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furled leaders vs hand tied leaders for bass

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Hello,

What are the advantages of furled leaders over hand tied leaders.? I see so many formulas for bass that it tends to be confusing. I am thinking of a trying my hand tied with a simple formula with a tippet ring to cast poppers, clousers and other medium size streamers with a 7 or 8wt rod. Any suggestions, please?

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I am strictly a bass and sunfish angler. No trout in my area.

I tried furled leaders because they were supposed to get bigger flies out to full extension better. Didn't.

My main reason for NOT using them anymore was that they retain water. Every time I picked up for a cast, it sprayed water all over my face. I'd have to clean my glasses after every other cast or so.

 

I use a straight piece of 14# test mono ... from fly line to fly ... and it performs with no problems.

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Furled leaders offer several advantages: they straighten out beautifully, even with very long tippets on, they present dry flies very softly, and they have no "memory" so they are very supple, and therefore can achieve drag free drifts even in complex currents. Their downside, as Mike pointed out, is that the ones made from fly tying thread tend to absorb water after a while, which causes them to sink and/or spray water when you cast. You can keep them floating for a while by coating them with Mucilin or a good paste-type floatant before using them, but the treatment is only good for a short while.

When I use them, I carry two or three and switch them out when one gets waterlogged.

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I fish warm water 90% of the time. I use tapered mono or fluorocarbon with a fluorocarbon tippet. Fewer knots mean less debris gets picked up in shallow water or around weeds. Furled and hand tied are cool and I used to enjoy building them. But the pre-tapered leaders work so well and are so versatile, I have never gone back.

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I have made both styles of l leaders. The furled do pickup water but I haven't had Mike's problem and I wear glasses also.

 

I have made furled out of thread and mono. I used waxed tying thread and not to many problems but they do get waterlogged eventually. The mono, never a problem.

 

You can find plans for a furled leader jig online. If for no other reason than just to try it.

 

But it comes down to, what do you prefer. And the only way to find out is to try different ones.

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I make and use both. My only problem with the furled leaders comes when it catches on vegetation either in or near the water. (I didn't say I was a great caster!) Furled leaders made from tying thread (I use Uni 8/0 or 6/0) will sop up a lot of water unless treated with a hydrophobic substance. If I intend to use the leader for dry flies I rub floor wax into mine a few days before I use them. (And change the leader if it starts to sink.)

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I don't use furled leaders but just a possible suggestion re the water sogged thread problem, could you use scotch guard?

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I use both. I love furled leaders. Yes they hold onto water a little but I've never had a drop hit my glasses. I also don't have a single problem with them sinking. I rub them down with green mucilin before heading out. I may have to recoat it one time on the water if I'm fishing the entire day. I find they float like a cork. Their only problem is they are infinitely adjustable in length, thickness and slope percentage. If you tried a furled leader and you didn't like it, it's because you did not try the right furled leader for you. I make them myself so this afforded me the ability to determine what's right for me. Frankly they are to expensive when purchased to narrow down the right formula.

 

For bass I use knotted leaders. Personally, I think leader construction is one of the most over hyped thing in fly fishing. To construct a leader with 5 or 6 different lb test with 30" of this followed by 15" of that, 15" more of something else and two 6" pieces of this that or the other is just complicating the simple. For bass on my 6 wt I usually start with 25 lb test to 15 to 12. In clear water I might throw an 8 on the end. I don't measure either and prefer to simply put an arm length or two of this and a half an arm length of that until the leader is 8 to 9 feet give or take a few inches. I try to somewhat stick to the 60 20 20 rule but generally I let the fly tell me what to do. If the leader is collapsing then it's either to light or to long. If the fly is snapping out the leader then the leader is to light or to short and I make adjustments.

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I've never noticed bass being leader shy or any need of soft presentation, seems they like a little splash down. My bass leaders do taper- sometimes- 20#>15#>12#> 8#.. but that's kinda "I like it that way" deal, not thing where I think it makes any difference. I've caught quite a few fish with a 5' piece of 8# mono loop connected to a floating line.

 

So, a couple of questions for the users of furled leaders, a) how short can you make a furled leader that works well?

b ) do these furled leaders sink nicely?

two thoughts here, one is with subsurface flies I want to get down fast, and with dry flies I have read that a leader floating looks much larger that a leader sunk and casts more shadow

c) do you think the furled leader gets tangled on stumps, rocks and root wads more or less than a simple leader? if it does tangle how hard is it to break off and how hard is it to repair?

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I've used furled leaders for about 18 years now. I don't make them but I've swapped flies and materials for them. I've several that were made specifically for warm water and bass. What I do to water proof them is soak them in Water Shed at the beginning of each season and that keeps them floating through most of the season. I've never really had an issue with them spraying water in my face. There was an article in one of the fly fishing magazines a few years ago on how to make a simple furled leader without using a furling jig. I've made a couple out of 20 lb fluorocarbon to use in salt water and occasionally fresh water with my intermediate fly lines. It's basically a two step leader, 5 to 6 feet long. Four strands to two strands. With 20 lb, it works to 80 lb to 40 lb with a 20 or 25 lb tippet. It works surprisingly well, all things considered. Have thought about using rod wrapping thread to make one but haven't gotten around to it.

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tried furled leaders a few times, didnt like them and threw them away. not for me

 

tapered leaders work best for me

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The jig I built was designed for a 6 ft leader. I modified so I can build a 9 ft. also. Then you add 3 to 4 feet of tippet with a loop connection. No, I do not have a problem with hinging. You could add a ring if you want.

 

A floating line is all I use, just started playing around with sink tips this year so I can't really give a good answer on how well they sink. But a weighted fly will bring them down. Going to have to expierment. Will do that when I get back from vacation.

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Their only problem is they are infinitely adjustable in length, thickness and slope percentage.

Can I quickly and easily adjust the length on the water?

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