Chaznsc 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2015 From everything I am reading, go with a furled leader to turn over big bass flies. It would work equally well for handling leggy, fuzzy bluegill flies, too. This guys got a great deal on furled leaders. https://www.facebook.com/lotechsleaders?_rdr ....from the guy who won't use a leader LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2015 Yep ... I never said they weren't useful, to those use find them so. Everything has a use in the hands of the right people. If this guy WANTS a leader for bass and sunfish ... it sounds like a furled on is the way to go. Actually, I was just trying to put a plug in for Lotech. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2015 So if you were recommending a tapered leader for my fishing style, what's a couple of starter numbers? I'm a freshwater, southern panfishes / bass guy. The people that have said X does not indicate the breaking strength in lb's are in fact correct, but I also feel people are making things sound way too complicated as well. While the X indicates the diameter, diameter does affect the breaking strength so you can use the X to get a pretty close indicator of breaking strength. Although it is not a set standard, people have been doing it for years so it is a good general guideline for most people. Lets not make this harder than need be people. Chaz for panfish you will probably be good with something in the 4x to 5x range which will have roughly a 3-4lb breaking strength and turn over panfish bugs around size 10-14. For bass it depends on the fly size even more so, but anywhere around 2x will get you close to most poppers and bass bugs. That should give you a good starting point then just fine tune it from there based on how it is casting with the flies you are using. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kirk Dietrich 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2015 This is like discussing whether to have kids or not. I have come up with hundreds, if not thousands of reasons why I am glad I never had any. So far, I haven't figured one reason to have any. I use a straight piece of mono ... from fly line to fly. While I don't have quite as many reasons why I don't use leader material ... this thread is giving me a few more. Thanks, guys. Mike, you are too funny!!! Hell, for years I fished a 7wt rod with straight piece of mono for leader/tippet and even casted bream to redfish bugs with it. Now, occassionally when freshwater fishing and a small bream got hooked, it would come sailing right into the boat with my hookset - that was before strip setting was preached. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2015 Yeah. I try to strip set as often as possible. Some of the more explosive top water hits will cause me to react with the rod. More often than not, it's when I pick up for the next cast, and a small bream grabs it just as I pull. Either way, I can attest to the existence of fresh water "sail" fish. Sometimes, the sail right over the boat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chaznsc 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2015 Sometimes, the sail right over the boat. Or I miss and get a fly bomb in the face. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites