Choosing a tapered leader

[eisik 0]

Hi all!

I was wondering what kind of tapered leaders you like to use. From what manufacturer that is.

I've tried a few kinds but always find them to have to much memory and never seem to get the as straight and memory free as i want them. I've mostly tried mono but some fluro as well.

We have pretty cold waters here in Iceland so maybe that plays a part.

Can you recomend any specific make for me?

[Crackaig 0]

It would help if you let us know what you are doing with them.

Cheers,

C.

[eisik 0]

I connect them to my fly line using a knotless connection. Then a feet or two of tippet on the end

[McGnat 0]

Might try a furled leader or a braided leader like Orvis sells.

[phg 0]

You probably need to use a leader straightener. It's just a leather pad that you fold over the leader and pull it through it. The friction warms up the material and straightens the coils. Any mono leader made for trout should remain limp enough to use in any ice-free water. I've used Scientific Anglers, Rio, Orvis, and a few others. They all work about the same.

 

My preference is a thread based furled leader, made with 8/0 Uni-Thread. Now that's the ultimate in limp leaders!

[Crackaig 0]

By what you are using it for I meant species and situation.

Cheers,

C.

[FLdk 0]

I use Loop Salmon Light Leader for saltwater. Seatrout from october - may. So it´s in the colder months in Denmark.
Just straighten it between my hands one time before fishing.

And two feet of Maxima as tippet.

[deeky 0]

Do a little reading and build yourself a jig to make furled leaders. I haven't had to straighten a single leader since I started using them. Make them whatever weight and length you want. If you need presentation, they are the only leaders you can turn over by hand without the use of a rod.

[whatfly 0]

For dry fly, Rio leaders exclusively, 1-2x larger than the final tippet I'm going to fish (e.g. 3-4x if using 5x tippet), although that's mostly just because that's the brand I like. For streamers, straight mono is sufficient. For nymphs, usually something like 6-9' of 12# with successively shorter pieces of lighter line until I get to the size & length I like. No real technique needed for nymph leaders in my mind because between the weighted flies, split shot, and bobber, a minimal amount of tapering is necessary.

[eisik 0]

By what you are using it for I meant species and situation.

Cheers,

C.

Haha, of course

 

I fish mainly for brown trout and char. Although i do fish for salmon from time to time but seeing as that is fast becoming a sport for the filthy rich here in Iceland i can't afford to go anymore.

 

I fish lakes as well as streams. All types of flies as well.

 

Guess i'm looking for an all around setup.

[Crackaig 0]

An all round set up is always going to be a compromise. Unless you are mixing what fishing you are doing you should be able to set up a leader for the day and just change tippet. As a general rule I use longer leaders on Lochs and lakes than I do on rivers.

On still water you are usually moving the flies in some way so presentation isn't the same as is required on a river. Turnover of a long tippet and 3 flies is more important than suppleness. For this reason I use a 9 foot knotless tapered leader, with anything up to 16 feet of tippet, depending on conditions. (Use as long as you can handle). When the tippet exceeds 9 feet I make it up from two or three sections of decreasing size of mono. This further helps with turnover. A piece of bicycle inner tube or leather is handy for straightening your mono. The same piece of rubber you carry for pulling apart stuck rod sections will also do fine. The best Leaders I have found for performance, and value, are from Mike Barrio. I just took a look at his site, in order to provide a link, and it seems that his new site doesn't list them. I'll speak with him and find out if he has stopped selling them or just hasn't put them up on his new site.

 

On rivers presenting flies "dead drift" in the current is much more important. For this I am another advocate of furled thread leaders. The best thread I have found for this is Guttermann Skala. It is finer and stronger than the 6/0 Uni that most people recommend. Five or six feet of furled leader is usually enough. The taper and weight of the thread will give good power transfer to turn over up to 9 feet of tippet easily (though most of the time 3 to 4 feet is enough). As soon as the thread hits the water it goes totally limp, so you will get much better drift than with stiff mono.

 

Once you get your head around how they are made, they are easy enough to make. You don't "need" a jig to do it. I often demo making furled leaders at shows using bottles as stanchions, a dubbing whirl, and a knitting machine needle to form the loops. There is more rubbish talked about furling leaders than almost any other aspect of fly fishing. Recipes are given with precise numbers of threads, and turns of twist. Vary any, or all, by 10% and I defy anyone to tell the difference in a blind casting.

 

Any way, you see why there is no "Universal set up". The qualities you are looking for in one work against you in the other. Sorry but you will need more than one leader set up to cope with your range of fishing.

 

Cheers,

C.

[kimjensen 0]

Vision 9' Fluorocarbon leader and Photonic Fluorocarbon tippet material. Works great for me on the coast in Denmark were the water is also cold.

Whatever you use, stretch it before use. Complete lack of memory is probably a little difficult.

[eisik 0]

Thanks for the replies guys. I've decided to give furled leaders a try. Will post my experience once i have tested them fully.

 

Eidur

[gunpowderleader 0]

Congratulations on the decision to go furled. Not a furled leaders are created equally. For the most supple leaders multifilament nylon is about as soft and memory free as can be had while maintain great tippet strength Monofilament and fluorocarbon can be furled as well, these leader tend to keep some memory. I've been building and selling furled leader for a few years now. I don't claim to be a expert on them but will gladly share my experiences with furled leader and their construction