Leaders

[wsender]

I've been using the Orvis Super Strong leaders, and have been slightly less than impressed. I can never get them to uncoil right and lay 'flat' on the water. No matter how often I run it through my leather leader straightener, it still lays in coils on the water. It's not a super huge problem when the fly has a little weight behind it, but when I'm using a size 20 and smaller trico I miss a lot of hits because I try to set the hook and I pull 2 to 3 feet of slack tippet/leader material. I've used the Rio stuff too, with what I feel like is moderately better results.

So, is it me? Am I not using my straightener correctly? Is it my cast? Or is it the leader material?

 

[afishinado]

wsender wrote:
I've been using the Orvis Super Strong leaders, and have been slightly less than impressed. I can never get them to uncoil right and lay 'flat' on the water. No matter how often I run it through my leather leader straightener, it still lays in coils on the water. It's not a super huge problem when the fly has a little weight behind it, but when I'm using a size 20 and smaller trico I miss a lot of hits because I try to set the hook and I pull 2 to 3 feet of slack tippet/leader material. I've used the Rio stuff too, with what I feel like is moderately better results.

So, is it me? Am I not using my straightener correctly? Is it my cast? Or is it the leader material?

Ever consider a furled leader?

 

[wsender]

afishinado wrote:

Ever consider a furled leader?

I'm listening....

:-D

 

[afishinado]

Lots of great info in these threads:

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=14293&forum=7&post_id=183351#forumpost183351

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13554&forum=3&post_id=173753#forumpost173753

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13003&forum=21&post_id=166636#forumpost166636

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=11298&forum=3&post_id=139932#forumpost139932

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5543&forum=3&post_id=52373#forumpost52373

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4062&forum=3&post_id=38912#forumpost38912

 

[jdaddy]

I started tying my own leaders a few months ago. There is a learning curve there but I think in the end it will be advantageous to factory extruded leaders. They certainly are easier to work on while on stream.

Having said that, I used the Orvis Super Strong quite a bit prior to tying my own (primarily due to the $25 off $50 coupons I would get for the Orvis store in Downingtown). I thought they were better than the ones I had tried before including Maxima, Climax and Rio. I did not have an issue with coiling. I have a leader straightener, but I would usually just stretch it out versus using heat of leader straightener.

 

[jayL]

I split time between tying my own with maxima, or furling them with afish's method.

 

[pafisherman]

I agree... Go with a 6 - 7 foot furled leader and 2 - 3 feet of 7x or 8x tippet. Thats my formula for fishing Trico's. Then expect to miss a bunch anyway...lol. I am somewhat convinced that the fish miss or sometimes push the small size 24 tricos out of the way. Particularly when they are really clobbering the flies which sometimes they do. I do much better when they are just sipping the flies off the surface. Another thing you may be aware of... I find when I am fishing very small flies 22 - 26 it is important to make sure the strikes from the fish are in the right place sort of... meaning for me the fish is above and a little away from me. With these tiny flies I find any drift that gets below me I want to pick up cause the fish would be very unlikly to get hooked... Hope this helps
Bill
Bill

 

[WildTigerTrout]

The fellow who taught me to flyfish also showed my how to tie my own leaders. I have never purchased a leader. I use the basic "Harvery Formula", 4 sections of "hard" mono followed by 2 sections of "soft" mono and then the tippet. You can modify the formula to fit your needs.The above formula is for a dryfly leader. The nymph formula is the same but shorten the sections and all six are "hard" mono. The #5 section is the "hinge" on both. I have never had much of a problem with coils. When I rig up I just run the leader through the leader straightner and go fishing. I cut the welded loops off new flylines and dab a bit of superglue on the end to waterproof it and then use a nailknot from the flyline to the leader. I use bloodknots on the rest of the leader.

 

[troutslammer]

sometimes the leader streightners need to be ruffed up with sand paper to take the "glaze" off of em , never had a problem with super strong or really any tapered leader but i tie my own also , use tippet ring too , can swtich from drys to nymphs and back in seconds

 

[WildTigerTrout]

troutslammer, I use tippet rings also. The advantage being when you must change your tippet the leader stays the same length. I don't know why more flyfisherman don't use them.

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

If I know in advance that I'm going, I'll stretch my leader the night before. I think I've only ever used a straightener if I had a serious mess and was trying to get extra life out of the leader. The Rio leaders I've used have been good. I got some 12' Climax leaders for long leader fishing with dries (if needed). The one I liked but is hard to find any more was the Scientific Anglers Presentation II.

 

[troutslammer]

wild tiger thats a good question , its pretty awesome when u use hard nylon down to the tippet ring then a four ft piece of 2x for nymphing to the first fly , when u wanna switch to dries cut the 2x back to 12-15 " then pull a 3x - 5x tappered knotted leader section outa your leader wallet and 1 triple surgeon and u are ready to rock and roll

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Sounds like a good system to me! I use tippet rings mainly so I don't shorten my leader everytime I put a new piece of tippet on. Nobody I know uses them and I can't figure out why. I use them for drys and nymphs. They work for both. Hard to believe but they do float even though they are metal. The line on both sides hold them up! Any comments you can add?

 

[trowpa]

Wt - I use those rings too. Allows me to change my tippet indefinitely without shortening the leader length. Love em!

 

[WildTigerTrout]

trowpa, Bingo! That's why I like them. I also can use an improved clinch knot to attach the new tippet and don't have to tie a blood knot like the rest of the leader. I can change tippet and add a new fly in seconds.

 

[wsender]

Furled my first leader today, it's all over....

 

[gfen]

Hand twist Singapore leaders very close to Afish's method. Then loop A piece of thick tippet and then thinner stuff.

3-5' plus single strands. Been doing this at the shore too, 2' of 4 strand, 1.5' of 8 strand and looped to a piece of bite wire with a swivel on one side and a snap ontheother.