything except abrasion. When nymphing with it, I'd recommend a good length of abrasion resistant tippet. Other than abrasion, though, it'll likely be durable enough to outlast the fly line it's attached to. I have taken to modifying my mono furled leaders (Mostly the Blue Sky brand with the non-furled waxed loops at each end) by nail knotting a short (approx. 1" total) length of Powerpro to the tippet end with a small perfection loop. I'd found that, over the course of several months of hard fishing, the tippet end loops were blowing out on my furled leaders, so I added the PowerPro loop, and now I've had at least two of the leaders modified in this way wear out (after a few seasons) with the PowerPro loop still going strong.

 

For abrasive applications (streamer fishing, nymphing, etc.) you're likely better served with a different leader entirely (not furled), but if you wanted to go furled, I'm not sure I'd go with PowerPro (though the no-stretch nature of the material would be put to its greatest advantage in this use!).

 

I have been experimenting with just such a leader. I can build you one if you give me the line weight you want it for.

 

On my machine it is basically all Oak and it is motorized. You lay out the leader, push the button and then remove the leader. It really is that easy. I will have pics in a day or two. Mine is really ugly as it was just a rough draft. I am building one for a customer and it will be done shortly. The entire system will be $150. This will be every thing except the thread. Very soon we will also have an instructional video to go with it. For now I include all my contact info as a resource.

[Cold 0]

What's the lightest you can go?

[mikechell 0]

 

 

 

The entire system will be $150.

 

Wow ... there goes any disadvantage to buying them. If they're as good as those who like them say ... and they last as long as the supporters say ... then one might never actually get on the plus side.

While I am sure there are some "gadget guys" who'll pay for one (use some gold paint and glitter to add that "eye appeal") ... I think most people will follow the directions of someone online and build their own furling rig for about a tenth what you're charging.

 

This is not intended to be a negative post ... but that IS a lot of money for something one can rig up with a few pieces of wood and an old rotisserie motor.

[Kentuckysteve 0]

Yea....my hand twisted leaders are looking real good to me right now.That is a lot of money for someone to tie a couple furled leaders a yr..I will have to wait and see the pics of your machine.